Ruta del Sol

Photos from stage 4 of the Ruta del Sol, which saw Chris Froome overhaul Alberto Contador for the overall lead

Chris Froome tests his legs and finds them fully operational with a successful attack on Alberto Contador at the Ruta del Sol

In a battle of Tour de France champions, Chris Froome gets the better of Alberto Contador on the steeps of stage 4 at the Ruta del Sol

Photos from stage 3 of the 2015 Ruta del Sol

The Italian says not being in top condition right now "means nothing"

Tinkoff-Saxo's Alberto Contador tightens his grip on the Ruta del Sol general classification with a clear mountaintop victory in stage 3.

Photos from the second stage of the race in southern Spain

Movistar's Juan Jose Lobato outsprints John Degenkolb to win stage 2 of the Ruta del Sol, with Alberto Contador retaining the overall lead

With an overall win at the Étoile de Bessèges and a strong Ruta del Sol time trial in the books, Bob Jungels looks set for a breakout year

Day one in Andalucia offered a split stage with a chaotic morning road race and a short afternoon TT that saw Contador take the overall lead

Chris Froome says his legs felt good in opening-day time trial in Andalucia, despite losing time to Contador on GC

Schleck has a leg injury following a late-race crash in the first day of Ruta del Sol in Andalucia, Spain

Movistar's Moreno notches his first win of the season in Ruta del Sol's stage 1b time trial. Contador takes overall lead after first day

The split stage picks up later Wednesday with an 8.2km time trial

Alberto Contador's winter training has gone to plan, but with the Giro/Tour double looming, he has dialed back the early season intensity

The two GC riders will square off in southern Spain for the six-day race that starts Wednesday

Alberto Contador (Tinkoff-Saxo) will make his season debut at Volta ao Algarve

1. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE, Movistar, in 4:45:28 2. Simon SPILAK, Katusha, at :00 3. Davide REBELLIN, CCC Polsat Polkowice, at :00 4. Bauke MOLLEMA, Blanco, at :00 5. Sander ARMEE, Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, at :00

Spaniard goes wire-to-wire in Andalucía, bookending the four-day race with two stage wins

Frenchman goes two-in-a-row in Andalusia

1. Jonathan HIVERT, Sojasun, in 4:48:37 2. Tyler FARRAR, Garmin-Sharp, at :00 3. Francesco LASCA, Caja Rural, at :00 4. Grega BOLE, Vacansoleil-DCM, at :00 5. Jakob FUGLSANG, Astana, at :00

Spaniard resets for what may be one last assault on the yellow jersey at the Tour

1. Jonathan HIVERT, Sojasun, at 4:06:36 2. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE, Movistar, at :00 3. Bauke MOLLEMA, Blanco, at :00 4. Simone PONZI, Astana, at :03 5. Davide REBELLIN, CCC Polsat Polkowice, at :03

Frenchman tops the GC favorites in Andalucía

Results from the prologue at the 2013 Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol

Graham Watson shoots the prologue to the 2013 Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol

It was Valverde's second win of the season, following a victory February 5 in the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana

1. Daniel MORENO FERNANDEZ , (ESP) Kat in 3:14:54 2. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE , (ESP) Mov +2 3. Samuel SANCHEZ GONZALEZ , (ESP) Eus +2

Moreno takes final stage

1. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE , (ESP) Mov in 16:08:49 2. Rein TAARAMAE , (EST) Cof +3 3. Jerome COPPEL , (FRA) Sau +8

Oscar Freire (Katusha) dashed to his second victory of the 2012 season with a sprint win in Wednesday’s third stage at the Ruta del Sol in southern Spain

1. Oscar FREIRE GOMEZ , (ESP) Kat in 3:41:55 2. Daniel SCHORN , (AUT) App +0 3. Michael MATTHEWS , (AUS) Rab +0

1. Alejandro VALVERDE BELMONTE , (ESP) Mov in 4:02:37 2. Denis MENCHOV , (RUS) Kat +10 3. Rein TAARAMAE , (EST) Cof +10

Stage 5

• 1. Oscar FREIRE GOMEZ, (ESP) Rabobank Cycling Team, in 3:46:12
• 2. Samuel SANCHEZ GONZALEZ, (ESP) Euskaltel-Euskadi, at 0
• 3. Jonathan HIVERT, (FRA) Saur-Sojasun, at 0
• 4. Davide APPOLLONIO, (ITA) Team Sky, at 0
• 5. Rigoberto URAN URAN, (COL) Team Sky, at 0

• 1. Markel IRIZAR ARANBURU, (ESP) Team RadioShack, in 16:27:21
• 2. Jurgen VAN DEN BROECK, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 1
• 3. Levi LEIPHEIMER, (USA) Team RadioShack, at 2
• 4. Jerome COPPEL, (FRA) Saur-Sojasun, at 3
• 5. Luis PASAMONTES RODRIGUEZ, (ESP) Movistar, at 8

MADRID (AFP) — RadioShack's Markel Irizar (Radioshack) secured overall victory in the Ruta del Sol Thursday after the fifth and final stage, won by Oscar Freire of Rabobank.

CORDOBA, Spain (VN) – Óscar Freire (Rabobank) stayed clear of a finish-line crash at the end of stage 4 to charge to his first win on the 2011 season and claim his seventh career stage victory at the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol.

Stage:

• 1. Francisco José VENTOSO ALBERDI, (ESP) Movistar, in 4:21:53
• 2. Juan Jose LOBATO DEL VALLE, (ESP), at s.t.
• 3. Davide APPOLLONIO, (ITA) Team Sky, at s.t.
• 4. Giacomo NIZZOLO, (ITA) Leopard-Trek, at s.t.
• 5. Thierry HUPOND, (FRA) Skil-Shimano, at s.t.

• 1. Markel IRIZAR ARANBURU, (ESP) Team RadioShack, in 8:51:46
• 2. Jurgen VAN DEN BROECK, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 1
• 3. Levi LEIPHEIMER, (USA) Team RadioShack, at 2
• 4. Jerome COPPEL, (FRA) Saur-Sojasun, at 3
• 5. Luis PASAMONTES RODRIGUEZ, (ESP) Movistar, at 8

JAEN, Spain (VN) – A day after losing in a photo-finish, Fran Ventoso (Movistar) got it right to claim victory in Tuesday’s stage 3 at the 57th Ruta del Sol.

Stage 2:

• 1. Jonathan HIVERT, (FRA) Saur-Sojasun, in 4:20:25
• 2. Francisco José VENTOSO ALBERDI, (ESP), at s.t.
• 3. Oscar FREIRE GOMEZ, (ESP) Rabobank Cycling Team, at s.t.
• 4. Stijn DEVOLDER, (BEL), at s.t.
• 5. Serguei IVANOV, (RUS) Team Katusha, at s.t.

• 1. Markel IRIZAR ARANBURU, (ESP) Team RadioShack, in 4:29:53
• 2. Jurgen VAN DEN BROECK, (BEL) Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 1
• 3. Levi LEIPHEIMER, (USA) Team RadioShack, at 2
• 4. Jerome COPPEL, (FRA) Saur-Sojasun, at 3
• 5. Luis PASAMONTES RODRIGUEZ, (ESP), at 8

Jimmy Engoulvent wins the opening time trial by a fraction of a second as the 57th Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol gets under way.

Stage 1

• 1. Jimmy Engoulvent (Fra), Saur-Sojasun, 9:28
• 2. Markel Irizar Aranburu (Esp), Team RadioShack, same time
• 3. Jurgen Van Den Broeck (Bel), Omega Pharma-Lotto, at 0:01
• 4. Levi Leipheimer (Usa), Team RadioShack, at 0:02
• 5. Jerome Coppel (Fra), Saur-Sojasun, at 0:03

HTC-Columbia's Michael Rogers scores his first stage race victory since 2003 as he survives an explosive final stage.

Alex Rasmussen (Saxo Bank) delivered a huge TT win over some big names in Wednesday’s 10.9km course at the Ruta del Sol in Spain, topping such riders as Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and Tony Martin (HTC-Columbia).

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) has already won more races this year than he did in all of 2009, and it’s only February. The Spanish “gato” pounced to his second straight victory in Tuesday’s third stage at the Ruta del Sol (AKA the Vuelta a Andalucia), fending off Grega Bole (Lampre) and Simon Gerrans (Sky) to claim his third win in the 2010 season.

Omloop Het Niuwsblad, KBK and the Vuelta a Andalucia highlight a big week in Europe. Andrew Hood gives the run down.

Oscar Freire (Rabobank) wins Stage 2 of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol.

Sergio Pardilla (Carmiooro) wins the first stage of the Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista del Sol.

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Columbia) is slated to begin his 2010 campaign on Sunday at the Ruta del Sol after an abscessed tooth postponed a planned start at the Tour of Qatar.

Mark Cavendish will postpone his season debut until the Ruta del Sol in mid-February due to a dental problem that’s delayed his training. The HTC-Columbia ace was expecting to make his 2010 season debut at the Tour of Qatar in early February, but team officials said he will open his campaign at the five-day Spanish race instead.

Davide Rebellin (Diquigiovanni) might want to reconsider his decision to retire at the end of this season. The veteran Italian snagged his second stage win of the week at the Ruta del Sol and almost snuck away with the overall in the fourth and final stage, a 168km leg from Torrox Costa to Antequera. Joost Posthuma (Rabobank) finished nine seconds back of the attacking Rebellin with the rest of the front pack to claim a two-second victory over Xavier Tondo (Andalucía-CajaSur) in the five-day race across Spain’s Andalucía region.

This might be Davide Rebellin’s last season, but don’t tell him that he’s done just yet. The veteran Italian pulled off a thrilling victory in Wednesday’s third stage, a hilly course from Marbella to Benahavis through the hills along Spain’s Costa del Sol, out-kicking a stellar field to win for the first time this season. Rebellin took down Filippo Pozzato (Katusha) and relegated Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) to third in a victory that reveals the classics specialist might have one more trick up his sleeve this April before riding off into the sunset.

Gert Steegmans continues Katusha’s early season haul with the team’s second straight win at the Ruta del Sol in Tuesday’s 164km romp from the foothills near Granada to Córdoba. The big Belgian blasted ahead of teammate and yesterday’s winner Danilo Napolitano to give the Russian-backed squad its seventh win on the 2009 season. Wim Stroetinga (Milram) came through third while Joost Postuma (Rabobank) finished safely in the main pack to retain the race leader’s jersey.

Danilo Napolitano nabbed yet another victory for the upstart Katusha team, this time in the first stage at the Vuelta a Andalucía/Ruta del Sol in Spain. Thanks to a top-notch leadout from teammates Filippo Pozzato and Gert Steegmans, the brawny Italian sprinter easily out-kicked Tom Veelers (Skil-Shimano) to win the 169.2km first stage from La Guardía de Jaén to Humilladero. Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) came through third while overnight leader Xavier Tondo (Andalucía-CajaSur) finished out of the top-10 and forfeited the race leader’s jersey.

Ivan Basso (Liquigas) makes his first race appearance on home roads since his Operación Puerto ban as the Italian and Spanish calendars open this weekend. Basso already debuted his 2009 season at the Tour de San Luís in Argentina last month, but will race on Italian roads for the first time since the 2007 Tirreno-Adriatico in Saturday’s GP Costa degli Etruschi.

The long winter wait is over for fans champing at the bit to see some real European bike racing. The 2009 European calendar officially opens this weekend in France with the 26th GP La Marsellaise featuring 17 teams lining up for a 136.8km circuit on Sunday. The loop course around Marseille in southern France tackles some local climbs, including the Col de la Gineste, hard enough to give the adventurous rider a chance to escape the clutches of the main pack. The finish won’t be at Marseille’s glamorous Vieux-Port due to local roadwork and has been moved out toward the university.

Reigning Olympic road champion Samuel Sánchez is keeping his goals close to home in 2009. Instead of making a run at improving on his seventh place performance in last year’s Tour de France (now sixth, following Bernard Kohl’s disqualification), the Euskaltel-Euskadi rider will instead focus on the Vuelta al País Vasco and make a run for overall victory at the Vuelta a España. His lone goal that will take him beyond the friendly roads of Spain will be the world championships on a challenging course in Mendrisio, Switzerland, in late September.

Alessandro Petacchi (Milram) made it two in a row at the Vuelta a Andalucía-Ruta del Sol while race leader Pablo Lastras (Caisse d’Epargne) stayed in the driver’s seat with just one stage to go. A five-man breakaway was reeled in just in time for the sprinters to take over, with Petacchi making easy work of Borut Bozihc (Cycle Collstrop) to claim the 173.5km march from La Guardia de Jaén to Ecija.

Alessandro Petacchi used all his wile to win a three-up sprint against younger Italian compatriots to win Tuesday’s 174.5km third stage from Otura to Jaén at the Vuelta a Andalucía-Ruta del Sol. The Milram sprinter had just enough in the tank to hold off Italian national champion Giovanni Visconti (Quick Step) and Riccardo Ricco (Saunier Duval), who came through second and third, respectively.

It didn’t take long for Cadel Evans to crank up his 2008 season in winning fashion. In just his second day of competition in a year when all eyes will be on the Silence-Lotto leader, last year’s Tour runner-up uncorked a winning sprint to out-kick the remnants of a breakaway in a hard-fought second stage at the Vuelta a Andalucía-Ruta del Sol in Spain.

It’s called the Ruta del Sol – the Race of the Sun – but rain was one of the main protagonists in the opening stage of the Vuelta Ciclista a Andalucía, which saw Tour de France favorite Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto) kick start his season. Despite the presence of big-time sprinters such as Alessandro Petacchi (Milram), two relatively unknown riders chugged away from the peloton in the early going of the rainy 123.4km stage from Benahavis to Alora across the hills near Malaga.

Petacchi takes win in AlgarveAlessandro Petacchi scored another confidence-boosting win ahead of Milan-San Remo after charging to victory in the third stage of the Tour of the Algarve while Bernard Eisel (T-Mobile) snagged second and moved into the overall lead. Petacchi held off Eisel, the winner of Thursday’s stage, to claim victory for the second time this year and makes up for a relegation earlier this week for dangerous sprinting. Eisel came through second to take the time bonuses to move into the leader’s jersey while Roman Vaitkus (Discovery Channel) was third. "Today was finally

Freire takes Ruta by a second over CioniSpaniard Oscar Freire (Rabobank) won the final stage and the overall at the Ruta del Sol on Thursday, taking the victory from Dario Cioni (Predictor-Lotto) by a single second. The 170.9km stage from Ecija to Antequera was marked by an early break by Netherlander Piet Rooijakkers (Skil-Shimano) and Spaniard Benat Albizuri (Euskaltel-Euskadi), who built a lead of six minutes before being retrieved as the peloton entered Antequera. There, Freire finished two seconds up on a small group containing Cioni, who had led the race since Sunday. Ruta del

Boonen turns it up in RutaTom Boonen (Quick Step-Innergetic) is back in the winner’s column after coming out of a self-imposed hibernation since the Tour of Qatar in January. The Belgian out-kicked Danilo Napolitano (Lampre-Fondital) to win Wednesday’s 179.2km fourth stage from Cabra to Córdoba at the Ruta del Sol in Spain to claim his sixth victory barely a month into the 2007 season. Boonen raced discreetly last week at the Mallorca Challenge without contesting the sprints and kept his head low during the opening three stages of the five-day Ruta while he battled through a stomach

Ignatiev wins againMikhail Ignatiev is quickly proving he can bump shoulders with the big boys. The 21-year-old Russian won for the second time in a week with a victory Tuesday in the 44th Trofeo Laigueglia in Italy. The Tinkoff Credit Systems rider – who won the third stage last week at the Tour Méditerranéen – put down a surprise attack with about 7km to go after the peloton split going over the 690m Passo Balestrino in the 188km hilly march. The 2004 Olympic points champion had enough in the tank to hold off some chasing Italians to snag the win. Coming through second at four seconds

Freire wins in RutaOscar Freire drove home the bunch Monday to win the second stage of the Ruta del Sol, a 156.6km stage from Vegas del Genil to Cazorla in southern Spain. The three-time world champion held off Francisco José Ventoso (Saunier Duval-Prodir) in the mass sprint to snag his second win of the 2007 season. The Rabobank sprinter, who just missed victory in Sunday’s opener after Dario Cioni (Predictor-Lotto) held off a long breakaway, clawed within one second of Cioni’s lead thanks to time bonuses. The race continues Tuesday with the third stage. Hamilton satisfied, eyes Georgia

Luis León Sánchez (Illes Balears-Caisse d’Epargne) hopes his victory in the Mallorca Challenge will help put behind him some painful chapters that were threatening to overwhelm his promising career. The 23-year-old claimed the unofficial overall title Thursday at the five-day Mallorca series (riders are allowed to pick and choose which stages they start) and he said the win takes some weight off his shoulders. “I was motivated to achieve a victory as soon as possible to send it to my brother,” Sánchez told EFE, referring to his older brother who died in a quad accident last year. “I’ve done

Perhaps more than anyone, Spanish rider Oscar Pereiro laments the slow wheels of justice when it comes to resolving the Floyd Landis doping case at the 2006 Tour de France. Pereiro, as runner-up in last year’s Tour, has the most to gain if Landis loses in his bid to prove his innocence against doping charges. And Pereiro maintains he has lost the most of any of the other protagonists in the unfortunate scenario if Landis becomes the first rider of the modern era to have his Tour crown stripped away. “I couldn’t and my team couldn’t maximize the benefits of a Tour victory because of this

The ongoing feud between the grand tours and the UCI turned nastier this week when Giro d’Italia organizers said they will guarantee invitations to only 18 of the 20 teams in the ProTour league for the upcoming edition of the corsa rosa. The decision shows just how deep the divisions are between cycling’s most important race organizers and the sport’s governing body. While there’s been no official word from the UCI, a strong reaction is expected. Giro organizer RCS Sport said new ProTour team Unibet.com won’t be allowed to race the season’s first grand tour (May 12-June 3) and said the

Damiano Cunego has marked two very clear goals for his 2007 racing. Cunego, who said he enjoyed “excellent” winter training, is motivated to have a strong run at the Giro d’Italia podium and shine in the spring classics. “Compared to 2006, it’s true there are less difficult stages but I don’t agree with those who said it’s less difficult,” Cunego told the Italian web page cicloweb.it. “It’s a balanced course with a few decisive days.” Cunego won the 2004 Giro in spectacular fashion, but suffered through media pressure and health issues in 2005 only to bounce back with a solid campaign last

The 2007 road racing season kicks off this week in Europe after a long winter full of doping innuendo and infighting between cycling’s major powers. First up is the French traditional opener Tuesday at the Grand Prix d’Ouverture La Marseillaise followed by the five-day Etoile de Bessège. Seven ProTour teams are among the 18-team field for the 140km La Marseillaise opener, including Ag2r, Bouygues Telecom, Crédit Agricole, Cofidis, FDJeux, T-Mobile and Unibet.com. Etoile start Wednesday in Pézenas and wraps up Sunday in Bessèges with a mix of stages across southern France. The expansive

American classics hope Tyler Farrar will be staying with Cofidis through the end of his contract this season and won’t be joining Discovery Channel - at least for now. Farrar’s name was linked to the American team last week when he appeared on a list of Discovery Channel riders for the 2007 season. The 22-year-old admitted he’s spoken with Discovery Channel representatives, but denied he was poised to leave the French team just as the 2007 season kicks into gear. “I was just as surprised as everyone else. I was at the Cofidis team presentation and someone pulled out a copy of Het Laatste

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.Applause for Bergman’s confessionEditor:This might sound crazy, bit I actually sat at my computer this morning and applauded. I didn't applaud for Tom Boonen or Carlos Garcia Quesada and their victories at the Ruta del Sol or for any of the other victorious cyclists featured by