La Vuelta a España 2009 Dashboard


Alejandro Valverde celebrating his first Grand Tour win
200 Big Photos from 2009
Route Map  |  Stages  |  Preview  |  News  |  Startlist  |  Live Coverage  |  2008  |  2007

1Saturday, August 294.8 km 
Assen (NL) → Assen (NL)
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
2Sunday, August 30204 km 
Assen (NL) → Emmen (NL)
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
3Monday, August 31190 km 
Zutphen (NL) → Venlo (NL)
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
4Tuesday, September 1226 km 
Venlo (NL) → Liège (BE)
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
RWednesday, September 2 
Rest day
5Thursday, September 3174 km 
Tarragona → Vinaròs
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
6Friday, September 4177 km 
Xàtiva → Xàtiva
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
7Saturday, September 530 km 
Valencia → Valencia
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
8Sunday, September 6205 km 
Alzira → Alto de Aitana
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
9Monday, September 7189 km 
Alcoy → Xorret de Cati
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
10Tuesday, September 8171 km 
Alicante → Murcia
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
11Wednesday, September 9200 km 
Murcia → Caravaca de la Cruz
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
RThursday, September 10 
Rest day
12Friday, September 11179 km 
Almería → Alto de Velefique
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
13Saturday, September 12172 km 
Berja → Sierra Nevada
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
14Sunday, September 13157 km 
Granada → Córdoba
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
15Monday, September 14168 km 
Jaén → Córdoba
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
16Tuesday, September 15170 km 
Córdoba → Puertollano
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
17Wednesday, September 16194 km 
Ciudad Real → Talavera de la Reina
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
18Thursday, September 17165 km 
Talavera de la Reina → Ávila
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
19Friday, September 18180 km 
Ávila → La Granja Real Fábrica de Cristales
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
20Saturday, September 1928 km 
Toledo
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
21Sunday, September 20110 km 
Rivas-Vaciamadrid → Madrid
profile | map | timetable | preview | results | photos | video
  Total Distance3294 km 

copyright (c) 2007, 2008, 2009 steephill.tv


2009 Vuelta a España Route Map
(click to enlarge)

2009 Vuelta a España Teams
Team Rosters and Withdrawals

Printable Startlist...coming



News and Updates for Vuelta a España 2009

Stage 21 Results: The Green Jersey, André Greipel, makes it four sprint wins; Valverde is the winner of the 2009 Vuelta


9 Big Photos from Stage 21 — sirotti
September 20 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 21 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 21 — lavuelta
Valverde crowned Vuelta king, Greipel wins Madrid sprint — cyclingnews
Greipel wint de slotrit, Valverde de Vuelta — sporza.be
  Last Km (4:04 flemish) —sporza.be
Alejandro Valverde wins his first grand tour, as Greipel wins the final stage in Madrid — velonews
  Valverde entra en el club de los grandes (01:11) — rtve.es
Gavia's stage 21 report — steephill.tv
  Stage 21 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
Graham Watson Stage 21 photos — grahamwatson
Reborn Valverde to take Vuelta victory — cyclingnews
Xacobeo Galicia delighted with Vuelta dividend — cyclingnews
9 Big Photos from Stage 21 — sirotti

Stage 21 Preview

September 19 update:
Juan Bonilla's detailed stage 21 preview — steephill.tv
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 20 — sirotti
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 20 ITT Results: Millar time at the Vuelta; Valverde celebrating too


9 Big Photos from Stage 20 — sirotti
September 19 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 20 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 20 — lavuelta
Millar takes Toledo time trial, Valverde secures Vuelta overall win — cyclingnews
Miller blazes to TT win, Valverde secures lead. Evans gets back on the Vuelta podium. — velonews
Gavia's stage 20 report — steephill.tv
Graham Watson Stage 20 photos — grahamwatson
  Stage 20 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
9 Big Photos from Stage 20 — sirotti
  Highlights: Valverde ya tiene la Vuelta al 100% (02:43 Spanish) — rtve.es

Stage 20 Preview: The ITT... the last chance

September 18 update:
Juan Bonilla's detailed stage 20 preview — steephill.tv
Deignan fights for best Irish Grand Tour place in 17 years — cyclingnews
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 19 — sirotti
Race Preview — steephill.tv

En Directo: Live Video Streaming and TV Coverage

steephill.tv is also on Twitter with the race info updates
September 14 update: Here are the live video and ticker options for the 2009 Vuelta a Espana. If you see another good link then let us know... — Steve

media source tv or internet comments/restrictions
   live video (english/U.S.)
   live video (unrestricted)
   live video (unrestricted)
  tv schedule (see comments)		 Live streaming video every day starting 10:00 AM ET most days. Rebroadcast on Universal Sports TV in the U.S. at noon, 3, 5, 7 & 10 p.m. ET.
eurosport    live video (english)
   live video (english)
   live video (german)
   live video (french)
   live audio (english)
  tv schedule
 live ticker 		Europe; live daily coverage and rebroadcasts in 59 countries

Audio languages: EN | FR | DE | ES | IT
Ticker languages: EN | FR | DE | ES | IT
   live video
   live video (unrestricted)
  tv schedule		 restricted to Spain?;
   live video (flemish)
  tv schedule		 Belgium; Sporza live coverage
   live video (dutch)
  tv schedule		 Netherlands; Dutch
づらづら工業カビ式外車    live video (unrestricted)
 Japanese feed; unrestricted
live text updates English
 steephill text updates
 #vuelta twitter group		 short text updates from any and everyone
check back at race time for more and updated links; email send a comment or a new live link

Stage 19 Results


9 Big Photos from Stage 19 — sirotti

September 18 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 19 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 19 — lavuelta
Cobo takes a win in La Granja — cyclingnews
Cobo is de beste van groepje favorieten — sporza.be
  Last Km (3:10 flemish) —sporza.be
Gavia's stage 19 report — steephill.tv
  Stage 19 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
  Highlights: Juanjo Cobo gana y Valverde sentencia (03:25 Spanish) — rtve.es
Contador still in limbo — cyclingnews
Graham Watson Stage 19 photos — grahamwatson
Cobo wins, Gesink fades, Valverde consolidates — velonews
9 Big Photos from Stage 19 — sirotti

Stage 19 Preview: Final Mountain Stage

September 17 update:
Juan Bonilla's detailed stage 19 preview — steephill.tv
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 18 — sirotti
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 18 Results: Irishman Philip Deignan out duels Roman Kreuziger to give first year Cervelo Test Team another Grand Tour win.


9 Big Photos from Stage 18 — sirotti
September 17 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 18 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 18 — lavuelta
Deignan takes biggest career win in Ávila — cyclingnews
Jonge Deignan troeft Kreuziger af in Avila — sporza.be
  Last Km (4:36 flemish) —sporza.be
Deignan scores win at Vuelta; Valverde keeps lead — velonews
  Highlights: Philip Deignan se impone en la 18ª etapa (03:23 Spanish) — rtve.es
Danielson out of Vuelta — cyclingnews
Gavia's stage 18 report — steephill.tv
Shimano gets tough on dopers — cyclingweekly.co.uk
9 Big Photos from Stage 18 — sirotti
  Stage 18 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
Graham Watson Stage 18 photos — grahamwatson
Learn more about Philip Deignan — en.wikipedia.org

Stage 18 Preview

September 15 update:
Juan Bonilla's detailed stage 18 preview — steephill.tv
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 17 — sirotti
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 17 Results: Française des Jeux's Anthony Roux hangs on with the peloton bearing down on the lone break survivor at the line


9 Big Photos from Stage 17 — sirotti

September 16 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 17 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 17 — lavuelta
Roux legt spurtend peloton in de luren — sporza.be
Roux en force — lequipe.fr
Roux holds off sprinters — cyclingnews
  Last Km (3:00 flemish) —sporza.be
Roux wins a close one, as Valverde maintains grip on the lead — velonews
  Ritwinst Roux, val en blessure Gesink (Dutch) — nos.nl
Gavia's stage 17 report — steephill.tv
Graham Watson Stage 17 photos — grahamwatson
  Highlights: Espectacular victoria de Roux (03:23 Spanish) — rtve.es
9 Big Photos from Stage 17 — sirotti

Stage 17 Preview

September 15 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 17 preview — steephill.tv
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 16 — sirotti
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 16 Results: Andre Greipel wins another sprint finish for Columbia as a finishing crash takes out several of his rivals


9 Big Photos from Stage 16 — sirotti
September 15 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 16 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 16 — lavuelta
Greipel wins Vuelta's Puertollano sprint, Valverde keeps gold — cyclingnews
Greipel treft opnieuw raak in de Vuelta — sporza.be
  Finish crash that took out Wouter Weylandts, Roger Hammond and Julien Dean (01:12 flemish) —sporza.be
  Last Km (05:36 flemish) —sporza.be
Gavia's stage 16 report — steephill.tv
Graham Watson Stage 16 photos — grahamwatson
  Stage 16 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
  Highlights: Greipel se impone en Puertollano (03:15 Spanish) — rtve.es
9 Big Photos from Stage 16 — sirotti
... more to come...

Stage 16 Preview

September 14 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 16 preview — steephill.tv
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 14 — sirotti
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 15 Results: Rabobank's Lars Boom wins off the front of the main break; GC riders take an unofficial rest day


9 Big Photos from Stage 15 — sirotti
September 14 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 15 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 15 — lavuelta
Gavia's stage 15 report — steephill.tv
Boom wins solo ahead of escape group —cyclingnews
Boom blasts to stage-15 win — velonews
  Last Km (03:50 flemish) — sporza.be
Boom behaalt knappe solozege in de Vuelta — sporza
  Highlights: Boom vence en solitario (03:20 Spanish) — rtve.es
  Stage 15 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
Graham Watson Stage 15 photos — grahamwatson
9 Big Photos from Stage 15 — sirotti

Stage 15 Preview

September 14 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 15 preview — steephill.tv
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 14 — sirotti
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 14 Results: Cunego takes a second Vuelta mountain stage; Valverde adds a few more seconds to his overal lead with a gritty performance


9 Big Photos from Stage 14 — sirotti
September 13 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 14 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 14 — lavuelta
Cunego conquers La Pandera — cyclingnews
Gavia's stage 14 report — steephill.tv
  Highlights: Cunego, el más fuerta en la Sierra de la Pandera (03:02) — rtve.es
Cunego takes a second stage as Valverde fends off his rivals for the Vuelta lead — velonews
Cunego, splendido bis Basso scivola al quarto posto — gazzetta.it
Cunego pakt zijn tweede ritzege in de Vuelta — sporza.be
  Highlights/Verslag (01:35 flemish) — sporza.be
Graham Watson Stage 14 photos — grahamwatson
  Stage 14 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
9 Big Photos from Stage 14 — sirotti

Stage 14 Preview: Another Mountain Stage

September 12 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 14 preview — steephill.tv
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 13 — sirotti
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 13 Results: David Moncoutié solos the finish at Sierra-Nevada; Valverde stays in Gold but big changes below him on GC


9 Big Photos from Stage 13 — sirotti
September 12 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 13 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 13 — lavuelta
Moncoutié wins solo in the mountains — cyclingnews
Moncoutie conquers the Sierra Nevada, Valverde leads — velonews
Moncoutié wordt beloond, Evans verliest tijd — sporza.be
  Highlights (01:04 flemish) — sporza.be
Moncoutié, un an après — lequipe.fr
Initial Stage 13 Photos — AP/Yahoo
  Highlights: Moncoutie vence en el pico de La Vuelta (03:32 Spanish) — rtve.es
Gavia's stage 13 report — steephill.tv
Illness turns Danielson's Vuelta on its head — cyclingnews
Graham Watson Stage 13 photos — grahamwatson
  Stage 13 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
9 Big Photos from Stage 13 — sirotti

Stage 13 Preview: Another Mountain Stage

September 12 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 13 preview — steephill.tv
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 12 — sirotti
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 12 Results: Garmin's Ryder Hesjedal becomes the first Canadian to win a Grand Tour stage since 1988... in a big way


9 Big Photos from Stage 12 — sirotti
Stage 12 Results                         General Classification after Stage 12
1  HESJEDAL, Ryder CAN GRM      5:34:31  1  Alejandro Valverde ESP GCE   51:12:38
2  GARCÍA, David ESP XAC           a 01  2  Cadel Evans AUS SIL              a 07
3  GESINK, Robert NED RAB          a 06  3  Robert Gesink HOL RAB            a 18
4  MOSQUERA, Ezequiel ESP XAC      a 06  4  Thomas Danielson USA GRM         a 51
5  CUNEGO, Damiano ITA LAM         a 16  5  Ivan Basso ITA LIQ               a 53
6  VALVERDE, Alejandro ESP GCE     a 16  6  Samuel Sánchez ESP EUS         a 1:03
7  EVANS, Cadel AUS SIL            a 16  7  Damiano Cunego ITA LAM         a 2:13
8  BASSO, Ivan ITA LIQ             a 16  8  Ezequiel Mosquera ESP XAC      a 2:14
9  DANIELSON, Thomas USA GRM       a 16
10 SÁNCHEZ, Samuel ESP EUS         a 16

September 11 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 12 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 12 — lavuelta
Hesjedal wins Vuelta's Velefique mountain battle — cyclingnews
Hesjedal wint zware bergrit in de Vuelta — sporza.be
  Last Km (04:27 flemish) — sporza.be
Hesjedal hammers to stage-12 win — velonews
Hesjedal se lleva la victoria en el Alto de Velefique — rtve.es
  Highlights: Etapa 12, resumen (03:39 Spanish) — rtve.es
Gavia's stage 12 report — steephill.tv
9 Big Photos from Stage 12 — sirotti
Graham Watson Stage 12 photos — grahamwatson
Ryder Hesjedal WINS! - Veulta a Espana, stage 12 — slipstreamsports
Canadian captures 12th stage — theglobeandmail
  Stage 12 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport

Stage 12 Preview

September 10 update:
Rest day wrap: Six riders separated by just 63 seconds — cyclingnews
Gavia's detailed stage 12 preview — steephill.tv
Big Photos Recap for Stages 1 through 11 — sirotti
Vuelta Power Poll: Coulda! Shoulda! Woulda! — podiumcafe
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 11 Results: Tylar Farrar wins his first Grand Tour stage


9 Big Photos from Stage 11 — sirotti

September 9 update:
Full Official Results for Stage 11 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 11 — lavuelta
Farrar wins Vuelta's Caravaca de la Cruz stage — cyclingnews
Farrar sprint sneller dan Gilbert in Vuelta — sporza.be
  Last Km (02:59 flemish) — sporza.be
  Stage 11 recap (U.S. only) — universalsports
Gavia's stage 11 report — steephill.tv
Graham Watson Stage 11 photos — grahamwatson
9 Big Photos from Stage 11 — sirotti
  Stage 11 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
Weltz: “An Amazing Win”; Director’s report from Johnny Weltz: — slipstreamsports
Farrar: ‘It finally came together’ — velonews

Stage 11 Preview

September 9 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 11 preview — steephill.tv
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 10 Results: Breakaway win for Gerrans in Murcia, Valverde remains in Gold


9 Big Photos from Stage 10 — sirotti

Full Official Results for Stage 10 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 10 — lavuelta
Gerrans wins cat and mouse game to take the stage win — cyclingnews
Simon Gerrans is snelste van vluchterskwartet — sporza.be
  Last Km (flemish) — sporza.be
Gavia's stage 10 report — steephill.tv
Graham Watson Stage 10 photos — grahamwatson
  Stage 10 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
  Simon Gerrans post-stage interview (U.S. only) — universalsports
Farrar wins stage 11; Valverde leads — velonews
Initial Stage 11 Photos — ap/yahoo
... more to come...

Stage 10 Preview

September 7 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 10 preview — steephill.tv
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 9 Results: Gustavo César of Xacobeo Galicia wins the tough finish on Xorret del Catí; Alejandro Valverde moves into Gold with his 3rd place bonus time


9 Big Photos from Stage 9 — sirotti
Stage 9 Results                          General Classification after Stage 9
1  Gustavo César Veloso ESP XAC 5:21:04  1  Alejandro Valverde ESP GCE   36:26:40
2  Marco Marzano ITA LAM           a 21  2  Cadel Evans AUS SIL              a 07
3  Alejandro Valverde ESP GCE      a 40  3  Robert Gesink HOL RAB            a 36
   David De La Fuente ESP FUJ        st  4  Thomas Danielson USA GRM         a 51
   Robert Gesink HOL RAB             st  5  Ivan Basso ITA LIQ               a 53
   Cadel Evans AUS SIL               st  6  Samuel Sánchez ESP EUS         a 1:03
   Ivan Basso ITA LIQ                st  7  Damiano Cunego ITA LAM         a 2:04
8  Javier Ramírez Abeja ESP ACA    a 53
9  Joaquin Rodriguez ESP GCE     a 1:12
   Thomas Danielson USA GRM          st
   Damiano Cunego ITA LAM            st
   Tadej Valjavec SLO ALM            st
   Ezequiel Mosquera ESP XAC         st
Full Official Results for Stage 9 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 9 — lavuelta
All hail Cesar in Xorret de Cati — cyclingnews
Cesar zorgt voor 1e Spaanse ritzege in Vuelta — sporza.be
  Last Km (04:03 flemish) — sporza.be
Gavia's stage 9 report — steephill.tv
Graham Watson Stage 9 photos — grahamwatson
  Finishing climb (Last 6 Km) to Xorret del Catí: Part 1 | Part 2 (over 20 mins in english)
9 Big Photos from Stage 9 — sirotti
  Stage 9 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport

Stage 9 Preview: The Second Mountain Stage

September 7 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 9 preview — steephill.tv
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 8 Results: Damiano Cunego rides away from the GC favorites for a surprise mountaintop win; Cadel Evans moves into Gold


9 Big Photos from Stage 8 — sirotti
Stage 8 Results                         General Classification after Stage 8
1  Damiano Cunego ITA LAM    6:04:54    1  Cadel Evans AUS SIL
2  David Moncoutie FRA COF      a 33    2  Alejandro Valverde ESP GCE   a :02
3  Robert Gesink HOL RAB        a 36    3  Samuel Sánchez ESP EUS       a :08
4  Cadel Evans AUS SIL          a 44    4  Thomas Danielson USA GRM     a :13
   Alejandro Valverde ESP GCE     st    5  Robert Gesink HOL RAB        a :29
   Samuel Sánchez ESP EUS         st    6  Ivan Basso ITA LIQ           a :46
7  Tadej Valjavec SLO ALM       a 50    7  Damiano Cunego ITA LAM      a 1:26
   Ivan Basso ITA LIQ             st
   Ezequiel Mosquera ESP XAC      st
   Joaquin Rodriguez ESP GCE      st
   Thomas Danielson USA GRM       st
   Paolo Tiralongo ITA LAM        st
Full Official Results for Stage 8 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 8 — lavuelta
Cunego wint de eerste slag in de bergen — sporza.be
Cunego conquers Vuelta's Aitana mountaintop finish, Evans takes lead — cyclingnews
Cunego, el más fuerte de la montaña — rtve.es
Initial Stage 8 photos
Gavia's stage 8 report — steephill.tv
Blazin' Saddles: Vino gets dropped — uk.eurosport.yahoo
  Entire finishing Alto de Aitana climb: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 (over 40 mins)
Graham Watson Stage 8 photos — grahamwatson
9 Big Photos from Stage 8 — sirotti
Vuelta, vola Cunego Stacca tutti in montagna — gazzetta.it
  Etapa 8, resumen (Highlights) (03:30 Spanish) — rtve.es
  Last Km (05:26 flemish) — sporza.be
  Stage 8 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport

Stage 7 Results: Cancellara regains the overall lead with TT win in Valencia


1) CANCELLARA, Fabian 36:41 2) MILLAR, David :32 3) GRABSCH, Bert :36
9 Big Photos from Stage 7 — sirotti

Full Official Results for Stage 7 — lavuelta
Full General Classification after Stage 7 — lavuelta
Cancellara rules wet time trial in Valencia, re-takes overall lead — cyclingnews
Cancellara regains Vuelta lead after blasting through 30km TT — velonews
Cancellara grijpt de macht in de Vuelta — sporza.be
Cancellara and TT photos
Cancellara outpaces Millar in Valencia time trial — cyclingweekly.co.uk
Gavia's stage 7 report — steephill.tv
9 Big Photos from Stage 7 — sirotti
Graham Watson Stage 7 photos — grahamwatson
  7ª etapa de la Vuelta, resumen (03:08 Spanish) — rtve.es
  Cancellara, rey del 'crono' (00.59 Spanish) — rtve.es
  La Vuelta en Ferrari (00:58 Spanish) — rtve.es
  Cancellara's post-stage interview (U.S. only) — universalsports

Stage 7 ITT Preview

September 5 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 7 preview — steephill.tv
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 6 Results: Vacansoleil's Borut Bozic gets a big win for his little, gritty team


9 Big Photos from Stage 6 — sirotti

September 4 update:
1) Borut Bozic (Slo) Vacansoleil 2) Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin 3) Daniele Bennati (Ita) Liquigas
Full Official Results for Stage 6 — lavuelta
Bozic sprints to win ahead of bunch — cyclingnews
  Last Km (03:13 flemish) — sporza.be
Gavia's stage 6 report — steephill.tv
Graham Watson Stage 6 photos — grahamwatson
9 Big Photos from Stage 6 — sirotti
  Highlights: El esloveno, Borut Bozic, se ha impuesto en la sexta etapa. (Spanish 03:13) — rtve.es
  On-demand coverage — universalsports

Stage 6 Preview

September 4 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 6 preview — steephill.tv
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 5 Results: Andre Greipel continues his winning ways after the rest day with a sprint win over Boonen and Bennati in Vinaròs, Spain


1) Andre Greipel 2) Tom Boonen 3) Daniele Bennati
9 Big Photos from Stage 5 — sirotti

Full Official Results for Stage 5 — lavuelta
Spanish sun shines on Greipel — cyclingnews
Boonen strandt in het wiel van leider Greipel — sporza.be
9 Big Photos from Stage 5 — sirotti
  Stage 5 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
Gavia's stage 5 report — steephill.tv
  Last Km (03:28 flemish) — sporza.be
Graham Watson Stage 5 photos — grahamwatson
  On-demand coverage — universalsports
Inside La Vuelta With Dominique Rollin — pezcyclingnews
  La 5ª etapa ha estado marcada por otra victoria al Sprint de Greipel que se sitúa líder. — rtve.es

Stage 5 Preview (Back in Spain)

September 3 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 5 preview — steephill.tv
Valverde's Vuelta off to solid start — cyclingnews
Chris Horner's Tour of Spain diary: Crashing with a 'Pete Rose' slide — blog.oregonlive
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 4 Results: Andre Greipel wins the wet, crash-filled stage of attrition in Liege for another Team Columbia win


A "filthy" day of racing even before the final crash

Greipel benefits the most among only five riders surviving the massive crash with 2.5k to go
9 Big Photos from Stage 4 — sirotti

Full Official Results for Stage 4 — lavuelta
André Greipel wint na een slagveld in Luik — sporza.be
  Saxo Bank's Jakob Fuglsang Tanker Truck Crash (0:24 flemish) — sporza.be
Greipel wins a wet, classic Vuelta stage to Liège — cyclingnews
  Last 4 Km including the massive roundabout crash (04:28) — WielerFlits2
  Massive crash at the Vuelta/Masiva caída en La Vuelta (01:19 Spanish) — rtve.es
  Roundabout massive crash with 2.5k to go (01:29) — worldcyclingchannel1
Graham Watson Stage 4 photos — grahamwatson
Gavia's Stage 4 Report — steephill.tv
Massive Crash Ends Vuelta For Chris Horner — astana-cyclingteam
9 Big Photos from Stage 4 — sirotti
Large crash marks end of Vuelta stage; Horner breaks his hand, Vino among the injured — velonews
  Stage 4 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
  On-demand coverage — universalsports

Stage 4 Preview

August 31 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 4 preview — steephill.tv
Gavia's stage 3 report — steephill.tv
Race Preview — steephill.tv

Stage 3 Results: Leadout man Greg Henderson gets the 72nd win of the year for Team Columbia; Cancellara retains the Gold Jersey


Rolling through Holland during Stage 3 and the best weather so far
9 Big Photos from Stage 3 — sirotti

Full Official Results for Stage 3 — lavuelta
Henderson surprise winner in Vuelta's Venlo stage — cyclingnews
Greg Henderson verrast in de Vuelta — sporza.be
  Last Km (03:28 flemish) — sporza.be
AP Photos — yahoo/ap
9 Big Photos from Stage 3 — sirotti
Gavia's stage 3 report — steephill.tv
  Stage 3 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
  Henderson gana al sprint y Cancellara sigue líder (03:52) — rtve.es
  On-demand coverage — universalsports
Graham Watson Stage 3 photos — grahamwatson
Henderson hurtles to Vuelta victory — velonews
Home country news: Henderson wins stage — skysport.co.nz

Stage 3 Preview

August 31 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 3 preview — steephill.tv
Gavia's stage 2 report — steephill.tv
Gavia's race preview — steephill.tv
(btw, the team rosters are now updated. Previous version was an outdated provisional one.)

Stage 2 Results


Ciolek wins Vuelta's stage to Emmen, Cancellara retains overall lead — cyclingnews
Ciolek wins stage 2 at Vuelta — velonews
Ciolek is de snelste in eerste rit in lijn — sporza.be
  Highlights/No Audio: Victoria para Ciolek, Cancellara sigue líder (03:27) — rtve.es
  On-demand coverage — universalsports
Graham Watson Stage 2 photos — grahamwatson
  Stage 2 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
Vuelta notebook: Horner can't wait for sunny Spain — velonews
Gavia's stage 2 report — steephill.tv
9 Big Photos from Stage 2 — sirotti
Full Official Results — lavuelta
Post Stage Quotes and Notes — lavuelta
  Last Km (01:22 flemish) — sporza.be

Stage 2 Preview

Gavia's detailed stage 2 preview — steephill.tv
Gavia's race preview — steephill.tv

Stage 1 Results


1) Fabian Cancellara 05:20  2) Tom Boonen :09  3) Tyler Farrar :12
Vuelta prologue: Fabian Cancellara in golden form — bikeradar
Cancellara motors to win in Vuelta's opening time trial — cyclingnews
Cancellara is snelste op het circuit van Assen — sporza.be
Stage 1 TT photos
9 Big Photos from Stage 1 — sirotti
Gavia's Stage 1 Post-Race Analysis — steephill.tv
  Stage 1 Highlights (01:30) — eurosport
  Complete stage 1 on-demand coverage — universalsports
  Cancellara, como si fuera en la moto de Rossi — rtve.es
Graham Watson Stage 1 photos — grahamwatson

Stage 1 Preview

August 29 update:
Gavia's detailed stage 1 preview — steephill.tv
Prologue Start times and order — velonews
Gavia's race preview — steephill.tv
  Team Presentation Video: Assen vive la fiesta del ciclismo — rtve.es
August 27 update: Stage previews for the first week are now posted (see right). Also see the general race preview below and below that you'll find a good interview with the new race director of the Vuelta. Live coverage info to follow next... Steve


Course Overview



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August 27 update: This year’s Vuelta a España starts in the Netherlands, and the first four stages run through Dutch, German, and Belgian territory. The sprinters will enjoy the opening two flat stages, and this Vuelta has drawn a number of big name sprinters including Tom Boonen, Tyler Farrar, Daniele Bennati, and André Greipel. The Vuelta then pays homage to the Ardennes classics with a stage that includes the Cauberg from the Amstel Gold Race and the Côte de Saint-Nicolas from Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Watch for classics talents like Philippe Gilbert, Damiano Cunego, Fränk Schleck and Kim Kirchen to animate this mini-classic.

From Liège, the Vuelta heads home to Spain and follows a J-shaped course through the Iberian Peninsula. Like this year’s Tour de France, the early stages of the Vuelta course hug the Mediterranean coast. As it heads southwest along the Mediterranean, the Vuelta visits Tarragona, Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Almerìa, and Berja in southeastern Spain. At Berja, the course turns north and heads into the Sierra Nevada mountain range for three consecutive mountain-top finishes. From the Sierra Nevada, the Vuelta continues north, tracing a jagged course through Spain’s mountainous terrain. The race passes through Córdoba, Cuidad Real, and Talavera on the way to the Sierra de Gredos and Sierra de Guadarrama mountain ranges which rise north of Madrid. From the final mountain stage, which climbs the Puerto de Navacerrada, the Vuelta doglegs south to Toledo for a short time trial. Then, it’s a flat circuit around Madrid for the finale.

It’s a mountainous Vuelta this year, though it skips the Pyrenees (That’s Pyreneos to the locals). The climbers will enjoy the eight mountain stages, which include four especial summit finishes at Alto de Aitana, Alto de Velefique, Alto de Sierra Nevada, and Alto Sierra de la Pandera. The course also includes the difficult Puerto de Navacerrada, which the riders will climb twice during stage 19. Though it finishes on a descent, this stage which runs between Avila and La Granja provides the climbing finale of the Vuelta a España.

The time trial kilometers are minimal in this year’s Vuelta, and the riders will race only 62 kilometers on the time trial bike. The Spanish grand tour opens with a 4.5 kilometer prologue on the motosports track at Assen in the Netherlands. A second race against the watch comes at stage 7 in Valencia. Like the prologue, the Valencia time trial is completely flat. It is also relatively short for a grand tour time trial covering just 30 kilometers. The final time trial of the Vuelta is similarly short. Toledo will host this stage which runs over 27.8 kilometers of rolling terrain. The climbers can’t ignore these time trial stages by any means, but overall, the mountainous course is stacked in their favor.

A Look at the Startlist

The startlist reflects the mountainous nature of the course, with most teams electing to send squads well-stocked with climbers. The general classification boasts a relatively deep field for this late season race, and despite the mountainous terrain, the final kilometer will be crowded with sprint contenders. Allow me to introduce you to your general classification contenders for the next three weeks.

Let’s begin with a Spanish favorite, Alejandro Valverde of Caisse d’Épargne. Excluded from the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France due to a suspension handed down by the Italian anti-doping authorities, Valverde returns to contest his home grand tour. Though he finished second at the 2006 Vuelta a España behind Alexandre Vinokourov, Valverde has tended to find more success in the shorter Spanish stage races like the Vuelta Castilla y León and the one day classics like Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which he won in 2008. Last year, Valverde won a stage and finished eighth at the Vuelta a España. This season, Valverde won the Klasika Primavera, an early season Spanish one day race, a stage and the overall at the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya, the overall at the Critérium Dauphiné Libéré, and the overall at the recent Vuelta Ciclista a Burgos. Valverde has said he is chasing the general classification at this Vuelta and he will have a strong team to support him, including Joaquim Rodriguez who finished sixth last year. Though the grand tours have not treated Valverde well in recent years, the hilly course of this Vuelta should suit him and a top five finish seems well-within reach.

Three riders who have finished on the podium at the Tour de France will ride this year’s Vuelta and offer a stiff challenge to Valverde’s ambitions. This year’s second place finisher at the Tour de France Andy Schleck claims that he is not riding the Vuelta with ambitions for the general classification. This is always the dilemma of the Vuelta: Which riders are riding for the overall victory and which riders are looking for hard training ahead of the World Championship races in October? This year’s World Championship course in Mendrisio intensifies this dilemma, because it will suit the climbers and the next two Worlds courses are more sprinter-friendly. At the same time, it’s hard to imagine that Schleck would pass up a chance to win a grand tour, especially when the mountainous course of the Vuelta a España suits his characteristics to perfection. If Andy Schleck does choose to leave the Vuelta before Madrid, Saxo Bank is also bringing the young climbing talent Jakob Fuglsang, who will make his grand tour début at this Vuelta. An ex-mountain bike racer, Fuglsang will enjoy the mountainous course of this Vuelta, though it may be too soon to expect a big result from the young Dane. Bottom line: Andy Schleck is a favorite to win this Vuelta, unless he becomes blinded by rainbows.

Cadel Evans has twice finished second at the Tour de France. Despite his high placings, the talented Australian has yet to win a grand tour in his career. Though Evans is no slouch in the high mountains, he has tended to make his results in the time trial stages, and this Vuelta course with its short time trials will not do him any favors. Evans will also be short on team support in the high mountains. The Australian will have strong support from Matthew Lloyd, but Charly Wegelius, who would normally offer solid support in the mountains, rides his third grand tour of the season at this Vuelta. By all accounts, Wegelius was surprised to find his name on the team roster for the race and may not have his best legs ready for the Spanish adventure. The Silence-Lotto roster looks better for stage-chasing in the flatter stages than it does for a defense of the general classification through the high mountains. Still, Evans is a determined rider, and he is unlikely to leave the Vuelta in favor of Mendrisio. The win may again prove elusive, but another podium finish should be within reach.

Ivan Basso needs to win this Vuelta a España. After two years away from the sport on a doping suspension, Basso returned to racing this season with big ambitions, but his first post-suspension grand tour did not go exactly according to plan. Basso won the Giro del Trentino, which serves as a prelude to the Giro d’Italia, raising expectations of a strong run at the Maglia Rosa in May. Instead, Basso watched his team-mate Franco Pellizotti challenge for overall victory at the Giro, while Basso finished fifth overall. Despite several efforts, Basso also failed to win a stage. Pellizotti has already said that he wants to ride as the main man at Liquigas-Doimo for next year’s Giro d’Italia. Pellizotti offered in exchange to support Basso at next year’s Tour de France, but Basso will have also to consider the ambitions of Vincenzo Nibali and Roman Kreuziger, who both finished in the top ten in France this year. For Basso, a win at this year’s Vuelta a España would help end the doubts about his grand tour abilities and give him much-needed leverage within his Liquigas-Doimo team.

Before his suspension, there were few doubts about Basso’s grand tour pedigree. The Italian finished second and third at the Tour de France and won the Giro d’Italia. The Italian has always ridden better in the mountains than against the watch, and this Vuelta should play to his strengths. Liquigas-Doimo, meanwhile, brings a stacked team to the Spanish grand tour this time around, and their roster includes climber Sylvester Szmyd, who won the Mont Ventoux stage at the Critérium Dauphiné Libéré, up and coming stage race talent Roman Kreuziger, and support riders Kjell Carlstöm and Oliver Zaugg. Plainly, Liquigas-Doimo is serious about this Vuelta, though whether Basso can deliver remains an open question. I’ll call Basso for the podium, with a good chance of celebrating victory in Madrid. But I've been wrong many times before.

The Vuelta frequently serves as a proving ground for young grand tour talent. Currently 23 years old, Robert Gesink of Rabobank made his Tour de France début this season, only to crash out before the race hit his favorite terrain, the high mountains. This Vuelta course was made to order for the young Dutch talent, who climbs with a defiance for gravity, but still has work to do in the crono. Gesink finished seventh in the general classification at last year’s Vuelta, including a sixth place finish on the Angliru and a fourth place finish at the ski station at Fuentes de Invierno. Gesink will have support in the high mountains from the experienced Juan Manuel Garate, though the Rabobank team will also chase stage victories with sprinter Oscar Freire. Gesink should improve on his seventh place finish of last year, and has a long-shot chance at overall victory.

Though he has outgrown the young riders’ category, 33 year old Ezequiel Mosquera of Xacobeo-Galicia has rejuvenated his career over the past two seasons with two top five finishes at the Vuelta a España. On the strength of his results, the Spanish Pro Continental team received an invite to the Giro d’Italia this year, though Mosquera had the bad luck to become injured before the start. Xacobeo-Galicia played the small team role to perfection at the Giro and rarely missed a breakaway. They return to the Vuelta this year with the ambition to place Mosquera on the podium. After last year’s fourth place finish, Mosquera is in with a chance, especially in the absence of last year’s podium finishers Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer, and Carlos Sastre. The mountainous course suits the Spanish climber well, but the podium looks crowded despite the absence of last year’s top three.

Turning to the general classification outsiders, Igor Anton of Euskaltel-Euskadi has placed 15th and 8th in his two Vuelta a España starts. The 26 year old Anton thrives in the high mountains. He finished on the podium and won a stage at the Tour de Suisse last year and won a mountain stage at the Vuelta a España in 2006. Anton has ridden a quiet season so far and took his only win at the Subida Urkiola. Young riders are an unpredictable bunch, and Anton could either finish squarely in the top ten or go big and make a serious challenge for the overall classification. In this company, a top five finish would be a great result for Anton. Euskaltel-Euskadi will also bring Olympic road race champion Samuel Sanchez to this year’s Vuelta. Sanchez has shown better in the one day races lately, but he finished third at the Vuelta in 2007 and has built his season around a serious run at the general classification this September. Both Euskaltel-Euskadi riders are wild-cards in their own particular ways, but both should ride well on this mountainous course.

At Garmin-Slipstream, meanwhile, Tom Danielson and Dan Martin will share leadership duties. Danielson has suffered an up and down career which injury has frequently derailed. The American has placed sixth and seventh previously at the Vuelta a España, and he rides better in the mountains than against the watch. This course should suit him well and he recently won a stage and finished third overall at the Vuelta Ciclista a Burgos. Widely touted as the next big American stage-racing talent, Danielson has carried a heavy burden of expectations. If all goes well, he could ride to a very high finish at this Vuelta a España, but we’ve all heard predictions like that before and I hestitate to turn up the hype-o-meter.

Garmin-Slipstream is also bringing the talented young Irish climber Dan Martin to the Vuelta. Martin won the Route du Sud in his first year as a professional and this year he finished second at the hilly Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. This Vuelta marks Martin’s grand tour début after tendonitis ruled out a Tour start. Martin should thrive on the mountainous course, but at age 23, he’ll be headed into uncharted territory when the Vuelta hits its third week. A top ten finish would be a brilliant result for Martin, anything higher would put him in a very select group of elite grand tour riders. Either way, his début should be exciting to watch.

Last, but certainly not least, we turn to the Astana Show. For the Vuelta, Astana will bring Haimar Zubeldia, who has twice finished fifth in the Tour de France. In this year’s Tour, Zubeldia did solid support work for race winner Alberto Contador in the high mountains, and he has always ridden best when the road turns up. A top ten finish for Zubeldia at this Vuelta looks realistic, anything more would be a very nice surprise for the Basque rider. And then there’s Alexandre Vinokourov. The Kazakh returns to racing after a suspension for blood doping during the 2007 Tour de France. Known for his attacking style, Vinokourov won the Vuelta in 2006. So far, his return to racing has brought more controversy than race results, and that pattern seems likely to continue during the upcoming Vuelta.

This Vuelta will be won in the mountains and the suspense should hold until the final stages in the mountains north of Madrid. The promise of eight mountain stages has brought the climbers out in force, and there should be a fierce battle on each of the especial mountain-top finishes. ¡Que tengas suerte! — Gavia

Yates: ‘Horner will get his chance at Vuelta’ — velonews

"The mountain stages in this Vuelta are amazing"

August 26 update: Interview translated by Juan Bonilla from "La montaña de esta Vuelta es impresionante" — as

Your first Vuelta a Espana as the race director is coming. How do you feel?

I don’t want to personalize    , because I’m part of a mechanism. I don’t want to be compared to my predecessor, Victor Cordero. But I have the same feelings a bullfighter has before starting a bullfight or those a kid has waiting for Santa Claus. I’m conscious of how important a Vuelta a Espana is.

Why should we pay attention to this Vuelta a Espana?

We must follow it because of its original principles. Because we depart from the Netherlands, which has demanded our cycling. There we are going to enjoy the nervous pace of the Classics, Liège and Amstel. And there is a time trial in one of the most important motorbike circuits, Assen…We will also use parts of the F1 circuit in Valencia. And there is also the mountains...No one should be disappointed for the lack of an iconic mountain like Angliru or Lagos de Covadonga, because the mountain stages in this Vuelta will be amazing. We are the country with the widest range of geographic features, since we can make a tough Vuelta without visiting Asturias or the Pyrenees. Apart from the big mountain stages, there are difficult climbs in every other stages. And of course the time trial in Toledo…It’s going to be an amazing Vuelta a Espana.

Some teams have complained about the mountain stages...

Yes. There have been riders and team directors who called us and said ‘These mountains are too difficult, you have gone too far’. Although some could like it less than others, we know what the cycling fans want. They love the mountains, and they will have mountains.

Which stage would you like to highlight?

They are all wonderful.

OK… but what if a friend tells you: ‘Javier, recommend me a stage’

Well, if I have no choice (laughs) I’d tell him that the Velefique stage is the hardest…but he should watch the stages in La Pandera, Sierra Nevada… Andalusia will be decisive.

Can the stages in Belgium and the Netherlands be decisive, too?

You cannot win a Vuelta in these days, but you can lose it. Belgian and Dutch teams will be motivated, they will attack…And there are Spanish teams not used to the sort of cycling they race over there. There may be consequences.

What does it mean for the Vuelta to start in the Netherlands?

We are going to be privileged, because Giro and Tour will also start from there, but we will be first. Some other activities will take place, for instance the amateur race on Saturday that has been closed to new admissions because we reached 11,000 riders.

Can an early rest day be damaging?

We had no choice. There is a 1,400 kilometers transfer. Some teams demanded a third rest day, and we don’t rule out this idea in the future.

Speaking of the contenders, certainly you will hear ‘Contador is not racing’ a lot.

We would love to have Contador, but he is not. Despite the fact that he is not coming, the bigger Contador is, the bigger Spanish cycling will be, and the same for la Vuelta. We will miss him, but when the race starts, we will have forgotten, because here are the ones we will follow: Andy Schleck, Valverde, Samuel, Cancellara, Freire, Basso, Evans...

Favourite rider for you?

I don’t know. This Vuelta does not have a clear favourite. The ideal situation will be a foreign rider against a Spanish one in the third week.

The Vuelta will not be alone. The Eurobasket and the Football (soccer) League begin the same day.

The ideal situation is not having competitors, but cycling enjoys a very loyal follower. What’s more, we have a very different broadcasting time.

CAS put in a team you didn’t want: Fuji.

We were ethically forced to allow all Spanish teams, they have been affected by the economic downturn. But there was one, Fuji-Servetto, we didn’t want. They won the case and this decision has to be respected. The only thing I hope is that they don’t cause trouble.

Euskaltel team will also take part. This team has two riders recently tested positive.

Landaluze is not part of the team now and Astarloza is waiting for the B-sample. I’ve always trusted Madariaga, who is firmly convinced of his innocence. Anyway, as I told him, it’s obvious that we must think about the internal test the teams have, because they have proven inefficient. We are not thinking of a ban, but if we had done, it would have not been useful: the Fuji case leaves little to organizers.

Could the presence of Alejandro Valverde, banned in Italy, damage the prestige of the race?

The Valverde case should have been finished long time ago. But since the present situation allows him to race the Vuelta, we can do nothing against him, because we would become judges. It doesn’t affect our prestige, but other countries can see the things in a different way…

Basso, Millar, Vinokourov... They all served their suspensions.

And since they served their suspensions, we must respect the system. Moreover, they should be an example for others.

It’s imposible not to talk about doping in a big race.

That is the way things are. We are working on that, on bringing back the credibility of cycling. Here we will be inflexible. We are going to spend 250,000 euros in doping tests.

We must get rid of doping. Of team radios, as well?

As well. I think it was a mistake from the team directors not to give the opportunity to race a Tour stage without radios. In my opinion, it makes races less spontaneous and spectacular. If we are speaking of security, there are other solutions, like having riders listening to Radio-Vuelta.

How has the economy affected the race?

The whole advertising market has been affected (and ours, too). But we will save the budget.

Will the Vuelta be back in Spring?

We wish so, but there are some difficulties, We are working on 2011 calendar. We must know which races will be important, how will tey do the selection… We work on this option, it’s true, but I am pessimistic, because the UCI prefers to have the Vuelta in September to make the season longer. It doesn’t mean that placing Vuelta in Spring is free of questions, there are generations that only know our race in the days it’s raced today.

Will you be willing to reduce the number of days of racing?

If we have a more spectacular race and the other two big races do the same, I’m ready to have a debate. But mainly the Vuelta is a monument we must keep the way it is now.

The Basque Government has recently changed and there is a proposition to have Vuelta back in the Basque Country. Is there any chance?

We have talked with the Basque Government to see whether the climate is favorable or not. It’s not fair that the Basque fans, among the best in the world, are not able to enjoy the Vuelta a Espana.

-AS, translated by Juan Bonilla

August 23 update:
Horner ready for the Vuelta a España — cyclingnews
Evans seeks redemption at Vuelta — velonews

Stage Profiles and Timetables for all stages are now posted

August 22 update: All stage profiles, timetables and stage descriptions (brief previews) are now available. Use the links from the race summary table (right) — Steve

August 13 update: 2009 Vuelta a Espana preliminary start list — cyclingnews

Universal Sports Inks Four-Year Deal to Broadcast the Vuelta a Espana



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  LOS ANGELES (July 28, 2009) – Universal Sports announced today it has inked an exclusive four-year multimedia deal to broadcast the Vuelta a Espana (Tour of Spain),  a three-week road cycling stage race that is one of the three Grand Tours of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar.  Universal Sports will broadcast throughout next month’s Vuelta, beginning with the start in Assen, Holland, on August 29, and ending in Madrid, Spain, on September 22. 

The Vuelta will join the Giro d’Italia in Universal Sports’ cycling schedule, giving the network two of the three Grand Tours and firmly establishing Universal Sports as the cable leader in cycling coverage.  Additional cycling events on Universal Sports include the Tour of the Basque Country, the Road Cycling and Track Cycling World Championships, other UCI Road and Track events, BMX World Championships, Mountain Bike, Cyclocross and more.

“We’re thrilled to have the Vuelta as part of our growing cycling lineup, allowing us to provide viewers with more of the world’s top cycling events, including two of the three Grands,” said Carlos Silva, president and COO of Universal Sports.  “Collectively between Universal Sports and UniversalSports.com, we’ll show every moment of this exciting competition, offering the most broadcast and online coverage of the Vuelta ever.”

Coverage will be led by David Michaels, executive producer of Universal Sports, who brings more than 30 years experience in producing international cycling events.  Michaels produced Universal’s highly acclaimed coverage of the 2009 Giro d’Italia this past May.

Universal Sports will provide more than nine hours of Vuelta programming every day during the three-week event. Every stage will be shown LIVE at UniversalSports.com every morning and replayed on Universal Sports network.  Each night, Universal Sports will show an enhanced stage replay in Primetime.  Additionally, UniversalSports.com will have an online TRACKER that will show each rider’s location on the course, stage maps, and integrated videos. The site will also offer full-length videos, highlights, photos, recaps, and behind-the-scenes interviews.

2009 Teams announced

June 12 update: Vuelta leaves Katusha, Fuji and LPR on sidelines — velonews

2009 Vuelta Teams
Ag2r-La Mondiale
Andalucía-Cajasur
Astana
Bouygues Telecom
Caisse d’Epargne
Cervélo TestTeam
Cofidis
Contentpolis-Ampo
Euskaltel-Euskadi
FDJeux
Garmin-Slipstream
Lampre
Liquigas
Quick Step
Rabobank
Silence-Lotto
Columbia-Highroad
Milram
Saxo Bank
Vacansoleil
Xacobeo-Galicia

Preview: 2009 Route Announcement

January 4 update: Just recently, the 2009 Vuelta a Espana route was announced. The first four stages will take place in the Netherlands before the race moves down the east coast of Spain through mountainous ranges such as the Sierra-Nevada. After stage 13, the race moves north towards the heart of Spain for the traditional finish in Madrid. There are six official mountain stages which is one fewer than 2007 and two fewer than last year. All the mountain stage profiles have been posted (see right). Stay tuned as more information is realized including stage maps and timetables and the latest updates. During the race, you'll find links to live coverage and post race results, photos and video. Steve

Vuelta 2009: Easy start, tough ending — cyclingnews
VUELTA '09: Presentation First Look! — pezcyclingnews
Vuelta 2009 Route Favours Climbers — cyclingweekly.co.uk
  Animated route flyover from the presentation — letour.fr
December 17 update:
2009 Vuelta route as announced today — lavuelta

Vuelta a España 2009 Route Map


Enlarge Route Map — lavuelta


Enlarge Stage 1-11 Overview

Enlarge Stage 12-21 Overview