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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

15 years ago

Garcia takes stage 15; Contador retains lead

David García gave Xacobeo-Galicia the stage victory Monday that the team missed when Ezequiel Mosquera didn’t receive much charity from Astana in Sunday’s summit finish high in the Catabrian mountains. García charged out of a busted-up 17-man breakaway with 3km to go, but the real story was Alberto Contador, who brushed off a spill in Monday’s 202km 15th stage from Cudillero to Ponferreda to retain his lead at the 63rd Vuelta a España. [nid:83282]The Vuelta leader fell with about 50km to go, but suffered little more than scrapes to his left knee and elbow.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 14

01:20 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 14th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 158.4-kilometer race from Oviedo to a mountain-top finish at the Fuentes de Invierno Ski Resort. It's another tough day, opeing with a series of Category 3 climbs:The Alto del Padrón (which summits at12.km)The Alto de San Tirso (22km)The Alto de Santa Emiliano (34.5km)


15 years ago

Contador wins again

No gifts. Alberto Contador might be Spain’s newest prince, but he’s not ready to play the role of kingmaker yet at the Vuelta a España. Contador wasn’t about to give away a golden opportunity to win his second stage in a row and tighten his grip on the Vuelta’s golden leader’s jersey despite Ezequiel Mosquera’s hope for mercy in Sunday’s 14th stage. The 32-year-old Xacobeo-Galicia rider poured everything into a daring attack with 5km to go in the Vuelta’s final hard mountain summit to drop everyone except Contador and Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 13

01:01 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 13th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 209.5-kilometer race from San Vicente de la Barquera to the top of the Alto de L´Angliru. This is a stage that everyone has either been waiting for or dreading. We suspect that the majority of the remaining 154 riders in the Vuelta fall into that latter category.


15 years ago

Attack on the Angliru: Contador takes control

Alberto Contador (Astana) is king of the hill in Spain. Spain’s climbing sensation added more fodder to the argument that he’s the best contemporary rider with a thrilling victory atop the most vicious climb in Europe. Contador attacked with 5km to go in Saturday’s 209.5km 13th stage to drive home victory up the feared Angliru climb and grab the overall lead at the Vuelta a España.


15 years ago

The good lieutenant: A conversation with Levi Leipheimer

Levi Leipheimer (Astana) enters Saturday’s showdown in the Angliru in perfect position. Teammate Alberto Contador has an entire nation – not to mention the whole Vuelta peloton – watching his every move. Poised in second place at 11 seconds back, the veteran American can bide his time and watch the fireworks before making his move. Back to the Vuelta for just the second time since his breakthrough third place in 2001, Leipheimer is in prime position to make a run for his third career grand tour podium and perhaps even more.


15 years ago

The Alto de L´Angliru could decide who wins this year’s Vuelta a España

Saturday’s summit finish up the feared Angliru should provide Alberto Contador (Astana) with the launching pad he’s been impatiently waiting for to rocket decisively into the lead at the Vuelta a España. So far through nearly two weeks of racing, determined rivals have stymied the precocious Spanish climber on roads that he claims just haven’t been steep enough for his taste.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 12

05:59 AM: Tune in Thursday at 7:00 a.m. ETfor live coverage of stage 11 12:56 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 12th stage of the Vuelta a España, a 186.4-kilometer race from Burgos to Suances. Today's stage a potential leg-breaker ideal for head-bangers looking to finally hold off the sprinters.


15 years ago

Valverde loses big time, while Bettini wins his second Vuelta stage in a rainy uphill finish.

Paolo Bettini (Quick Step) jumped with 300 meters to go on a rising finish into rainy Suances to fend off an attacking Alberto Contador on Thursday to win for a second time in the 63rd Vuelta a España. Bettini, who won on a similar finish into Toledo in stage 6, fended off compatriot Davide Rebellin (Gerolsteiner) in a wild and wet stage into northern Spain that saw Alejandro Valverde’s podium chances fade when he lost more than three minutes.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 11

12:27 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.comcom's Live Coverage of the 11th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a España, a 178-kilometer race from Calahorra to Burgos.


15 years ago

Brilliant Freire outkicks Boonen to win stage 11 of the Vuelta a Espana

The world championships are still more than two weeks away, but the big dogs are starting to hit their fighting form. Wednesday’s hot and windy 11th stage at the Vuelta a España across the meseta looks nothing like the undulating roads around Varese the pros will square off on Sept. 28, but a thrilling finish-line duel between Tom Boonen and Oscar Freire gave a titillating preview of what’s waiting.


15 years ago

Contador: ‘Armstrong welcome’

The possible arrival of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong to Astana could complicate Alberto Contador’s plans to win his second Tour crown. If the 2007 Tour champion is quietly cursing Armstrong’s imminent comeback, however, he certainly isn’t giving anything away publicly. The Spanish climber said Wednesday that Armstrong would be welcomed with open arms if the Texan rejoins his former sport director Johan Bruyneel at Astana.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 10

12:54 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the 10th stage of the 2008 Vuelta a España, 151.3-kilometer ride from Sabiñánigo to the high plains of Zaragoza.


15 years ago

Sébastien Hinault wins in Spain; the first grand tour stage win for Credit Agricole’s sprinter

Crédit Agricole couldn’t imagine a better going away present than a stage victory Tuesday in the 63rd Vuelta a España in what’s its swansong grand tour. The long-standing French team — set to fold at the end of the 2008 season after a new sponsor couldn’t be found to replace the departing French bank — earned a rare bunch sprint victory with French veteran Sébastien Hinault.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 9

12:18 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the ninth stage of the 2008 Vuelta a España, a 200.8-kilometer ride from Vielha to Sabiñánigo.


15 years ago

Silence-Lotto’s Greg Van Avermaet takes the stage, while Euskaltel’s Egoi Martinez takes over the lead

Call it the hot potato leader’s jersey. Egoi Martínez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) became the seventh rider in nine days of racing to hold the golden jersey at the 63rd Vuelta a España. Astana might have had the jersey when it started Monday’s 200.8km ninth stage across the southern flanks of the Pyrénées, but it sure didn’t want to have it when the race arrived in Sabiñánigo some five hours later.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 8

01:14 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Cverage of the eighth stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 151 race from Andorra to a mountain-tip finish at Pla de Beret.


15 years ago

Moncoutie solos to Vuelta stage win, Leipheimer regains overall lead

The 63rd Vuelta a España might look like it’s still a close race after rolling out of two hard days in the Pyrénées. Sure, David Moncoutie (Cofidis) won a well-deserved comeback stage victory out of an all-day, five-man breakaway and Levi Leipheimer (Astana) recaptured the race leader’s jersey at the end of Sunday’s 151km eighth stage to Pla de Beret. And, yes, it still looks tight on paper, with the GC stacked with seven riders within less than three minutes of the lead.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 7

01:32 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the seventh stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 223.2-kilometer race from Barbastro to a mountain-top finish at Naturlandia, atop La Rabassa in Andorra.


15 years ago

Ballan moves into Vuelta lead

Alessandro Ballan (Lampre) was close all season in races he was expected to win: third in Paris-Roubaix and second in Monte Paschi Eroica and GP Ouest France-Plouay. With the 63rd Vuelta a España’s tackling its first summit finish, everyone expected the Spanish mountain goats to take over -- and no one expected Ballan. But it was the classics head-banger who delivered the surprise victory through pouring rain and cold and snuck away with the leader’s jersey as an added bonus.


15 years ago

La Vuelta a España: Contador, Sastre ready for the battle ahead

As the organizer of the third of the world’s three grand tours, Victor Cordero spotted a unique opportunity to turn the 2008 Vuelta a Espana into something special when Spaniard Alberto Contador won this year’s Giro d’Italia.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 6

01:09 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the sixth stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 150.1-kilometer race from Ciudad Real to Toledo.


15 years ago

Bettini wins stage 6 of the Vuelta, Leipheimer hands the lead to Chavanel

How happy was Paolo Bettini after ripping across the finish ahead of Philippe Gilbert (FDJeux) victorious in Thursday's sixth stage at the Vuelta a España? The two-time reigning world champion pumped both arms in the air, then his fist and before yelling something very Italian that might not be printable, even on the Web. Ever since 2005, Bettini's used the Vuelta as a trampoline for success at the world championships. He's won at least one stage in each Vuelta since then and won back-to-back rainbow jerseys in 2006-07.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 5

01:39 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the fifth stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 42.5 individual time trial at Ciudad Real.


15 years ago

Astana’s Levi Leipheimer takes the lead and the time trial win in Spain

Back in 2001, Levi Leipheimer became the only American to stand on the Vuelta a España podium with a breakout third-place finish that announced his arrival to the elite levels of the sport. Flash forward to Wednesday’s 42.5km individual time trial on the flat, wide-open roads around Cuidad Real and Leipheimer made more history at the Vuelta. Following a fabulous come-from-behind victory, Leipheimer becomes the fifth American to win a Vuelta stage and just the second to wear the leader’s jersey.


15 years ago

Full Start List: Stage 5 Time Trial – 2008 Vuelta a España

1. Aurélien Clerc, Bouygues Telecom, starts at 1:41 p.m.2. Oscar Gatto, Gerolsteiner, starts at 1:42 p.m.3. Stef Clement, Bouygues Telecom, starts at 1:43 p.m.4. Cyril Lemoine, Credit Agricole, starts at 1:44 p.m.5. Kevin Van Impe, Quick Step, starts at 1:45 p.m.6. Ivan Santaromita, Liquigas, starts at 1:46 p.m.7. Volodymyr Diudia, Team Milram, starts at 1:47 p.m.8. Fco. José Martinez Perez, Andalucia-Cajasur, starts at 1:48 p.m.9. Mikhail Ignatiev, Tinkoff Credit Systems, starts at 1:49 p.m.10.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 4

12:09 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the fourth stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 170.3-kilometer race from Cordoba to Puertollano.


15 years ago

Bennati wins stage 4 of the Vuelta a España.

This time there were no late climbs or rising finishes. Tuesday’s flat and treacherous arrival into Puertollano in the fourth stage of the Vuelta a España was a flat, fast and furious finish ideal for the pure sprinters. So it was no surprise that Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) made up for the disappointment of losing Monday with a definitive victory ahead of arch rival Tom Boonen (Quick Step).


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 3

01:23 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the third stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 168.6-kilometer ride from Jaen to Cordoba. Today's stage covers more of the dry, hilly territory in Spain's olive country. While much of today's route is punctuated by rolling terrain, there is only on rated climb - the Category 3 ascent of the Alto de San Jeronimo, 26km from the finish.


15 years ago

Boonen scores Vuelta stage win; Bennati moves into lead

Tom Boonen (Quick Step) and Daniele Bennati (Liquigas) – two riders who missed this summer’s Tour de France for dissimilar reasons – were both back on the podium spotlight in Monday’s 168.6km third stage at the Vuelta a España. Barred from the Tour after he tested positive for cocaine in late May an out-of-competition test, Boonen jumped off Bennati’s wheel with 100 meters to go into a stiff headwind to claim his first Vuelta stage-win in his career.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 2

01:23 PM: Good day and welcometo VeloNews.com's Live Coverage of the second stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 167.3-kilometer race from Granada to Jaen.


15 years ago

Valverde grabs lead at Vuelta

It was a double-dose of delight for Alejandro Valverde (Caisse d’Epargne) in Sunday’s second stage at the Vuelta a España. Capping what’s been a spectacular season for Spain’s Green Bullet, Valverde opened up a winning sprint with 200 meters to go in a rising finish into Jaén to claim victory and surge into the overall leader’s jersey thanks to time bonuses.


15 years ago

2008 Vuelta a España: Live Updates – Stage 1

05:41 PM: Good day and welcometo the first stage of the the 2008 Vuelta a Espana, a 7.7-kilometer team time trial at the Parque Tec. Ciencias de la Salud in Granada.


15 years ago

Liquigas surprises faves at Vuelta opener

The 63rd Vuelta a España is supposed to be a showdown between Alberto Contador and Carlos Sastre, but it was Filippo Pozzato of Liquigas who wanted to remind everyone that there are more than two teams in the season’s final grand tour. Liquigas worked in perfect cohesion over a short, but technical 7.7km course in the shadow of the Alhambra to win the opening team time trial, with Pozzato surging across the line first to take the Vuelta’s first leader’s jersey.


15 years ago

Contador vs. Sastre duel dominates Vuelta

The 63rd Vuelta a España roars out of Granada on Saturday afternoon in a fitting start with a team time trial in what should be a dogfight between cycling’s two strongest teams and Spain’s two biggest stars. The showdown between Alberto Contador and Carlos Sastre and their respective Astana and CSC-Saxo Bank teams should provide plenty of drama during a three-week course loaded with hard mountains spread judiciously among a long string of sprint-friendly stages.


15 years ago

Zabel will lead Milram at the Vuelta, hoping for the “perfect sprint”

Thirty-eight year old Eric Zabel will lead the Milram team at the Vuelta a Espana starting Saturday. The German vet will lead an otherwise young team looking for stage wins at the Spanish tour. The team's average age is under 25.


15 years ago

Teams readying for Spanish tour

Sastre leads CSC-Saxo BankCarlos Sastre will lead CSC-Saxo Bank as the Tour de France champion tries to double in the Vuelta a España. The Spanish media will be playing up the duel against 2007 Tour winner Alberto Contador, but Sastre says he wants nothing more than to enjoy what should be an exciting and wide-open race.


15 years ago

Contador leads Astana super team

Astana brings a loaded team looking for nothing short of domination in the 63rd Vuelta a España that opens with a team time trial Saturday in sunny Granada. Still miffed it was left out of the 2008 Tour de France, the Astana blue swaggers into Granada with its A-team for the season’s third tour with overall victory as the main objective. Andreas Klöden and Levi Leipheimer provide heft to the nine-man lineup, but it’s budding Spanish super star Alberto Contador who will be captain of this ship.


15 years ago

Vuelta a España – Start List

Team CSC - Saxo Bank1. Carlos Sastre Candil, (ESP)2. Michael Blaudzun, (DEN)3. Matti Breschel, (DEN)4. Lopez De Castro Inigo Cuesta, (ESP)5. Volodymir Gustov, (UKR)6. José Haedo Juan, (ARG)7. Alexandr Kolobnev, (RUS)8. Karsten Kroon, (NED)9. Jurgen Van Goolen, (BEL)Ag2r - La Mondiale11. José Luis Arrieta Lujambio, (ESP)12. Renaud Dion, (FRA)13. Hubert Dupont, (FRA)14. John Gadret, (FRA)15. Julien Loubet, (FRA)16. Lloyd Mondory, (FRA)17.


15 years ago

Cadel Evans will skip the Vuelta

Cadel Evans will not be in the Silence-Lotto team competing in the Tour of Spain, starting on August 30 at Granada, the team announced on its Web site. The Belgium-based outfit has left the Australian out of the Vuelta, which finishes on September 21 in Madrid. The 31-year-old, who injured his knee in the aftermath of finishing second overall in the Tour de France at the end of July, finished 15th in the road race and fifth in the individual time trial at the Beijing Olympics.


15 years ago

Horner out for Vuelta

Astana’s Chris Horner will miss the Vuelta a España later this month after suffering a broken collarbone in a crash at the Tour of Elk Grove on Saturday. Horner broke his left clavicle in a crash in the final sprint of the second stage of the Illinois stage race and, after crossing the finish line, was transported to a nearby hospital where the break was diagnosed.


15 years ago

Contador eyes grand tour sweep with Vuelta

Alberto Contador received a hero’s welcome upon his return to Spain on Monday, with politicians toasting him and thousands of fans cheering him upon his arrival in Madrid’s Barajas airport. But before the recently crowned Giro d’Italia winner had a chance to celebrate his unlikely victory, there’s already growing speculation the 2007 Tour de France champ can complete cycling’s “grand tour triple crown” with a run at the Vuelta a España this fall.


16 years ago

Cordero: ‘The cleanest Vuelta ever’

The 62nd Vuelta a España wasn’t without its controversies. Carlos Sastre accused race leader Denis Menchov of forming alliances. Universal criticism rained down on a long, boring 52km time trial in Zaragoza. Riders complained that the top-heavy course, with its most important stages packed into the opening 10 days, left for a dull and unexciting second half. But one thing was largely missing from this year’s Spanish tour – doping scandals. The Vuelta has been wracked by its fair share of doping controversies the past few years, including the disastrous EPO positive of 2005 winner Roberto


16 years ago

Bennati, Menchov reign in Spain

After three long weeks of sometimes exciting racing, the remaining 145 riders rolled into a festive welcome in the heart of downtown Madrid to conclude the 2007 Vuelta a España with an exhilarating finishing sprint. Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital) used his lethal bike stab to hold off Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) to win his third stage in Sunday’s final romp into Madrid and bring an end to the season’s final grand tour.


16 years ago

Sánchez wins, climbs podium; Menchov secures; Sastre endures

Samuel Sánchez delivered his third stage victory of this year’s Vuelta a España to secure his Basque Euskaltel-Euskadi team its first-ever podium finish in a grand tour in the team’s 14-year history. Sánchez roared over Saturday’s short 20km individual time trial in the suburbs north of Madrid to knock Cadel Evans (Predictor-Lotto) off the podium and give compatriot Carlos Sastre (CSC) a good fright for the second spot on the podium.


16 years ago

Sánchez wins Vuelta stage, Menchov fights off challengers

Yesterday it was Vladimir Efimkin, today it was Cadel Evans. Team CSC’s Carlos Sastre played executioner for the second straight day and clawed his way ahead of Evans into second place overall Friday at the Vuelta a España after a grueling, six-climb stage finishing atop the rainy and foggy Abantos summit. Samuel Sánchez (Euskaltel-Euskadi) won ahead of ahead of Dani Moreno (Relax-GAM) to score his second stage victory of this year’s Vuelta while Sastre crossed the line third just ahead of race leader Denis Menchov (Rabobank) at three seconds back.


16 years ago

CSC drops hammer at Vuelta; Sastre, Evans move up

Team CSC’s Carlos Sastre has been complaining all week that the 2007 Vuelta a España just wasn’t hard enough. With the top GC spots jammed in a deadlock since the climbing stage to Cerler in the Pyrénées, it seemed the relatively easy second half of the Vuelta was dooming the 32-year-old Spanish climber to yet another fourth-place result in a grand tour. Sastre – already twice fourth in the Tour de France and once fourth in the Vuelta -- was so frustrated, so fed up, that he even said he wasn’t going to attack anymore.


16 years ago

La Vuelta: Bennati’s revenge; Menchov coasting to Madrid

A second sprint victory in the Vuelta a España couldn’t erase disappointment for Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital) after being overlooked for a spot on the Italian national team for next week’s world championships. The Liguigas-bound rider found out overnight he was left off the Stuttgart squad and smashed that frustration into his pedals Wednesday to beat the men whom he wanted to support, Paolo Bettini, and compatriot Alessandro Petacchi in the 175km 17th stage from Ciudad Real to Talavera de la Reina.


16 years ago

Duque takes stage; Menchov has an easy day at Vuelta

Colombians made a name for themselves in the 1980s and 1990s by winning when the road turned uphill. Such stars as Lucho Herrera, Fabio Parra and the latest incarnation in the form of Mauricio Soler put Colombia on the international cycling map thanks to their bird-like builds and innate ability to soar like condors up Europe’s steepest roads. Santiago Botero broke the mold with his consistency in the race against the clock, but Colombians and summit finishes were synonymous in the peloton.


16 years ago

Sánchez plummets to Vuelta stage win; Menchov fights off challengers

When the road drops downhill, there’s no one faster than Samuel Sánchez. Perhaps Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Fondital) didn’t know what was in store when Sánchez disappeared off the Cat. 1 Alto de Monachil summit some 20km from the finish line in Granada. But Manuel “Triki” Beltrán (Liquigas) sure did.


16 years ago

McCartney snags Vuelta stage win, Menchov protects overall lead

Iowan Jason McCartney (Discovery) attacked out a breakaway group of 11 to win the 14th stage of the 2007 Vuelta a España, a hilly 207-kilometer ride Puerto Lumbreras to Villacarrillo, on Saturday.


16 years ago

Klier grabs stage win as Menchov preserves Vuelta lead

Just when it looked like the Vuelta a España was stuck on the repeat button, all hell broke loose in Friday´s 176km 13th stage. Take away the wild battles in the Pyrenees, and it seemed the Vuelta had stolen the script from the movie “Groundhog Day.” Day after day, the same plot unfolded: an early break, lots of TV for Spain´s second-division no-hopers, the peloton on siesta, the sprint teams revving up the chase, the breakaway caught with 8km to go, a sprinter sweeping across the line in the fight to see who gets kisses from the podium girls.


16 years ago

Petacchi takes 2nd stage win at Vuelta; Menchov on cruise control

If there was any doubt that Alessandro Petacchi was back at his best, he erased them with an emphatic finishing surge Thursday to claim his second straight sprint victory at the Vuelta a España. On a day when another breakaway attempt fell short, Milram did the heavy lifting to reel in the attackers to put Ale-Jet in position to win the 173km 12th stage from Algemesí to Hellín.


16 years ago

Petacchi scores as Menchov holds Vuelta lead

Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) made yet another comeback after sprinting to victory in Wednesday’s otherwise routine 11th stage at the Vuelta a España. It was his first major victory since the Italian ace tested non-negative for Salbutamol at the Giro d’Italia and his career teetered on the edge of disaster. The Italian cycling federation eventually cleared Petacchi of what could have been a two-year racing ban, but the proud Petacchi was forced to sit on the sidelines during the Tour de France.


16 years ago

Polemica spices up an already-lively Vuelta

Monday’s exciting stage at the Vuelta a España saw the return of polemica, a tried and true European journalistic tradition of a battle of words fought out in headlines. The “he said-she said” tug-of-wars used to fill the pages of European sports dailies until the dirty business of doping scandals took all the fun out of being a cycling journalist. Those glory days returned briefly Monday as exhausted and frustrated riders started to point fingers at one another at the finish of the frenetic 214km “queen stage” across the Spanish Pyrenees. The first salvo came from Team CSC’s Carlos


16 years ago

Dominating Denis sits in Vuelta’s driver’s seat

How much is Denis Menchov dominating the 2007 Vuelta a España? If the amount of lipstick on his cheeks from receiving kisses from the podium girls is any indication, a lot. The 29-year-old Rabobank captain won the longest and hardest stage of this year’s Vuelta on a sunny and windy Monday high in Andorra to carry a solid lead of more than two minutes to compatriot Vladimir Efimkin (Caisse d’Epargne) into Tuesday’s rest day. Just add up the quality podium time Menchov enjoyed: stage winner, race leader, mountain jersey and the combined jersey. That’s a lot of kisses.


16 years ago

Menchov seizes lead at Vuelta as Piepoli takes stage 9

[nid:40410]Two years ago, Denis Menchov was declared victor of the Vuelta a España months after Roberto Heras tested positive for EPO and was eventually dethroned. The Rabobank rider never enjoyed his moment on the winner’s podium and remains bitter about the whole business. Flash forward to Sunday’s first of two decisive climbing stages across the Spanish Pyrénées, when the soft-spoken Russian followed the attacking Leonardo Piepoli to climb solidly into the leader’s jersey .


16 years ago

Devolder surges into Vuelta lead, Grabsch snags TT stage

Stijn Devolder (Discovery Channel) became stronger as the 52.2km individual time trial into Zaragoza unfolded to surge into the overall leader’s jersey Saturday at the Vuelta a España. His rivals are hoping that trend doesn’t continue going into a pair of decisive climbing stages in the Pyrénées, or this Vuelta might well be over.


16 years ago

Zabel does it; Efimkin still golden

Perhaps Oscar Freire has a sixth sense. After winning three out of the first six stages at the Vuelta a España, the Rabobank sprinter had his crash radar up and decided to take himself out of Friday’s sprint into Zaragoza. Sure enough. There was a nasty spill with about 30km to go that took down American Christian Vande Velde (CSC) when the peloton was roaring at 65kph to erase the day’s main breakaway.


16 years ago

Freire wins again; Efimkin holds lead

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) is slipperier than a fish in the fast-moving waters of the bunch sprints at the Vuelta a España. For the better part of Thursday’s 184.3km sixth stage across Spain’s Rioja wine country, Freire was jabbering with friends at the back of the peloton, flitting around as if killing time before getting down to the business end of the stage.


16 years ago

Freire’s sprint appears unbeatable as Efimkin keeps Vuelta lead

With a few short weeks before the 2007 world championship road race, Oscar Freire (Rabobank) looks almost unbeatable in the sprint as he aims for his fourth rainbow jersey in Stuttgart on September 30. [nid:40358]The three-time world champ scored his second win in five days in Wednesday’s 157.4km fifth stage at the Vuelta a España with an explosive sprint that left the rest in the peloton shaking their heads in disbelief.


16 years ago

Efimkin wins stage, takes lead at Vuelta

[nid:40341]Good thing Vladimir Efimkin's twin brother, Alexander, isn't at the Vuelta a España. Just moments after surprising the favorites on the Vuelta's hardest climb to surge into the overall leader's jersey, the 25-year-old Caisse d'Epargne rider was beating the drum of Alexander, who rides on rival Barloworld. "My brother is the one who you will be hearing about in the coming years," said Efimkin, who soloed to victory in Tuesday's epic climb to Lagos de Covadonga. "He trains harder than me, he's a better climber than me.


16 years ago

Bettini ends drought; Freire holds Vuelta lead

Reigning world champion Paolo Bettini says he’s not superstitious, but he was probably having his doubts after what’s been a long season for the usually prolific Tuscan tiger. Bettini (Quick Step-Innergetic) came into the Vuelta a España with just one victory on the 2007 season and was relieved with his sprint victory Monday ahead of Óscar Freire Gómez (Rabobank) and Allan Davis (Discovery Channel) to end a winless streak dating back to February’s Tour of California.


16 years ago

Freire golden as Bennati hits deck

A day after finishing second, Spanish ace Oscar Freire (Rabobank) got it right in Sunday’s crash-marred second stage to win and move into the overall lead at the Vuelta a España. And a day after American climber Tom Danielson (Discovery Channel) was KO’d with a broken shoulder, it was Christian Vande Velde’s turn. The Team CSC rider crashed twice but was able to finish the hilly stage despite some nasty road rash.


16 years ago

Bennati wins Vuelta opener; Danielson crashes out

[nid:40251]Daniele Bennati (Lampre-Fondital) picked up where he left off, putting a nice bookend victory in Saturday’s 154.4km opener at the Vuelta a España to go along with his triumph in the final stage on the Champs Elysées at the Tour de France. The brawny Italian hitched a ride on Milram’s setup train and out-kicked a superstar field to win for the eighth time this season ahead of three-time world champion Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Alessandro Petacchi (Milram), who came through third.


21 years ago

Millar protests brutal Angliru

Cofidis’s David Millar stopped half a meter short of the finish line of the Tour of Spain's killer 15th stage on Sunday in protest at the conditions on the Vuelta's most feared and notorious climb. Millar refused to cross the line after climbing to the top of Angliru. According to Victor Cordero, sport director for the Vuelta a Espana race organization, Millar arrived to the finish line but declined to cross it.


21 years ago

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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.