Vuelta Picture Recap - Quintessential Spain
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After 700 years of Moorish rule, Spain succumbed to the Christian Reconquest when Ferdinand and Isabella finally conquered Granada in 1492 and created a united Spain. Islamic rule was replaced by Christian rule, but today relics of the Moors permeate the culture, architecture and the very soul of Andalucia, the region where this year's Vuelta begins.
Along with Cordoba and Sevilla, Granada belongs to the trio of romantic Moorish cities that evoke images of quintessential Spain: bullfights, flamenco, brown hills dotted with olive, lemon, orange and wine groves and, of course, romantic castles. Yet 1,000 years before the Moors, the Romans occupied Spain. There is still evidence of that great culture in abundance with bridges, aqueducts and buildings to be seen everywhere.
These musings may seem to have little to do with cycle racing in general and the Vuelta a Espana in particular, but it takes little imagination to recognize that the architects of the grand Tours utilize the history, culture and infinite variations in geographical features of their beautiful countries to design races that become an integral part of their society. Probably no other sport is woven so intimately into the fabric of its homelands.
This year the Vuelta starts in the south at Seville and heads south. After a long transfer heads northeast to the Pyrenees Mountains. The peloton will pass through Andorra, Burgos and
Alto de Cavadonga
on its way back to Madrid for the grand finale on September 19th. A brief stage by stage preview follows:
Click on the Stage for the profile
Stage 3 - (Mon) August 30, Marbella to Málaga 157.3 km Mountain Stage
Stage 4 - (Tues) August 31, Málaga to Valdepeñas de Jaén 183.8 km Rolling Stage
Stage 5 - (Weds) September 1, Guadix to Lorca 195.8 km Flat Stage
Stage 6 - (Thurs) September 2, Caravaca de la Cruz to Murcia 148.6 km Flat Stage
Stage 7 - (Fri) September 3, Murcia to Orihuela 186.1 km Flat Stage
Stage 8 - (Sat) Sep. 4, Villena to Xorret de Catí 190 km Mountain Stage
Stage 9 - (Sun) September 5, Calpe to Alcoy 187.7 km Mountain Stage
Stage 10 - (Tues) September 7, Tarragona to Vilanova i la Geltrú 175.7 km Rolling Stage
Stage 11 - (Weds) September 8, Vilanova i la Geltrú to Andorra 200 km Mountain Finish
Stage12 - (Thurs) September 9, Andorra la Vella to Lleida 172.5 km Rolling Stage
Stage 13 - (Fri) Sept. 10, Rincón de Soto to Burgos 196 km Flat Stage
Stage 14 - (Sat) Sept. 11, Burgos to Peña Cabarga 178 km Mountain Finish
Stage 15 - (Sun) September 12, Solares to Lagos de Covadonga 187.3 km Mt. Finish
Stage 16 - (Mon) September 13, Gijón to Cotobello 181.4 km Mountain Finish
Stage 17 - (Weds) Sept 15, Peñafiel - Peñafiel 46.0 km Individual Time Trial
Stage 18 - (Thurs) Sept 16, Valladolid to Salamanca 148.9 km Flat Stage
Stage 19 - (Fri) Sept 17, Piedrahita to Toledo 231 km Flat Stage
Stage 20 - (Sat) Sep 18, San Martín/Valdeiglesias to Bola del Mundo 172.1 km Mt. Finish
Stage 21 - (Sun) Sept. 19, San Sebastián de los Reyes to Madrid 85.2 km Flat Stage
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