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| Tour of Spain | |
|---|---|
| Local name: | Vuelta a España |
| Region: | Spain |
| Date: | Septembre (since 1990) |
| Type: | Stage Race (Great Tour) |
| History | |
| First Edition: | 1935 |
| Number of Editions: | 59 |
| First Winner: | Gustaaf Deloor , ( Belgium) |
| Most Wins: | Tony Rominger, ( Switzerland) and Roberto Heras, ( Spain), 3 times |
The Vuelta a España bicycle race is one of the three " Grand Tours" of Europe and, after the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia, the third most important road cycling stage race in the world.
First held in 1935 and annually since 1955, the Vuelta runs for three weeks in a changing route across Spain. It was formerly held in the spring, but since 1990 the race has been run in September. The course includes two individual time trials. The finish of the Vuelta is traditionally the Spanish capital, Madrid.
The inaugural event (1935) saw 50 entrants face a 3411 km course over only 14 stages, averaging over 240km per stage.
In 1998, for the first time, the course crossed the Alto de Angliru in Asturias, which climbs 1573 meters over 12.9 km with grades as steep as 23.6 percent (at Cueña les Cabres) making it one of the steepest in Europe. Credit for the discovery of this climb and its addition to the Vuelta goes to Miguel Prieto.
The overall leader wears a Golden Jersey, the Spanish counterpart to the yellow jersey of the Tour de France. Other jerseys honor the best climber (King of the Mountains) and the best sprinter (points competition). Mostly their is another ranking with a jersey like the ranking of the 'Metas Volantes' (intermediate sprints) or a combination ranking.
Swiss cyclist Tony Rominger holds the record for wins with three consecutive first-place victories, which he achieved in 19921992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday. Events January January The Internet Society is formed. January 1 Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Perez de Cuellar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General January 1 George H. Bush becomes the fi, 19931993 is a common year starting on Friday and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003 Events January January 1 Czechoslovakia divides. Establishment of independent Slovakia and Czech Republic. and 19941994 is a common year starting on Saturday, and was designated the International year of the Family''. Events January events January 1 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect January 6 Nancy Kerrigan is clubbed on the right leg by an. Only four cyclists have won all three of the major tours ( Jacques AnquetilJacques Anquetil ( January 8, 1934 November 18, 1987), was a French cyclist and the first cyclist to win the Tour de France five times, 1957 and 1961-64. Born the son of a peasant farmer in Mont-Saint-Aignan, Normandy, Anquetil took the French amateur roa, Felice GimondiFelice Gimondi cyclist (born September 29, 1942 just outside Bergamo, Italy in Sedrina). With his 1968 victory at the Vuelta, only three years after becoming a professional cyclist, Felice the Phoenix Gimondi had won all three Grand Tours of road cycling:, Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault). Three Germans have taken first place: Rudi Altig ( 1962), Rolf Wolfshohl ( 1965) and Jan Ullrich ( 1999). The Spaniards, however, have dominated, winning 26 of the 57 runnings of the Vuelta. France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands, Colombia, and Ireland have also had first place finishers.
The most recent Vuelta ( 2004) was won by Roberto Heras from Spain. Halfway the Vuelta it appeared it would become an easy win for him, but in the last week his fellow countryman Santiago Perez Fernández won two heavy mountain stages, thus becoming an important rival. Eventually Heras won with only 30 seconds advantage on Perez. Francisco Mancebo , also from Spain became third. The first non-Spaniard was Stefano Garzelli from Italy, he became 11th. The points jersey was won by Erik Zabel from Germany, the mountain jersey was won by Félix Rafael Cardenas from Colombia and the combination jersey was won by Roberto Heras. Kelme was the winner of the team ranking. Alessandro Petacchi , an Italian sprinter won four stages, but he didn't finish the Vuelta. Perez Fernández won three stages.
Only three cyclists have won stages in all three of the Grand Tours (La Vuelta, the Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia) in the same year:
Winners of the Vuelta a España:
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