News
Road

Vuelta a Espana 2018 to start with individual time trial

By Cycling News

published 22 October 2017

Local reports indicate a race against the clock in Malaga city centre

Comments

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Image 1 of 5

Chris Froome hoists a trophy signifying his Tour de France - Vuelta A Espana double(Image credit: Michael Aisner)

Alberto Contador celebrates his Vuelta winning move to Fuete De in 2012(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Matteo Trentin wins the final stage of the 2017 Vuelta a Espana(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

The peloton snakes its way through Madrid during the final Vuelta stage(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

The Vuelta peloton rolls through the streets of Madrid.(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Next year’s edition of the Vuelta a España, which begins in the southern city of Málaga, is widely expected to break with a nine-year tradition and begin with an individual time trial.

Chris Froome completes Tour de France - Vuelta a Espana double

Tour de France 2018 route revealed

According to local newspaper Diario Sur, the opening time trial will begin in one of the city’s biggest arts centres, the Centre Pompidou, close to the waterfront, and finish in the middle of the city.

If the newspaper report is confirmed, this will be the first time the Vuelta has begun with an individual time trial since 2009, when Fabian Cancellara won in the Spanish Grand Tour’s foreign start in the Netherlands.

Since then, the Vuelta has begun with team time trials, including two years ago, when the race started in the nearby coastal town of Marbella, with the win going to BMC Racing. This is the Vuelta’s third start in Malaga, after 2000, when the opening time trial was won by Alex Zulle, and 2006, with a team time trial going to CSC-Racing, and Carlos Sastre the first race leader.

According to Spanish website Ciclo21, the full route of the 2018 Vuelta, which starts on August 25, will be unveiled on January 13 in the town of Estepona, also in the province of Málaga.