The Vuelta a España or in English, Tour of Spain, is an annual multiple stage cycle race. It is primarily held in Spain but can pass through other countries. It was first organised in 1935 and was prevented from being run by the Spanish Civil War and Wolrd War II, however it has been held each year since 1955. Riders now from all over the world participate. The Vuelta is a three week Grand Tour like the Tour de France and the Giro d Ítalia. The route changes every year, but always has at least two time trials, the mountains of the Pyrenees and the finish in Madrid, of course, the capital of Spain. All of the stages are timed to the finish, and after finishing the riders´times are compunded with their previous stage times. The rider with the lowest total time is the leader and gets the red jersey! There are other contests within the Vuelta too.
This year’s Vuelta a Espana 2015 marked the 70th edition of the Spanish Grand Tour with the inclusion of nine new summit finishes and for those of us based on the Costa Blanca the opportunity to see stage finishes in Murcia and Denia.
The stage which started in Torrevieja was an historic one – the very first time the town started a stage of the world famous cycling event.
For the record, Tom Du Moulin won the stage in 4 hrs and 9 minutes with Kenyan-born Britain, Chris Froome, representing Team Sky in second place, 2 seconds slower, and 3rd was occupied by Rodriguez a further 3 seconds back.
It was an unbelievable final climb which was like the North face of the Eiger.
Fabian Aru won the Vuelta for his first grand tour success, Joaquin Rodriguez 2nd and Rafael Make was third.
Irish rider Nicholas Roche, son of 1988 Tour de France winner Stephen Roche, had a very successful tour finishing inside the top 10 with a stage win under his belt.
The talk already is of another stage on the Costa Blanca next year but we will not have confirmation until early 2016. Stages have previously travelled the N332 through La Zenia and Cabo Roig, and fingers crossed for a repeat in the near future.
This year’s Vuelta a Espana 2015 marked the 70th edition of the Spanish Grand Tour with the inclusion of nine new summit finishes and for those of us based on the Costa Blanca the opportunity to see stage finishes in Murcia and Denia.
The stage which started in Torrevieja was an historic one – the very first time the town started a stage of the world famous cycling event.
For the record, Tom Du Moulin won the stage in 4 hrs and 9 minutes with Kenyan-born Britain, Chris Froome, representing Team Sky in second place, 2 seconds slower, and 3rd was occupied by Rodriguez a further 3 seconds back.
It was an unbelievable final climb which was like the North face of the Eiger.
Fabian Aru won the Vuelta for his first grand tour success, Joaquin Rodriguez 2nd and Rafael Make was third.
Irish rider Nicholas Roche, son of 1988 Tour de France winner Stephen Roche, had a very successful tour finishing inside the top 10 with a stage win under his belt.
The talk already is of another stage on the Costa Blanca next year but we will not have confirmation until early 2016. Stages have previously travelled the N332 through La Zenia and Cabo Roig, and fingers crossed for a repeat in the near future.
