Vuelta Spain 2018

Running from Saturday August 25th to Sunday September 16th 2018, the Vuelta will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3254,7 kilometres. Cycling: Vuelta España 2019 / Tour of Spain 2019/ La Vuelta/ Etapa 13/ Stage 13/ Salida / Departure / Estadio de San Mames / Bilbao - Los Machucos (166,4 km) / Vuelta España 2019 / La Vuelta/ Tour of Spain 2019/ Luis Angel Gomez ©PH Cycling: Vuelta España 2019 / Tour of Spain 2019/ La Vuelta/ Etapa 13/ Stage 13/ Salida / Departure / Estadio de San Mames / Bilbao - Los.

The Vuelta in recent years has followed a rather sadistic formula: poke the peletón repeatedly right from the off before grabbing them in a full on headlock in the final week. This abuse has largely taken the form of climbing. This doesn't mean they have headed straight to the high mountains from day one. Instead they have been sent up a succession of Spain's brutally steep high hills while never missing the chance to include one of Spain's giants when they fall in the peletón's path. Add in the extreme heat of August and the 3 weeks have tended towards something of a slog-fest; every day a new opportunity for the heavyweights to lay into each other in search of a few seconds until they all arrive in a sweaty heap in Madrid.

So having a look at this year's course, the organisers appear to have taken it back a notch. There is plenty of climbing in the first half of the race, but it is not quite as ferocious as we have become accustomed to. 2019 supercontest payouts. Whisper it quietly, but it might even be worth considering bringing a sprinter along. That said, the second half looks to be over-compensating, with an incredible succession of mountain passes as the route crosses the north of the country. It is there that the race will be decided, the prelude all about making sure the leaders get there with their chances still intact. In this first part of our La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide we will take a look at what to expect from the terrain in the first ‘easier' 13 stages of the route.

La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide: A Costa del Sol Start

The organiser have stuck to tradition with a start in Andalucia, where the centre of Malaga will see the finish of an individual prologue rather than the team time trial that had become the norm. Stage 2 and 3 then take in the Costa del Sol and the attractive white villages perched on the hills and mountains inland. Stage 2 will loop through the pretty gorges around the magnificent Caminito del Rey walk, before an uphill finish that is unlikely to make much difference among the favourites.

They then return to the coast for the start of stage 3 before climbing a vertical kilometre back inland over the Puerto del Madroño, where the expansive views over the mountain and valley from the road that snakes along the cliffside are breathtaking. After passing through the famous cliff-side white village of Ronda the route then loops back east past more of the attractive white villages before passing through some of the popular coastal resorts to a flat finish on the outskirts of Malaga.

La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide: East through Granada and the Alpujarra

Vuelta Spain 2018 2019

Stage 4 continues east to the magnificent Granada for the first real mountain top finish. A flat drag along the coast leads into the climb up the old mule herder's path, where the plateau at the deserted Alto de la Carba Montés summit is rocky and other-worldly.

Views at Alto de la Cabra Montés

After going up it twice on the same day last year they will not be tacking the Sierra Nevada this year. Instead they will climb into the more tranquil pine woods of the Sierra de la Alfaguara for the first proper mountain top finish of the race. The 1st category climb is constantly challenging with gradients of 8-12% for most of its course, but levels out towards the finale. This may be when the favourites first test out their rivals, though we suspect any gaps are likely to remain moderate.

Stage 5 transitions to the coast through another of our favourite locations in Spain: the Alpujarra. The south side of the Sierra Nevada is green and lush, fed with constant snow melt from the mountains, while the opposite slope to the south is dry and populated mainly with olive trees. Unfortunately the route ignores the multitude of brilliant climbs in the area, instead following the main valley road before a climb over the Alto El Marchal will lead to a fast descent into the intensive greenhouse agricultural territory around the coastal Roquetas del Mar. We suspect the leaders will still be keeping their powder dry for the bigger challenges ahead.

La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide: Dry Spain

The next few stages continue a coastal route east through some Spain's driest terrain before doubling back west through the interior. Stage 6 is a long, largely flat cruise along the coast of Murcia. This dry and rugged territory is not the most picturesque part of Spain, but is really solid warm weather cycle training territory and has its own craggy beauty while out riding. The route back inland on stage 7 goes through the arid and bumpy inland terrain before circling the perimeter of the Sierra de Cazorla. This mountainous area is part of Spain's largest protected Natural Park, a tranquil oasis of beautiful pine covered mountains and flowing water amongst the bleakness of the surrounding plains. This will not be very visible though as the route will only enter the perimeter of the park towards the finish, and the constantly uneven course is likely to suit a breakaway.

So having a look at this year's course, the organisers appear to have taken it back a notch. There is plenty of climbing in the first half of the race, but it is not quite as ferocious as we have become accustomed to. 2019 supercontest payouts. Whisper it quietly, but it might even be worth considering bringing a sprinter along. That said, the second half looks to be over-compensating, with an incredible succession of mountain passes as the route crosses the north of the country. It is there that the race will be decided, the prelude all about making sure the leaders get there with their chances still intact. In this first part of our La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide we will take a look at what to expect from the terrain in the first ‘easier' 13 stages of the route.

La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide: A Costa del Sol Start

The organiser have stuck to tradition with a start in Andalucia, where the centre of Malaga will see the finish of an individual prologue rather than the team time trial that had become the norm. Stage 2 and 3 then take in the Costa del Sol and the attractive white villages perched on the hills and mountains inland. Stage 2 will loop through the pretty gorges around the magnificent Caminito del Rey walk, before an uphill finish that is unlikely to make much difference among the favourites.

They then return to the coast for the start of stage 3 before climbing a vertical kilometre back inland over the Puerto del Madroño, where the expansive views over the mountain and valley from the road that snakes along the cliffside are breathtaking. After passing through the famous cliff-side white village of Ronda the route then loops back east past more of the attractive white villages before passing through some of the popular coastal resorts to a flat finish on the outskirts of Malaga.

La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide: East through Granada and the Alpujarra

Vuelta Spain 2018 2019

Stage 4 continues east to the magnificent Granada for the first real mountain top finish. A flat drag along the coast leads into the climb up the old mule herder's path, where the plateau at the deserted Alto de la Carba Montés summit is rocky and other-worldly.

Views at Alto de la Cabra Montés

After going up it twice on the same day last year they will not be tacking the Sierra Nevada this year. Instead they will climb into the more tranquil pine woods of the Sierra de la Alfaguara for the first proper mountain top finish of the race. The 1st category climb is constantly challenging with gradients of 8-12% for most of its course, but levels out towards the finale. This may be when the favourites first test out their rivals, though we suspect any gaps are likely to remain moderate.

Stage 5 transitions to the coast through another of our favourite locations in Spain: the Alpujarra. The south side of the Sierra Nevada is green and lush, fed with constant snow melt from the mountains, while the opposite slope to the south is dry and populated mainly with olive trees. Unfortunately the route ignores the multitude of brilliant climbs in the area, instead following the main valley road before a climb over the Alto El Marchal will lead to a fast descent into the intensive greenhouse agricultural territory around the coastal Roquetas del Mar. We suspect the leaders will still be keeping their powder dry for the bigger challenges ahead.

La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide: Dry Spain

The next few stages continue a coastal route east through some Spain's driest terrain before doubling back west through the interior. Stage 6 is a long, largely flat cruise along the coast of Murcia. This dry and rugged territory is not the most picturesque part of Spain, but is really solid warm weather cycle training territory and has its own craggy beauty while out riding. The route back inland on stage 7 goes through the arid and bumpy inland terrain before circling the perimeter of the Sierra de Cazorla. This mountainous area is part of Spain's largest protected Natural Park, a tranquil oasis of beautiful pine covered mountains and flowing water amongst the bleakness of the surrounding plains. This will not be very visible though as the route will only enter the perimeter of the park towards the finish, and the constantly uneven course is likely to suit a breakaway.

Stage 8 has very much the feel of a transition stage through the vast plains of Castile La Mancha, before the first serious mountains arrive on stage 9. A constantly undulating route through the pretty Avila province will lead to the foot of the Alto de La Covatilla in the Sierra de Bejar on the border between Extremadura and Castile and Leon. The initially gentle incline leads up to almost 2,000 meters high with several ramps over 10%, a real chance for the leaders to start showing their form.

Stage 9 Profile

Vuelta Spain 2018

La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide: Into the North

Following a rest day in the picturesque medieval University City of Salamanca the route heads to the cooler North for good, into the terrain that will see the leaderboard properly taking shape. An easy stage 10 through the plains of Castile and Leon is about as flat as you will find on the Vuelta, before the race enters the constantly undulating and lush green of Galicia. The moderate peaks of stage 11 disguise tough gradients as the constant hills will mean for a difficult to control race finishing amongst the rivers of the Ribeira Sacra. This is likely to be another one for a breakaway.

There will then be a long overnight transfer to the Rias Altas (high rivers) of the North Coast. The route on stage 12 will transit a beautiful area with some of the highest cliffs in Europe, the Vixia Herbeira, though the road will be lower and set away from the spectacular views of the coast. The peleton will then double back inland before heading back to the coast to finish at Spain's most Northern point. The route is less challenging than that of stage 11 though and may prove a bit of a transition stage.

The final day in Galicia on stage 13 makes up for any respite however, returning a vertical kilometer to the table top center before the unenviable climb to the Camperona. This is classic Vuelta terrain with each of the final 3 km averaging over 11% and several ramps above 20%, a return to the madness we have come to expect. And from here there is no let up, so for those feeling it failing on the Camperona, there is a tough last week ahead.

How many numbers on a roulette wheel. La Camperona climb, courtesy of www.altimetrias.net

This is part 1 of of our La Vuelta a España 2018 Route Guide, part 2 can be found here. If you are interested in any of the areas discussed you can contact us with any enquiries, or review our holidays in the White Villages of Andalucia, information on cycling in Granada, or training camps in Murcia or Almeria. Wacky waters in iowa.

Major Cycling racing event Vuelta a Espana much known for the other name (Tour of Spain). Every year it take place in the month of August and the final stage ended in the month of September. Prize money next event is rise upto 15% which means the winner of (Tour of Spain) earn extra 10% as compared to the winner of 2017. Here you will get the details about the earnings of all riders who participated in the event.

Vuelta Spain 2018 World Cup

General individual classification Collect (€150,000) winning share. The winners of the individual stage classification get paid (€11,000). The runner-ups who finished second in the both classification earn (€57,000) and €5,500. Third place finishing cyclist in the tour of Spain get paid (€30,000) in general classification and (€2,700) paid to the stage classification. Further details how the other riders from 4th to 20th place earn is given in the table.

Vuelta Spain 2018 Live

There are further prizes that were awarded to the cyclists the King of the Moutains winner earn (€13,000), 2nd place (€6,600) and third place finisher collect (€3,500). Cyclist winners in point classification earn (€11,000) and €5,000 for runner-up and €2,000 for the third place holder. How much do the combined general classification winner get paid the 1st position cyclist get (€11,000) while second place cyclist get paid €5,000 and third place €2,000.