Vuelta a España 2023

Froome, Contador still favored to win Vuelta

1. Joaquin RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Katusha, in 4:35:22 2. Christopher FROOME, Sky, at :5 3. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE, Movistar, at :10 4. Alberto CONTADOR VELASCO, Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank, at :19 5. Eros CAPECCHI, Liquigas-Cannondale, at :19

Free of the pressure to follow wheels, the Irish rider is having a go before joining Contador in 2013

1. John DEGENKOLB, Argos-Shimano, in 4:10:37 2. Daniele BENNATI, RadioShack-Nissan, at 0 3. Gianni MEERSMAN, Lotto-Belisol, at 0 4. Elia VIVIANI, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 0 5. Raymond KREDER, Garmin-Sharp, at 0

Valverde blames Sky for causing the crash, but director Nicolas Portal won't take the rap

1. Simon CLARKE, Orica-GreenEdge, in 4:30:26 2. Tony MARTIN, Omega Pharma-Quick Step, at :2 3. Assan BAZAYEV, Astana, at :22 4. Marcos GARCIA, Caja Rural, at :55 5. Nicolas ROCHE, Ag2r La Mondiale, at :55

The Argos-Shimano rider is the first Chinese rider to start a grand tour

The Belgian champ said he was going to attack — and that’s just what he did.

Six seconds might well decide who will end up on the final podium at the Vuelta a España

1. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE, Movistar, in 3:49:37 2. Joaquin RODRIGUEZ OLIVER, Katusha, at 0 3. Christopher FROOME, Sky, at 0 4. Alberto CONTADOR VELASCO, Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank, at 0 5. Daniel MORENO FERNANDEZ, Katusha, at :6

Graham Watson shoots stage 2 of the 2012 Vuelta a España

“He is motivated. He knows he is ready,” says boss Bjarne Riis. “I think he just wants to race and hit some climbs.”

Movistar's Jonathan Castroviejo still holds the lead — but the mountains loom on Monday

1. John DEGENKOLB, Argos-Shimano, in 4:38:40 2. Allan DAVIS, Orica-GreenEdge, at 0 3. Ben SWIFT, Sky, at 0 4. Elia VIVIANI, Liquigas-Cannondale, at 0 5. Klaas LODEWYCK, BMC Racing, at 0

Bruyneel will stay for the first four stages and return toward the end to renew contracts with certain riders and staff

Graham Watson snaps the fast, frantic start to the 2012 Vuelta a España

It was a frustrating and unexpected start for Garmin, which typically shines in the team time trial

1. Movistar, in 18:51 2. Rabobank, at :10 3. Omega Pharma-Quickstep, at :10 4. Bmc, at :10 5. Sky Procycling, at :12

Olympics, more domestic events keep some North Americans at home

The Spaniard names Team Sky's Chris Froome as his main rival and said he hopes to gain strength as the race progresses

Racing as undisputed leader of Team Sky "is an opportunity of a lifetime,” says Froome

The startlist for the 2012 Vuelta a España

After winning in France last week, the young American will lead Garmin into Spain this weekend

Defending champ to take up Movistar's charge into the Vuelta with Valverde hunting stages

Urán, Porte, Swift also head to Spain for Tour de France-winning British squad

Dutch and French squads among four wildcards for Tour of Spain

'Ten uphill finales not too hard'

'Purito' tipped as early favorite

Ten summits in the cards for Spanish tour

Spanish tour set to return to Barcelona

The climb will be up the Cuitu Negro, with a section of new road at 2.8km with ramps as steep as 25 percent. The finale will come as part of a "queen stage" in stage 16 that will also include the brutally steep climbs over the San Lorenzo and Cobertoria summits, AS reported.

LEON, Spain (VN) — The route for the 2012 Vuelta a España will likely return to Spain's Basque Country as well as the Pyrénées.

PARIS (AFP) — The UCI announced Wednesday that no doping positives have emerged from the Tour of Spain after samples from the entire peloton underwent scrutiny.

Even with the unexpected overall Vuelta victory of Juan José Cobo, Chris Froome’s second overall caught most – if not all – observers completely off-guard. Among the most surprised was Fromme himself.

Juanjo Cobo (Geox-TMC) says he hopes that his victory in the Vuelta a España will erase doubts associated with his reputation dating back to the scandal-plagued 2008 Tour de France.

Bauke Mollema won the points jersey ahead of a sick Joaquim "Purito" Rodríguez in a final-day showdown in Madrid.

Team Sky officials said they had no regrets as the team rode to an historic second and third at the Vuelta a España with Chris Froome and Bradley Wiggins sharing the podium with surprise winner Juanjo Cobo.

1. Peter Sagan, Liquigas-Cannondale in 2:20:59 2. Daniele Bennati, Leopard Trek at 0 3. Alessandro Petacchi, Lampre-ISD at 0 4. John Degenkolb, HTC-Highroad at 0 5. Nikolas Maes, Quickstep Cycling Team, at 0

Peter Sagan burst down the middle of the road in the final 150 meters to blow past a fading Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre-ISD) and Daniele Bennati (Leopard-Trek) to round out a superb Vuelta that also included two wins in the first half of the race.

Juanjo Cobo says he cannot breathe easy yet despite only having a short, sprinter-friendly stage standing between him and a surprising Vuelta a España victory.

Graham Watson captures the penultimate stage of the 2011 Vuelta a España.

Daniele Bennati (Leopard-Trek) dashed to victory Saturday just in time to confirm his candidacy for leadership of the hyper-competitive Italian squad ahead of the world road cycling championships.

Stage 20 1. Daniele Bennati, Leopard-Trek, 4:39:20 2. Enrico Gasparotto, Astana, same time 3. Damiano Caruso, Liquigas-Cannondale, s.t. 4. Sep Vanmarcke, Garmin-Cervélo, s.t. 5. Koen De Kort, Skil-Shimano, s.t. GC 1. Juan José Cobo, Geox-TMC, at 82:38:32 2. Christopher Froome, Team Sky, at 0:13 3. Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky, at 1:39 4. Bauke Mollema, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:03 5. Denis Menchov, Geox-TMC, at 3:48

BILBAO, Spain (VN) - Igor Antón delivered a dream-come-true victory in Friday's emotional return to the Basque Country after a three-decade absence with an impressive solo victory.

Stage 1. Igor ANTON HERNANDEZ, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi, in 3:53:34 2. Marzio BRUSEGHIN, (ITA) Movistar, at 41 3. Dominik NERZ, (GER) Liquigas-Cannondale, at 1:30 4. Haimar ZUBELDIA AGIRRE, (ESP) Team RadioShack, at 1:30 5. Chris SÖRENSEN, (DEN) Saxobank-Sungard, at 1:31 GC 1. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (Spain) Geox-Tmc, in 77:59:12 2. Christopher FROOME, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 13 3. Bradley Wiggins, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 1:41 4. Bauke MOLLEMA, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:03 5. Denis MENCHOV, (Russia) Geox-Tmc, at 3:48

BILBAO, Spain (AFP) — Basque rider Igor Anton (Euskaltel) on Friday won the 19th stage of the Tour of Spain, a 158.5km ride from Noja to Bilbao in his native Basque country.

NOJA, Spain (AFP) - Italy's Francesco Gavazzi of the Lampre team Thursday won the 18th stage of the Tour of Spain, but Spain's Juan Jose Cobo kept the leader's jersey with just three stages left.

BILBAO, Spain (AFP) — When the Vuelta a España reaches Bilbao on Friday, the cycling-mad Basques will finally get to see the Vuelta in their own land after 33 years' absence.

"It's not over yet," said Sky sport director Servais Knaven. "We still have three stages to try to take it to Cobo. It won't be easy, but we're motivated to keep fighting. It's a grand tour. We are going to fight right to the end."

PENA CABARGA, Spain (VN) — Movistar lost three riders Wednesday as a stomach flu wiped out the team; meanwhile injury derailed Purito Rodrîguez in the final week of the Vuelta a España.

PENA CABARGA, Spain (VN) — There was a very tense moment about 500 meters from the finish line in Wednesday's 17th stage when it appeared Juanjo Cobo's dream Vuelta a España was turning into a nightmare.

Stage 1. Christopher FROOME, (GBR) Team Sky, in 4:52:38 2. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (ESP) Geox-Tmc, at 1 3. Bauke MOLLEMA, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 21 4. Daniel MARTIN, (IRL) Garmin-Cervelo, at 24 GC 1. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (Spain) Geox-Tmc, in 69:31:41 2. Christopher FROOME, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 13 3. Bradley WIGGINS, (Great Britain) Team Sky, at 1:41 4. Bauke MOLLEMA, (Netherlands) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 2:05 5. Denis MENCHOV, (Russia) Geox-Tmc, at 3:48

Stage 16 1. Juan José HAEDO, (ARG) Saxobank-Sungard, in 4:41:56 2. Alessandro PETACCHI, (ITA) Lampre-Isd, at 0 3. Daniele BENNATI, (ITA) Leopard-Trek, at 0 4. Vicente REYNES MIMO, (ESP) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0 5. Leigh HOWARD, (AUS) HTC-Highroad, at 2 GC 1. Juan Jose COBO ACEBO, (ESP) Geox-Tmc, in 64:39:14 2. Christopher FROOME, (GBR) Team Sky, at 22 3. Bradley WIGGINS, (GBR) Team Sky, at 51 4. Bauke MOLLEMA, (NED) Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:41 5. Maxime MONFORT, (BEL) Leopard-Trek, at 2:40

HARO, Spain (AFP) - Argentina's Juan Jose Haedo of the Saxo Bank team won the 16th stage of the Tour of Spain Tuesday while Spain's Juan Jose Cobo of Geox retained the leader's red jersey.

LEON, Spain (VN) — Team Sky's Bradley Wiggins says Vuelta a España race leader Juanjo Cobo deserves a benefit of the doubt against insinuations that the Geox-TMC rider's Angliru performance might appear too good to believe.

A look at the low, low gears riders used on the Vuelta's 15th stage

LEON, Spain (VN) — You'd think that one of the best young, emerging climbers in the peloton might love the 20-percent-plus grades of the Angliru, but Garmin-Cervélo climber Daniel Martin rode away unimpressed with Spain's hardest mountain.

Tom Boonen's rough ride in the Vuelta a España got even rougher during Sunday's 15th stage to the notorious Angliru.

Graham Watson captures the action on the Angliru.

Dreams of overall victory at the Vuelta a España came crashing down for Team Sky under a lethal onslaught from Juanjo Cobo (Geox-TMC), who tore away from the tandem of Wiggins and Froome with 5km to go on the Angliru and turned a 55-second deficit into a 20-second lead.

Stage 15 1. Juan José Cobo, Geox-TMC, at 4:01:56 2. Wouter Poels, Vacansoleil-DCM, at 0:48 3. Denis Menchov, Geox-TMC, same time 4. Christopher Froome, Team Sky, s.t. 5. Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky, at 1:21 GC 1. Juan José Cobo, Geox-TMC, at 59:57:16 2. Christopher Froome, Team Sky, at 20 3. Bradley Wiggins, Team Sky, at 46 4. Bauke Mollema, Rabobank Cycling Team, at 1:36 5. Maxime Monfort, Leopard-Trek, at 2:37

On paper, Angliru favors Christopher Froome over Bradley Wiggins. It will be interesting to see how Sky plays it out once the race is under way. Will Team Sky put the brakes on Froome if he's flying again and Wiggins is just barely hanging on?

For Andrew Talansky (Garmin-Cervélo) and Matthew Busche (RadioShack), making it to the finish line in Spain's capital on September 11 would mean more than a personal milestone; it would prove that both have the grit to not only finish their grand-tour debuts, but do so against a brutal course in harsh conditions.