On Saturday, August 17, the 79th edition of the Vuelta Ciclista a España will begin in the Portuguese capital, Lisbon. Sepp Kuss was victorious in Madrid last year, and this year, he also stands a chance, especially with the absence of some other big names. However, the Slovenian Primoz Roglic and the Brit Adam Yates will undoubtedly be in contention.
Last Year
A year ago, we witnessed a Vuelta that might have been decided as early as the sixth stage. Remco Evenepoel was leading the standings at that time, but suddenly a large breakaway group, including names like Lenny Martinez, Mikel Landa, and Sepp Kuss, broke away. Kuss won the stage and gained a three-minute lead over Evenepoel. As a result, Kuss donned the leader’s jersey from day eight, but Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic were able to close the gap a bit.
After the time trial on day ten, the two even came within a minute of Kuss. But that didn’t last, as the tough thirteenth stage to the Col du Tourmalet disrupted the standings once again. The exhausted Evenepoel lost 27 minutes in one go, making it a lost cause. However, he managed to recover in the final week, winning stages and even securing the mountain jersey. Jonas Vingegaard capitalized on the Tourmalet, and Kuss and Roglic proved to be evenly matched. In the final week, that Jumbo-Visma trio continued to ride together, ultimately allowing Kuss to take the victory.
Course
For the second time in history, the Vuelta will start in Lisbon this year, after the Portuguese capital also hosted the start in 1997. The race will stay in Portugal for three days before the riders reach Spanish soil with a mountain stage in the Extremadura region. The race then continues with a series of hilly and sprint stages in Andalusia.
It’s not until stage twelve that there’s another true mountain-top finish, by which point the race will have reached the Galicia region. For the rest of the Vuelta, we’ll be in the north of Spain, and from then on, it becomes extremely challenging: almost every day will feature climbs of the first category or even the hors catégorie, with the highlight being the climbs in the Picos de Europa mountains. The Vuelta will then conclude with a time trial in and around Madrid.
Favorites
With major absentees like Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel, and Jonas Vingegaard, this Vuelta is missing some of the biggest riders, leaving no clear top favorite. This means we can expect a very open race.
One of the biggest contenders for the overall victory is Primoz Roglic. The 34-year-old Slovenian, if in optimal form, could win the Spanish race for the fourth time, tying the record held by Roberto Heras. However, Roglic’s preparation has not gone as hoped. He broke a vertebra in the Tour de France, forcing him to withdraw from the race. It’s still uncertain if he will start, and if so, in what shape he will be. Last year, he finished third in the Vuelta.
Sepp Kuss also has a strong chance of winning the race again as the defending champion. Last year, he made history by becoming the third rider from the then Jumbo-Visma, now Visma / Lease a Bike, to add a Grand Tour victory to his resume in the same season. They even stood together on the same podium last year. That won’t be the case this year, as Kuss lacks the support of Roglic and Vingegaard. For the first time, he will be leading the team.
The Vuelta organizers requested that Juan Ayuso be sent to Spain, but so far, this request has not been met. However, the team will feature Adam Yates, who was crucial for his leader Tadej Pogacar in the Tour de France. Yates’ performance confirmed his status as one of the best climbers in the world. Last year, Yates didn’t participate in the Vuelta; his best result was a fourth-place finish in 2021.
In his home country, Mikel Landa will have the opportunity to try and win his first Vuelta. Without his usual leader Remco Evenepoel, he will take on the role of team leader. In France, the level and form of the Spanish climber from Soudal Quick-Step seemed solid, and he might have been the best domestique of them all. The only downside is that he hasn’t been very successful in the Spanish race: until last year, he never really finished near the top of the standings. Last year, he finished fifth.
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