The Vuelta often suffers from ‘Tour fatigue’ with its placement on the World Tour calendar so late in the season. Many riders use it as a form builder for the World Championships, but most pull out in the final week which can be disappointing to see the race not taken seriously. According to Pro Cycling Stats, since 2001, all 12 winners of the World Championships have raced the Vuelta, but only two of them actually finished.
That said, the Vuelta can often be the most exciting Grand Tour to follow. This year’s edition was no exception. The red leader’s jersey switched hands ten times throughout the race. When Nibali and Horner eventually rose above the rest, only three seconds separated them in the final stages and it was anyone’s guess who would take the win.
As usual, the race was not without controversy and many people asked how Chris Horner could come back after not racing for six months (because of a knee injury) and win his first Grand Tour at nearly 42 years of age. A fair question, but when you’re filled with this much love, it would be hard not to win:
I hope you enjoyed following the Vuelta as much as we did. Without further ado, here is a beautiful photo gallery of the race by Japanese photographer, Kei Tsuji (and a few by Cor Vos).
- Stage 1 of the Vuelta featured a Team Time Trial which was surprisingly won by Astana and put Brajkovic in the leaders jersey for a day and was handed over to Nibali on stage 2.
- Michael Matthews took his first Grand Tour win on stage 5 and later got his second win on stage 21.
- Michele Scarponi winces in pain, after a crash in the TT. Scarponi finished the Vuelta in 68th place overall and never got the stage win he was hoping for.
- Fabian Cancellara convincingly wins the stage 11 time trial but later withdraws from the race in the third week to prepare for the World Championships.
- Philippe Gilbert wins stage 12 ahead of Boasson Hagen. This was Gilbert’s first win since becoming World Champion last September. He even did it in a bunch sprint.
- 21-year-old Warren Barguil made a dazzling debut, winning two stages in his first Grand Tour.
- The Flag of Asturias (“Cruz de la Victoria” (Victory Cross)). Asturias is an autonomous community in north-west Spain.
- Local star Juan Antonio Flecha autographs a Nintendo DS…
- The peloton making their way from from Andorra to Peyragudes in the 224.9km stage 15.
- The peloton descends Port de Envalira (alt.2410m) under a cold rain, 5 degrees on stage 15. GC contender Ivan Basso and many others withdrew this day because of the horrendous conditions.
- Daniele Ratto came out on top of the cold and treacherous stage 14 which saw Ivan Basso and others pull out of the race.
- Warren Barguil and Rigoberto Uran were the last men standing on stage 16. The 21 year old Frenchman, Barguil, nabbed his second stage win only two days after his first.
- What’s left of a shattered peloton makes their way through the high Pyrenees which divide Spain and France.
- Nibali held the red leaders jersey for a total of 13 stages but ended up conceding to Chris Horner by three seconds on stage 19 and was never able to win it back.
- Argos’ Reinardt Janse van Rensburg reaches the line with cuts and bruises.
- Vasil Kiryienka attacks the breakaway bunch and rides solo for 50km into Pena Cabarga to win stage 18.
- The ‘Belarusian Tank’ shows a smile after his win on stage 18.
- Chris Horner puts the pressure on Vincenzo Nibali and Joaquin Rodriguez on stage 18 which saw Horner come within 3 seconds of stealing the overall lead.
- Nibali suffers and loses contact in Pena Cabarga.
- The grupetto reaches the top of Pena Cabarga on stage 18 over 22 minutes behind the race winner Kiryienka.
- Daniel Moreno and Chris Horner exhausted after summiting Pena Cabarga on stage 18.
- Cameron Wurf generously wrote daily blogs for us which gave an excellent insiders perspective of the race. Cam broke a rib early in the Vuelta but kept on riding, and kept on blogging in good spirits.
- Left: Custom painted Giro Air Attack helmet for the Vuelta. Right: A custom narrow Fizik for Ivan Basso, who had surgery to remove a perineal cyst in May.
- The peloton makes their way out of San Vicente de la Barquera on stage 19.
- Rodriguez celebrates his win on stage 19.
- Chris Horner climbing the Angliru on stage 20 where he rode the mountain in the second fastest time in recorded history (approximately 1 minute behind Roberto Heras in 2000).
- Adam Hansen finished his seventh Grand Tour in a row on Sunday. What else to say? Hard as nails.
- Alto de l’Anguliru in niebla (fog)
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- Chris Horner attacks on a 23.5% pitch on l’Anguliru.
- Fans await the riders to ascend the legendary Alto de l’Anguliru.
- David Arroyo wins a combativity award in Alto de l’Anguliru.
- Purito sprints to the finish line in Alto Naranco.
- Vincenzo Nibali congratulates Chris Horner after stage 20 when the leaders jersey changed hands by a 3 second deficit for Nibali.
- The four leader’s jerseys lining up before the final stage into Madrid.
- The circuit around Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid.
- Javier Aramendia attacked almost every day of the Vuelta, and escapes five times in the final stage.
- Michael Matthews about to make it two stage wins in his first Grand Tour.
- Forty-one. It’s never too old for a Masters 3 to win a Grand Tour.