2014 Vuelta a España Race Preview
The details of this year's 2014 Vuelta a España are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The 2014 Vuelta a España promises to be one of the most compelling editions of the Spanish grand tour in recent memory, with a course designed to reward the pure climbers and test the limits of even the most accomplished stage racers. Starting in Jerez de la Frontera with an opening team time trial, the race will wind its way through the rugged landscapes of Spain over three weeks before concluding in Madrid, offering numerous opportunities for general classification battles to shift and evolve.
The field assembled for this year's race is exceptionally strong, lending significant weight to the event at a time when the Vuelta has been working hard to establish itself as a genuine rival to the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia in terms of prestige and competitive quality. Chief among the favourites is Chris Froome, who arrives fresh from his dominance at the Tour de France and will be looking to add the Spanish title to his palmarès. The Kenyan-born Briton and his Sky team will be expected to control proceedings on the high mountain stages, though the question of whether Froome can maintain the same level of form that carried him to yellow in France remains very much open.
Alberto Contador provides perhaps the most intriguing subplot of the entire race. Racing on home soil with the passionate backing of Spanish crowds, the Tinkoff-Saxo leader is a two-time Vuelta champion and possesses an attacking instinct that makes him dangerous on virtually any terrain. Contador has spoken openly about his desire to win this race, and with a course that features several summit finishes perfectly suited to his aggressive style, he cannot be discounted. His rivalry with Froome adds an extra dimension of narrative tension that should keep fans engaged throughout.
Alejandro Valverde will carry the hopes of the home nation alongside Contador and has shown consistently strong form throughout the season. The Movistar rider is a natural climber who thrives on the kind of punishing gradients that the Vuelta organisers have incorporated into this year's route. Another Spaniard, Joaquim Rodriguez, will be a constant threat given his predilection for attacking on steep climbs and his ability to animate a race in unpredictable ways.
The route itself deserves particular attention. The mountain stages in the final week look especially brutal, with the organisers having selected summit finishes at locations that will expose any weakness in the legs of the contenders. The Lagos de Covadonga and the climb to the Alto de l'Angliru, one of the most feared ascents in professional cycling with its vertiginous gradients, are among the highlights that could prove decisive in determining the final outcome on the podium in Madrid.
Away from the general classification fight, the race offers compelling subplots in every direction. Sprinters will have their opportunities in the opening days, though the lumpy nature of much of the course means that pure flat-road sprints will be at something of a premium compared to other races. The mountains competition and the points jersey will attract their own dedicated battles, and the team time trial opener will provide an early indication of which outfits have arrived in the best collective shape.
Overall, the 2014 Vuelta a España has the ingredients to be a genuinely memorable race. The combination of a demanding route, a high-quality field, and the ever-present volatility of three-week stage racing means that predicting a winner with any confidence is a fool's errand. What seems certain is that the roads of Spain will provide the backdrop for some spectacular racing over the coming weeks.
Get our full coverage of the Vuelta a España and every race we cover with our mobile app! The apps have over 100 additional exclusive features, including our award-winning Time Machine feature that lets you pause/rewind/replay the entire app to sync with delayed race video, integrated Fantasy Cycling, push notifications, an integrated news feed, live GPS tracking, world-class commentary, and our animated interactive maps and profiles.
