History.
Edition by editionThe Clàssica Camp de Morvedre was born in Estivella in 1982 through the determination of José Ramón Mateu. It was run every February until 1989 and returned to the international calendar in 2025.
The origin.
In the summer of 1981, José Ramón Mateu, an Estivella restaurateur, former professional rider and president of the Club Ciclista Estivella, travelled to France to watch a mountain stage of the Tour live. He came back with its roadbook, as he had done before with those of the Volta a Catalunya, the Setmana Catalana and the Escalada a Montjuïc.
He wanted a one-day classic for his home region, like the one that had just been launched in San Sebastián. He proposed it, at the Restaurante Els Pins, which he had run since 1968, to Manuel Girona, president of the Diputación de Valencia (Valencia Provincial Council) and a regular customer of the house.
In October 1981, the Diputación signed the sponsorship of two of the club’s races: the Trofeo Homenaje a René Marigil, on 18 February 1982, and the first Volta al Camp de Morvedre, on Saturday 27 February 1982.
Eight Februaries.
The Volta al Camp de Morvedre was held every February between 1982 and 1989. At a time when stage races ruled in Spain, it was designed as a one-day classic with a profile for climbers, serving as a prelude to the Trofeo Luis Puig and the Vuelta a las Tres Provincias, today’s Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana.
Its roll of honour and its podiums bring together the leading figures of that peloton, from Marino Lejarreta, Bernard Hinault and Pedro Delgado to Stephen Roche or Laurent Jalabert.
The return.
After more than three decades off the calendar, the race returned in 2025 as the Clàssica Camp de Morvedre, in the UCI 1.2 category, and in 2026 it moved up to UCI 1.1 with six WorldTour teams. The Garbí, via la Frontera, still decides the race.
