2015 Vuelta a España Race Preview
The details of this year's 2015 Vuelta a España are falling into place. Find the latest route profiles and maps below, followed by our strategic preview of the race.
The 2015 Vuelta a España promises to be one of the most compelling editions of the Spanish grand tour in recent memory, with a stacked field of contenders and a demanding route that should produce some spectacular racing across its three weeks.
The race gets underway in the Basque Country, a fitting setting for a grand tour given the region's passionate cycling culture, before making its way through some of the most challenging terrain Spain has to offer. The organisers have put together a route that rewards the pure climbers, with several summit finishes and brutally hard mountain stages in the final week that could easily shatter the ambitions of riders who might be struggling with fatigue.
Chris Froome arrives as one of the clear favourites, looking to add the Vuelta title to his Tour de France victories and demonstrate that he is capable of winning on the Spanish climbs as well as in France. The Sky leader will have strong support around him but will need to be at his very best to fend off the challenges that will inevitably come his way.
Nairo Quintana represents arguably the biggest threat to Froome's ambitions. The Colombian climber is perfectly suited to the kind of high altitude battles the Vuelta traditionally serves up, and having already won this race in 2016, he will be highly motivated to add another grand tour title to his palmarès.
Alberto Contador will be riding on home soil and desperate to please his Spanish fans, while Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez add further quality to a genuinely deep field.
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