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Vuelta a España 2022

DATES: August 19 - September 11
STAGES: 21
REST DAYS: 3
START: Utrecht
FINISH: Madrid

Vuelta a España race results

Stage 2

Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe) ended a long wait for another grand tour stage victory, clocking up success on the first sprint stage of the Vuelta a España on Saturday.

The Irishman had a perfect leadout from his Bora-Hansgrohe team and finished half a length clear of Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segefredo) and Tim Merlier (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in Utrecht.

Full report and results.

Stage 1

Primož Roglič and Jumbo-Visma set the tone on their triple title defense with a dominant team time trial victory in the opening stage of the 2022 Vuelta a España.

The Dutch team Jumbo-Visma blitzed the 23.3km test through Utrecht, the Netherlands, to place Robert Gesink into the red leader's jersey and deliver Primož Roglič the perfect start after his layoff with Tour de France injuries.

Full report and results.

Vuelta a España contenders

The Vuelta a España is the final grand tour of the season and possibly the most unpredictable of the three-week races.

With a tough season in the legs and a mixed bag of general classification contenders with hugely varied buildups to the event, anything can happen. Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe), Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers), Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco), Mikel Landa (Bahrain-Merida), João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), and Enric Mas (Movistar) are all expected to be on the start line targeting the GC.

Primož Roglič will be racing despite the fact that he suffered a big crash at the Tour de France in July. Meanwhile, Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) has talked down his chances of a GC result, but he’ll be one to watch.

The Vuelta is rarely a race for the sprinters but there will be some in attendance with Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe), Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo), Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates), Kaden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco), and Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) heading to Spain.

Vuelta a España route

Utrecht in the Netherlands plays host to the opening three stages, providing team time trial and some rare flat days for the peloton. Once the race returns to Spain, the profiles start getting a little lumpier with the first summit finish to Ascensión al Pico Jano. San Miguel de Aguayo coming on stage 6. Week one then closes with a summit finish double header at Colláu Fancuaya and Les Praeres Nava.

The one and only ITT opens up the second week, with a 31.1km ride from Elche to Alicante. There will be a few sprint chances as the race progresses, but they’re punctuated by some tough mountain days. It’s the Vuelta and we wouldn’t expect anything less. In fact, there are eight big summit finishes throughout the race, something that will push the riders to their limits.

Vuelta a España key features

Vuelta a España teams

Vuelta a España recent winners

2021: Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)

2020: Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)

2019: Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)

2018: Simon Yates (Mitchelton-Scott)

2017: Chris Froome (Team Sky)

2016: Nairo Quintana (Movistar Team)

2015: Fabio Aru (Astana)

2014: Alberto Contador (Tinkoff–Saxo)

2013: Chris Horner (RadioShack–Nissan)

2012: Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank–Tinkoff Bank)

Latest Vuelta a Espana News

13 years ago

Sastre likely Vuelta-bound

Carlos Sastre says there’s a “very high possibility” that he will start his third grand tour of the 2010 season


13 years ago

‘Bola del Mundo’ latest Vuelta extreme attraction

This year's Vuelta could well be decided on the slopes of a new climb that’s already being compared to the fearsome Angliru and Monte Zoncolan.


13 years ago

No Vuelta for Contador

Alberto Contador has confirmed that he will not be racing the Vuelta a España next month.


13 years ago

Schleck brothers, Denis Menchov, Mark Cavendish highlight Vuelta roster

Alberto Contador probably won't show, but the third-best man in the Tour, Denis Menchov, is signed up.


13 years ago

Fabian Cancellara eyes Vuelta as preparation for worlds

The Saxo Bank star is tired from a demanding, successful season, but says racing beats training.


13 years ago

Vande Velde, Farrar will return for Vuelta a España

Christian Vande Velde and Tyler Farrar will return to major competition next month at the Vuelta a España.


13 years ago

HTC-Columbia’s Tejay Van Garderen in line for 2010 Vuelta a Espana start

While the cycling world’s attention is on the Tour de France, American Tejay Van Garderen is preparing for an unexpected start at the Vuelta a España in September.


13 years ago

Why Team RadioShack is not at the 2010 Vuelta a Espana

The team was not included in the list of 22 squads invited to the 2010 Vuelta, set to start Aug. 28 in Sevilla. Sixteen teams were already selected, but RadioShack was not among the final six wild-card selections revealed Monday.


13 years ago

Graham Watson’s 2009 Vuelta a Espana gallery

This holiday season, VeloNews is bringing you three galleries of some of photographer Graham Watson's best shots from the 2009 Grand Tours. Today you can unwrap a gallery from the Vuelta a Espana. Watch for galleries from the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in coming days. Happy Holidays.


13 years ago

Vuelta route gets positive reviews

Riders and teams reacted with enthusiasm to the route chosen for the 2010 Vuelta a España.


13 years ago

2010 Vuelta a Espana route announced, and red leader’s jersey unveiled

Officials announce 2010 Vuelta route and unveil new red leader's jersey.


13 years ago

Vuelta presentation on Wednesday

Details of the season’s third grand tour will be revealed Wednesday during a ceremony in Sevilla, Spain.


14 years ago

TTT to open Vuelta

If news reports are right, the 2010 Vuelta will open with a team time trial in Sevilla on August 29th.


14 years ago

Vuelta to return to Covadonga

Details of the 2010 version of the Vuelta a España are slowly leaking out through the Spanish media.


14 years ago

2009 Vuelta a Espana results, final

1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Caisse d'Epargne, 87:22:37 2. Samuel Sánchez (ESP), Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 55 3. Cadel Evans (AUS), Silence-Lotto, at 01:32 4. Ivan Basso (ITA), Liquigas, at 02:12 5. Ezequiel Mosquera (ESP), Xacobeo Galicia, at 04:27


14 years ago

García Acosta completes 25th grand tour

No one can ever accuse Spanish veteran José Vicente "Chente" García Acosta of being a slacker. The Caisse d’Epargne rider completed his 25th grand tour Sunday with the conclusion of the 64th Vuelta a España. And that number is just from racing the Vuelta a España and the Tour de France. Somewhat surprisingly, García Acosta has never raced a Giro d’Italia since turning pro in 1995.


14 years ago

Start Times – Stage 20 Time Trial

Start Times – Stage 20 Time Trial1. Damien Gaudin Bbox Bouygues Telecom - starts at 2:29 p.m.2. Jens Mouris Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team - starts at 2:30 p.m.3. Martijn Maaskant Garmin-Slipstream - starts at 2:31 p.m.4. J. Vicente García Acosta Caisse d’Epargne - starts at 2:32 p.m.5. Frantisek Rabon Team Columbia-HTC - starts at 2:33 p.m.6. Timothy Gudsell Française Des Jeux - starts at 2:34 p.m.7. Massimiliano Mori Lampre-NGC - starts at 2:35 p.m.8.


14 years ago

Garmin down to four

Garmin-Slipstream lost three riders in Thursday’s 18th stage at the Vuelta a España, leaving the squad with just four going into the final weekend of the race. Ryder Hesjedal and Christian Meier did not start and Tom Danielson abandoned early in the stage from Talavera de la Reina to Ávila. Hesjedal’s exit was planned to allow him a few days’ recovery ahead of the world championships next weekend while Meier suffered a death in his family.


14 years ago

La Vuelta a España: Race leader will see red in 2010

The leader of next year's Vuelta a España will wear a red jersey instead of the current gold to mark the 75th anniversary of the event, organizers announced Tuesday. The colour of the leader's jersey has changed several times since the event began, with red being used only once, in 1945, Spanish media said. It was orange for the inaugural event in 1935, a color that was also used in 1936, 1942 and 1977. It was white just once, in 1941, and white with a horizontal red line between 1946 and 1950.


14 years ago

Evans: Puncture ‘probably cost me the win of the Vuelta’

Cadel Evans vows to keep fighting in this Vuelta a España, but he will probably lose sleep when he thinks about his ill-timed puncture in Saturday’s decisive climbing stage to Sierra Nevada. The Aussie’s chances of overall victory were shattered when he punctured near the Cat. 1 Monachil summit. A botched wheel change froze the Silence-Lotto rider neat the top of the climb just as his rivals were barreling down the other side.


14 years ago

Vuelta Notebook: Cunego primed for worlds

Damiano Cunego’s second stage victory at this year’s Vuelta a España shows he’ll be one of the riders to beat at the world championships later this month at Mendrisio. His dramatic win up the steep La Pandera climb ahead of Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank) only fuels his ambitions ahead of the worlds. “The worlds is the top goal for me and the Vuelta is ideal preparation,” Cunego said. “These victories at the Vuelta confirm that I am enjoying good form right now and I will carry that into the worlds.”


14 years ago

Puncture deflates Evans as leaders race on without him

Cadel Evans just can’t seem to catch a break this season. The Australian’s chances of overall victory were torpedoed Saturday with an ill-timed puncture near the top of the decisive Alto de Monachil climb late in the five-climb 13th stage. Confusion over a wheel change cost Evans critical seconds and he lost contact with the top GC rivals just as the leaders were nearing the final charge up to the summit finish at Sierra Nevada.


14 years ago

Danielson hopes to climb higher in mountains

Tom Danielson is licking his lips ahead of Saturday’s decisive climbing stage to Sierra Nevada in the 13th stage at the Vuelta a España. The route will retrace some of the roads over the Cat. 1 Alto de Monachil where he attacked three years ago to claim his biggest win of his career into Granada during the 2006 Vuelta. Danielson has twice finished in the top 10 at the Vuelta, but is now poised to make a run for the final podium — or perhaps even more.


14 years ago

Q&A with Ryder Hesjedal: ‘I never doubted that it was possible’

Ryder Hesjedal (Garmin-Slipstream) made history Friday when he became the first Canadian to win a stage at the Vuelta a España. Hesjedal also delivered Garmin’s second consecutive stage victory at the Vuelta with a gutsy late-stage performance up the grueling Velefique climb. Hesjedal spoke exclusively to VeloNews following his emotional stage victory. Here are excerpts from his post-stage reaction: VeloNews: Describe your feelings coming across the line.


14 years ago

Mr. September: Ryder Hesjedal

Throughout his long career on the road and mountain bike circuits, some of the Canadian’s best performances have come in September. Part of that is purely coincidental, especially since some of mountain biking’s biggest events (World Cup finals and worlds) often fell in September. But there’s no denying the tall, all-rounder from western Canada seems to rise to the top when the leaves start falling.


14 years ago

Farrar: ‘It finally came together’

Tyler Farrar got the monkey off Garmin-Slipstream’s back. After a string of close calls, with no less than nine second places in grand tours in 2009, including second by Ryder Hesjedal in Tuesday’s 10th stage, Farrar was first across the line in a major three-week race in Wednesday 11th stage at the Vuelta a España. It’s an important milestone for both Farrar and Garmin.


14 years ago

Vuelta Notebook: Stage 10

Garmin-Slipstream is still waiting for that elusive individual grand tour stage victory, but no one can criticize the U.S.-registered team for a lack of trying. With second to Simon Gerrans in Tuesday’s 10th stage, Canadian Ryder Hesjedal once again put the argyle jersey at the sharp end of the action at the Vuelta a España. The squad won the team time trial at the 2008 Giro d’Italia in its grand tour debut, but has since come enticingly close to a major stage win at the grand tours in two seasons at the elite level of the sport.


14 years ago

Vuelta Notebook: Beloki’s comeback, Schleck dreamin’ rainbows

Beloki plots his own comeback Joseba Beloki is plotting a return to the professional peloton, but he won’t be trying to regain his spot as one of the top challengers for the Tour de France. Beloki, 35, has given up hope of ever racing as a pro again. Instead, the Basque rider is hoping to become a sport director in the coming years.


14 years ago

Andrew Hood’s Vuelta Notebook

Reigning Olympic champion Samuel Sánchez says he doesn’t expect to, but still believes he can win the Vuelta a España. That’s how Sánchez assesses things after nearly a week of racing in the Vuelta, sitting 65th at 1:09 back. “Right now I don’t see myself winning, but I know that I am capable of doing it,” Sánchez said. “It’s the same thing as trying to finish in the top 10 at the Tour; it’s one thing to think but it’s altogether something else to actually do it.”


14 years ago

John Wilcockson: North Americans still in the hunt at the Vuelta, even with Horner gone

In terms of roadside spectators, the opening four stages of the 64th Vuelta a España through The Netherlands and Belgium were a huge success.. “Just like the Tour de France,” some of the riders said. But the interest in North America has been minimal, at best, even though the top U.S teams Columbia-HTC and Garmin-Slipstream are taking part.


14 years ago

Large crash marks end of Vuelta stage

Chris Horner was among the major victims of a horrible high-speed crash Tuesday as scores of riders crashed near the end of the rainy fourth stage at the Vuelta a España. The Astana captain hit the deck with dozens of riders in a pile-up caused by a narrow run through a rain-slickened traffic circle within the 3km-to-go banner. The team later announced that Horner had broken his left hand and would leave the Vuelta.


14 years ago

Andrew Hood’s Vuelta Notebook: Greipel is the ‘German Flyer’

André Greipel doesn’t think there should be an asterisk next to his victory in Tuesday’s stage at the crash-marred finale at the Vuelta a España. Greipel was only one of six riders to make it past a horrible accident that wiped out nearly all of the major sprinters, including Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Slipstream) and Tom Boonen (Quick Step).


14 years ago

Vuelta notebook: Henderson’s happy, Barredo’s bummed

Perhaps it’s no mistake that Greg Henderson’s biggest road win of his career comes in the Vuelta a España. Monday’s stage-3 sprint victory for the 32-year-old Henderson caps a breakthrough season that’s also included major victories on Spanish roads, at the Clásica de Almería, the Vuelta a Murcia and the Volta a Catalunya. Holland isn’t quite Spain, but it is still the Vuelta a España despite its popular start in Benelux.


14 years ago

Vuelta notebook: Horner can’t wait for sunny Spain

Chris Horner cannot wait to get to the warmer climes of Spain. It’s not that the Astana captain doesn’t like bumping shoulders on the narrow, rainy roads of Holland, but he knows that the real battle won’t begin until the Vuelta a España transfers down to the Iberian peninsula next week. In the meantime, it’s about gritting the teeth and avoiding a costly mishap.


14 years ago

Andrew Hood’s Vuelta Notebook

If Saturday’s rowdy and enthusiastic welcome for the Vuelta a España is any indication, next year’s Giro and Tour starts should be off the charts. An estimated 40,000 fans braved wind, cold and rain to watch SuperFabio roar into the leader’s jersey at the Vuelta, so just imagine what it’s going to be like in Amsterdam, which hosts the Giro start in May, and Rotterdam, which has the Tour’s grand depart in July. Holland is playing host to all three grand tours and the Dutch fans seem up to the task of making the pro peloton feel welcome.


14 years ago

Vuelta a España – Start times prologue

Start Times – Prologue, Vuelta a España, 2009 1. Alberto FernÁndez Sainz Xacobeo Galiciap, starts at 3:21p.m. 2. Matheus Pronk Vacansoleil Pro Cycling Team, starts at 3:22p.m. 3. Dominik Roels Team Milram, starts at 3:23p.m. 4. Frantisek Rabon Team Columbia-HTC, starts at 3:24p.m. 5. Kevin De Weert Quick Step, starts at 3:25p.m. 6. Francesco Tomei Lampre-NGC, starts at 3:26p.m. 7. Christian Meier Garmin-Slipstream, starts at 3:27p.m. 8.


14 years ago

Who can win the 2009 Vuelta a España?

The 64th Vuelta a España clicks into gear Saturday on the Assen race track with one of its deepest and most competitive fields ever. Not only are riders racing the Vuelta to prepare for the world championships, but some of the biggest names are lining up with nothing less than all-out victory as their stated goals. With none of last year’s top-3 back to defend their podium spots, the 2009 Vuelta is wide open. A challenging course well-suited for aggressive attacks in the mountains will promise to keep things interesting all the way into the final week.


14 years ago

Yates: ‘Horner will get his chance at Vuelta’

Chris Horner will finally get a crack at the GC in a grand tour when the Vuelta a España clicks into gear on Saturday in Holland. That’s according to Astana sport director Sean Yates, who said the team will let Horner give it a stab for the overall classification. “Horner has progressed a lot this year, but he hasn’t had a chance to show on his own what he can do in the GC because he’s always been working for others,” Yates said. “I think he’s very motivated for the Vuelta. First he has to avoid a crash and then it’s a question of following.”


14 years ago

Vuelta a España – Preliminary Start List

Preliminary Start List – Vuelta a España 2009Euskaltel-Euskadi1. Samuel Sanchez (Spa)2. Igor Anton (Spa)3. Egoi Martinez (Spa)4. Alan Perez (Spa)5. Ruben Perez (Spa)6. Inaki Isasi (Spa)7. Aitor Hernandez (Spa)8. Markel Irizar (Spa)9. Amets Txurruka (Spa)Ag2r La Mondiale11. Tadej Valjavec (Slo)12. José Luis Arrieta (Spa)13. Christophe Riblon (Fra)14. Alexander Efimkin (Rus)15. Sébastien Hinault (Fra)16.


14 years ago

Garmin-Slipstream will bring Farrar, Danielson and Hesjedal to the Vuelta

Garmin-Slipstream's sprinter Tyler Farrar will be looking for stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana starting Saturday, and the team is sending a squad of all-rounders and sprinters to help him get his first grand tour stage win. Farrar is coming off a string of successes at the Tour de France and the Eneco Tour. Team CEO Jonathan Vaughters says he expects the success to continue.


14 years ago

Vino’ only looking ahead

As if the last two years hadn’t happened at all, Alexander Vinokourov is back at the Vuelta a España and back on the Astana team. Ignore that two-year racing ban for illegal blood transfusions and forget about the behind-the-scenes power struggle at Astana involving Johan Bruyneel, Vinokourov and the power cadre of Kazakh backers. At least that’s what Vinokourov wants everyone to do.


14 years ago

Davis, Boonen lead Quick Step to Vuelta

Australian Allan Davis will have the chance to make amends for missing the Tour de France in July after he was named in Quick Step's squad for the upcoming Vuelta a España. Davis, a sprinter, was Quick Step's “tenth man” for the Tour in July, but missed out on a place after teammate Tom Boonen was given 11th hour clearance to race despite having tested positive for cocaine, for the second time in his career, two months previously.


14 years ago

Basso eyes Vuelta title

Ivan Basso is taking aim at nothing short of overall victory for the 64th Vuelta a España, which clicks into gear Saturday in Holland. The Italian said he’s better prepared for the Vuelta than the Giro d’Italia earlier this season, where he finished fifth overall. “I trained myself in the best way without any stress,” Basso said in a team statement. “The final victory is a concrete goal.”


14 years ago

Columbia has full quiver for Vuelta

Team Columbia-HTC believes powerful German sprinter André Greipel can help continue its impressive 2009 season once the Vuelta a España clicks into gear this Saturday. Mark Cavendish's stunning haul of six stage wins from this year's Tour de France took his tally to 10 in two participations, and was the highlight of a hugely successful season for the American outfit so far.


14 years ago

Vinokourov named to Astana’s Vuelta squad

Alexander Vinokourov is now officially part of the Astana team and is set to ride the Vuelta a España. The back-room wrangling over the return of Vinokourov went down to the wire, but team officials reached an agreement Monday to ease the way for his return to the Kazakh-backed team. Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel and Rinus Wagtmans, the authorized representative for the Kazakh sponsors, hammered out an agreement Monday. Vinokourov will be immediately welcomed into the Astana team and has a contract to race through the 2010 season.


14 years ago

Rasmussen sees no chance of racing Vuelta

There won’t be a late-hour bid to include Michael Rasmussen in the 64th Vuelta a España. At least Rasmussen isn’t expecting one. “All I can say regarding the Vuelta is that the team did not register me in time and that Unipublic did not want to make an exception by letting me in,” Rasmussen told VeloNews via e-mail. “They did, though, make exceptions with three Lotto riders that were not on the preliminary start list. Anyways — no Vuelta.” Rasmussen did not disclose the name of the team.


14 years ago

Valverde leads Caisse d’Epargne for Vuelta

Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde will lead Caisse d'Epargne at this year's Vuelta a España, the team announced on Monday. The 29-year-old, who finished second in the 2006 Vuelta, did not compete in this year's Tour de France after being banned from competing in Italy for two years by the Italian Olympic Committee after he was implicated in the Operación Puerto doping scandal. The decision, which Valverde has contested, kept him out of the Tour, the 16th stage of which passed through Italy. The Vuelta takes place from August 29 to September 20.


14 years ago

Evans seeks redemption at Vuelta

Cadel Evans will lead Silence-Lotto at the 64th Vuelta a España with hopes of reaching the podium in the season’s final grand tour. Evans struggled through the recent Tour de France, finishing out of the top 10 for the first time, but will be riding to make amends for a frustrating performance in July with something big at the Spanish tour. The Aussie all-rounder has raced the Vuelta three times, abandoning in 2004, finishing 60th in 2004 and just missing the podium with fourth in 2007.


14 years ago

Garate adds punch to Rabobank’s Vuelta team

Tour de France stage-winner Juan Manuel Garate will be part of Rabobank’s starting nine for the upcoming Vuelta a España. Garate, who won atop Mont Ventoux ahead of Tony Martin (Columbia-HTC), crashed during the Clásica San Sebastián earlier this month and broke a finger. He’s been able to recover in time and will be at the start line Saturday in Assen, Holland for the commencement of the 64th Vuelta. The presence of the veteran Spanish climber brings added firepower to the strong Rabobank squad for the season’s third and final grand tour.


14 years ago

Basso, Bennati to lead Liquigas at Vuelta

Liquigas-Doimo heads to the 64th Vuelta a España with a strong team and even stronger ambitions. Led by GC threats Ivan Basso and Roman Kreuziger, Liquigas will start the Spanish tour with high hopes for a shot at overall victory as well as stage victories with the likes of Daniele Bennati and Manuel Quinziato.


14 years ago

FdJ’s Offredo injuries force him to skip Vuelta

Française des Jeux’s Yoann Offredo has been ruled out of next week’s Vuelta a España, after suffering injuries in the Eneco Tour. The 22-year-old Offredo crashed in the second stage of the Eneco Tour on Thursday and suffered a collarbone fracture. Offredo had been listed on Française des Jeux’s preliminary start list for the Vuelta.


14 years ago

Yellow light for Vinokourov in Vuelta, red light for Rasmussen

There only thing certain about Alexander Vinokourov’s immediate future and whether or not he’ll race the Vuelta a España is that it is all far from certain. Despite some reports that Vinokourov has the go-ahead to start the Vuelta next weekend with Astana, nothing is settled yet for the returning Kazakh rider. According to Astana team spokesman Philippe Maertens, paperwork that would ease the way for Vinokourov’s return to the Astana fold is complete, but there’s still no final agreement between all the major players.


14 years ago

Cobo in doubt for Vuelta

Recent injuries have put GC-threat Juanjo Cobo's Vuelta a España in doubt. The 28-year-old Fuji-Servetto leader crashed during training last week ahead of the Trittico Lombardo, resulting in serious abrasions and bruises to his arms and hands. Later X-rays revealed a fracture in the Spaniard's right shoulder. Despite doctors’ orders to stay off the bike for three weeks, Cobo is still hoping to start the Vuelta. Team manager Joxean Fernández included Cobo as part of the starting nine for the Vuelta, with Iker Camaño as the first replacement.


14 years ago

Sánchez No. 1 on prelim Vuelta start list

Reigning Olympic road race champion Samuel Sánchez will wear the No. 1 bib for the upcoming Vuelta a España in the season’s third and final grand tour, August 29- September 20. With none of last year’s top-3 podium finishers back for the 2009 edition, race organizers released a preliminary start list Thursday that includes the Euskaltel-Euskadi leader with el número uno.


14 years ago

Preliminary Start List – Vuelta a España 2009

Preliminary Start List – Vuelta a España 2009EUSKALTEL - EUSKADI (EUS) - ESP Race Numbers 1- 09SANCHEZ GONZALEZ Samuel (ESP) ANTON HERNANDEZ Igor (ESP) MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN Egoi (ESP) PEREZ LEZAUN Alan (ESP) PEREZ MORENO Ruben (ESP) ISASI FLORES Inaki (ESP) HERNANDEZ GUTIERREZ Aitor (ESP) IRIZAR ARANBURU Markel (ESP) TXURRUKA Amets (ESP) • Reserve Rider - URTASUN PEREZ Pablo (


14 years ago

Vuelta a España: Valverde, si; Pereiro, no

Following his victory this weekend at the Vuelta a Burgos, Alejandro Valverde now has his eyes set on the overall title at the Vuelta a España. On Sunday, Valverde did what he needed to on the climbing stage to the Lagunas de Neila to bounce ahead of Tom Danielson (Garmin-Slipstream) and claim the overall at the 31st Burgos tour. It marked Valverde’s seventh win on the 2009 season.


14 years ago

Gesink, Boom lead Rabobank for Vuelta

Teams are already releasing preliminary start lists for the upcoming Vuelta a España (August 29-September 20) and Rabobank will bring a strong team with sights on overall victory and stage wins. The Dutch outfit released 10 names for the Spanish tour and will look to Robert Gesink, who crashed out of the Tour de France with a fractured wrist in stage 5, to take aim for the final podium.


14 years ago

Andy Schleck, Basso headline strong Vuelta field

None of last year’s top three are expected to be back, but the 2009 Vuelta a España will see a strong field for the season’s final grand tour. Last year’s winner Alberto Contador – still celebrating his Tour de France victory – has confirmed he will not defend his Vuelta title. Runner-up Levi Leipheimer, recovering from his crash at the Tour, and third-place Carlos Sastre, exhausted after racing four consecutive grand tours, are both steering clear of the Spanish tour. That leaves a huge vacuum that several top names will be jostling to fill.


14 years ago

Vuelta leaves Katusha, Fuji and LPR on sidelines

Twenty-one teams are heading to the Vuelta a España in late August, but not everyone is going to be happy. Among the major teams left on the sidelines for the season’s third grand tour are two ProTour squads, the Russian-backed Katusha and Spanish Fuji-Servetto teams, as well as the Italian continental standout, LPR. The Vuelta organization, which released its list of invitees Friday morning, included 16 of 18 ProTour teams among the starting lineup.


14 years ago

The 2009 Vuelta a Espana will start in the Dutch city of Assen

The 2009 Tour of Spain will begin in the Netherlands, in the first overseas launch of the race in more than 12 years, organizers announced Wednesday. 2009 Vuelta a Espana Stages Saturday, Aug 29 - stage 1: 4.5km around Assen (Netherlands), individual time trial Sunday, Aug 30 - stage 2: 202km from Assen to Emmen (Netherlands)


15 years ago

Sánchez to focus on Vuelta in ’09

Samuel Sánchez continues to soak up the attention that comes with the Olympic gold medal. Everywhere he goes, journalists are knocking down his door for an interview. This week, “Samu” is on vacation in Spain’s Canary Islands and told reporters there more details about his racing schedule for the upcoming season. He’ll skip the 2009 Tour de France (where he finished seventh overall last year) and focus on trying to win the Vuelta a España.


15 years ago

Sastre likely to skip Vuelta

Defending Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre says he’s all but certain to skip next year’s Vuelta a España and said he’s looking forward toward a possible showdown with Lance Armstrong at the 2009 Tour. Speaking to reporters at an engagement in Spain, Sastre reconfirmed that he’ll likely start the Giro d’Italia to prepare for the Tour and then skip the Vuelta, where he finished third overall in September.


15 years ago

Guillén named Vuelta director

The Vuelta a España already has a new director. Victor Cordero, who is stepping down at the end of this season as the head of the Spanish tour, is making way for Javier Guillén. Guillén has been the secretary general at the Vuelta for the past five years and will help steer the season’s third grand tour into the future. Earlier this year, the Amaury Sport Organization (owners of the Tour de France, Paris-Nice and other major races) bought 49 percent of the race.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 21

02:15 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 21st - and Final! - stage of the 2008 Vuelta a España, a largely ceremonial cruise from San Sebastian de los Reyes to the traditional finish in Madrid.


15 years ago

Breschel wins Madrid finale, as Contador wins the Vuelta

With his third grand tour victory in barely a year, Alberto Contador has quickly grown from cycling’s boy wonder to the peloton’s new alpha male. The 25-year-old Spanish climber lived up to expectations to win the 63rd Vuelta a España to complete cycling’s “triple crown” and becomes just the fifth rider to win all three grand tours.


15 years ago

Cordero: ‘Best Vuelta in years’

Vuelta a España director Victor Cordero called the 63rd edition of the Spanish tour the “best in years.” “We are very satisfied to see Contador likely to win and to see the quality of racing during this Vuelta,” Cordero told VeloNews on Saturday evening. “It’s the best Vuelta in years and we hope to build on this momentum in the coming years.”


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 20

01:22 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 20th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a España, a 17.1-kilometer individual time trial from La Granja de San Ildefonso to the summit of the Category 1 Puerto de Navacerrada.Riders will be leaving the starting house beginning at 2:45 p.m. We have posted a complete list of riders and their departure times: www.velonews.com/article/83409


15 years ago

Leipheimer wins final TT; Contador locks up Vuelta

How close was it between Levi Leipheimer and Alberto Contador in Saturday’s nail-biting 17.1km time trial at the Vuelta a España? Very close. Leipheimer gave his Astana teammate a scare and blasted up the Cat. 1 Puerto de Navacerrada to win his second time trial stage at this year’s Vuelta and chewed considerably into Contador’s 1:17 head start in the Vuelta’s penultimate stage. Leipheimer stopped the clock in 33 minutes, 6 seconds (30.997kph), 31 seconds faster than Contador and Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) to secure second place overall.


15 years ago

Vuelta a España – Start List – Stage 20 Time Trial

The full start list and departure times for the stage 20 individual time trial at the Vuelta a España, a 17.1-kilometer individual time trial from La Granja de San Ildefonso to the summit of the Category 1 Puerto de Navacerrada. Follow the progress of the Vuelta's top riders with our Live up-to-the-minute coverage.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 19

12:47 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 19th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a relatively short, but potentially difficult 145.5-kilometer race from Las Rozas to Segovia. The route tackles the southern face of the Category 1 Puerto de Navacerrada (Saturday’s climbing time trial will ride up the northern approach) and then the Cat. 1 Puerto de Navafría before descending toward Segovia.


15 years ago

Tinkoff’s Vasili Kiryienka powers the winning break while Caisse d’Epargne’s David Arroyo takes the win

David Arroyo won the second stage in a row for Caisse d’Epargne while Alberto Contador fended off last-gasp attempts to blow apart the race in Friday’s two-climb, 145.5km stage across the rugged sierra north of Madrid to safely retain the overall lead Vuelta a España. Arroyo, 28, is one of the worker bees who occasionally gets to taste the honey themselves. The veteran gregario was fulfilling his obligations to follow the breakaways over two first category climbs to set up team captain Alejandro Valverde when fate turned his way.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 18

12:28 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of thr 18th Stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 167.4-kilometer ride from Valladolid to Las Rozas. This stage rolls south across the central plateau, starting in Valladolid and climbs over the Sierra de Guardarrama north of Madrid before ending in Las Rozas. The first 122km gradually takes the peloton from an altitude of 700 meters to the start of the day's only rated climb.


15 years ago

Spain’s Imanol Erviti of Caisse d’Epargne takes Nicolas Roche in an uphill sprint

Spanish rider Imanol Erviti out-kicked Nicholas Roche from an 18-man breakaway that lit up Thursday’s 18th stage to pump some fresh excitement into the Vuelta a España. With the favorites cooling their jets ahead of this weekend’s final showdown in the mountains north of Madrid, two-time world champion Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) snuck away in the big, dangerous breakaway that the Vuelta was waiting for.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 17

11:53 AM: Good day and welcomeTo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 17th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a generally flat race from Zamora to Valladolid.


15 years ago

Quick Step’s Wouter Weylandt wins stage 17 of the Vuelta

Tom Boonen and Paolo Bettini have each won two stages in this year’s Vuelta a España and had already planned to pull out after Wednesday’s stage into Valladolid, so the Quick Step superstars decided to sit up in their final sprint and leave it the second-tier sprinters to take a shot. Budding Belgian talent Wouter Weylandt stepped boldly into the void, holding off a wild sprint ahead of Matti Breschel (CSC-Saxo Bank) to win by a half-tire length to give Quick Step victory its fifth win at the Vuelta.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 16

12:36 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 16th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 186.3km race from Ponferrada to Zamora.


15 years ago

Tom Boonen wins Vuelta stage 16

It was a fast and exciting conclusion Tuesday into Zamora to one of the slowest and most tedious stages any grand tour has endured in years. Tom Boonen (Quick Step) pipped Filippo Pozzato (Liquigas) to win his second stage of this year’s Vuelta a España, but the 186.3km stage was marked by its sluggish speed and lackadaisical attitude of the peloton. 2008 Vuelta a EspanaStage 16


15 years ago

Contador brushes off fall, on cruise control

Alberto Contador came close Monday to learning that sometimes clichés are true. Ever since he took the Vuelta a España race leader’s jersey with an emphatic victory atop the Angliru on Saturday, he’s been sounding like a broken record and kept repeating that nothing’s won until the final stage in Madrid on Sunday. Contador dodged a bullet Monday when he rode away with relatively light abrasions and scrapes to his left elbow, knee and shoulder after he hit the deck in Monday’s 202km 15th stage after riding into the gutter and falling hard on his left side.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 15

01:09 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 15th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 202-kilometer ride from Cudillero to Ponferrada.


Vuelta a Espana Writers

Daniel Benson

Daniel Benson is the Editor in Chief at VeloNews.com. Before that, he was the EIC at Cyclingnews between 2008 and 2022. Originally from Ireland but based in the UK, he has reported from over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several world championships across Europe, three editions of the Tour Down Under, the Spring Classics, the London 2012 Olympic Games, and numerous other major cycling events. Daniel plans the global race and news coverage for VeloNews and works alongside the rest of the excellent editorial team in ensuring that the site’s reporting delivers to its loyal and respected readership. Rides: Pinarello, Cinelli, and Cannondale.

Andrew Hood

Andrew Hood, aka “EuroHoody,” is the VeloNews European editor. Since joining VeloNews in 2002, he’s been chasing bike races all over the world. He’s covered dozens editions of the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, and Vuelta a España, as well as numerous world championships in road, track, and mountain biking. He’s also covered five Olympic Games and traveled across six continents. Beyond the Outside cycling network, his work’s appeared in The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Outside, SKITraveler Magazine, Washington Post, Dallas Morning News, and Denver Post. He’s appeared on CNN, NBC, NPR, and BBC. Chances are if there’s a bike race, EuroHoody’s been to it, or will be going soon.

Sadhbh O'Shea

Based in the cycling haven of the Isle of Man, Sadhbh O’Shea has been writing about cycling for almost 10 years. She has covered too many bike races to count, including all three grand tours and a whole host of monuments.

Jim Cotton

Jim is a UK-based editor and reporter. With experience on the ground at the Giro d’Italia, Paris-Roubaix, Strade Bianche, road worlds, UAE Tour and many others, Jim has worked some of the biggest races in the world. Like any aspirational WorldTour rookie, he knows that a Tour de France debut is around the corner. Jim covers a lot of race reports while also focussing on deep dives into the dynamics, personalities and training at the top of the sport. And where are many of those story ideas dreamed up? While out training for trail running races – but don’t hold that against him.

Betsy Welch

Betsy is a senior editor at VeloNews. Before that, she was a Spanish teacher and most recently, a Registered Nurse working in community health. She’s been freelancing about bikes and other outdoors and health-related topics for over a decade. When she’s not riding or writing, Betsy adores traveling. In 2016, she started, and will one day finish, bikepacking the length of the Baja Divide.

How to watch the Vuelta a España

Grand tour season comes to a spectacular close in the next month with the 2022 Vuelta a España. Primož Roglič is back to hunt a fourth consecutive red jersey, but a deep field will be standing in his way. Simon Yates, Richard Carapaz, João Almeida, Jai Hindley, Nairo Quintana and Enric Mas are just a selection of the riders racing with an eye on the maillot rojo.

How to watch the 2022 Vuelta a España in the United States and Canada

U.S. cycling fans, NBC has got your back. Live coverage and highlights will be available through the broadcaster, with the NBC-owned Peacock streaming service providing online coverage. FloSports will provide a live streaming service in Canada.

How to watch the 2022 Vuelta a España in Europe

European fans can tune in to the Vuelta online via GCN+ or on the partner Eurosport streaming service. Eurosport will also cover the race on its Freeview channel. You can see schedules and details of territory restrictions here.

RTVE (Spain), TV2 (Denmark and Norway), Sporza (Belgium) and NOS (Netherlands) will cover the race in their respective countries.

How to watch the 2022 Vuelta a España in Australia

Fans Down Under can set their alarms early for a live broadcast via SBS On Demand.