A flat coastal procession past white sandy beaches and inviting bays, a day of sol y playa if you watch it all on TV. It’s all a warm-up for the double ascension of the Puig Llorença with its steep slopes and another Made-For-TV stage finish.
Vuelta a España Stage 8 Preview
One difference between Vuelta and its cousins in Italy and France is that it lacks a rich catalogue of famous climbs. But slowly names are emerging and today’s climb Xorret de Catí is one of them.
Vuelta a España Stage 7 Preview
A hilly stage with but with few chances of a bunch sprint remaining several teams will want to set up their sprinters as the race heads inland.
What’s The Point of The Vuelta?
This question was raised three years ago as the tour of Spain seemed aloof on the calendar, an uncertain event. With hindsight the race was at a turning point but as ever it is good, even healthy, to question established practices so let us review this race once more, an event that doesn’t have the history of its French and Italian cousins and in recent times its future has been in doubt but now the race seems to have found its niche.
Vuelta a España Stage 5 Preview
The first of two consecutive mid-mountain stages, today’s route offers a good course on familiar roads for many in the peloton and race convoy before a tricky uphill finish that is twice as steep as it looks.
Vuelta a España Stage 3 Preview
Monday, day three, and the Vuelta heads for the Pyrenees and altitude with a stage to Andorra. This is far from the most selective of stages but it should ensure a new overall leader and some late action as the race reaches the microstate principality.
Vuelta a España Stage 2 Preview
Flat? Yes. But featureless this is not as the race takes the coastal road past many of France’s best wind and kitesurfing spots and the wind is forecast to blow meaning this will be part bike race, part sailing regatta.
Vuelta a España Stage 1 Preview
The Vuelta starts in France, in Nimes which is one of those cities where in the untranslatable lyrics of Claude Nougaro “l’Espagne pousse un peu sa corne“. As for the racing this is a challenging technical course that passes all the cities postcard monuments.