Vuelta a España route analysis

When the Vuelta a España route was unveiled last December, one of the first things observers noted was that it appeared to be the 2009 parcours run in reverse. While last season’s race wound clockwise around Spain, this year’s event travels in the opposite direction but tackles much of the same lumpy terrain inland from the country’s south and east coasts. And where last time around the tour began with pan-flat stages tailor-made for mass sprints, this year the fastmen will barely get a look in before the race’s final few days.

Barry Ryan
Head of Features

Barry Ryan is Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.