Ruta del Sol - Vuelta ciclista a Andalucia 2014 2.1 (19th - 23rd Feb)

[del1962]

The vuelta a Andalucia starts on wednesday (19/2/2014), starting in Almeria it passes through all eight Andalusian provinces finishing in Fuengirola and kicks off the seasons racing in mainland Spain at continental tour level. This cat 2.1 race is live on Eurosport and starts with a short ITT (7.2K), followed by four stages, the second of which has a mountain top finish. Stages 1 & 4 would be classed as hilly and stage 3 gives an oppurtunity for sprinters. Alejandro Valverde is the two times defending champion and the only other former winner in the field is Makel Irizar of Trek (2011).

A brief summary of the stages is given below.

19/2 Prologue

7.3K ITT Almeria - Almeria

20/2 Stage 1

186.8K Hilly / Mountain Stage Velez Malage - Jaen

21/2 Stage 2

197.1 MTF Le Guardia de Jaen - Cabra Finishing at Sierra de Cabra with a 7.2k climb at average 6.7% Courtesy of Climbybike
22/2 Stage 3

182.7 Sanlucar La Mayor - Sevilla : Sprinters Stage

23/2 Stage 4

159.8 Ubrique - Fuengirola : Hilly/Mountain Stage

Seven world tour teams are competing, Movistar, Belkin, Astana, Sky, Lotto, Trek and Giant.

Riders competing for the GC include Valverde, Porte, Mollema, Vanedert, Scarponi and Irizar.

 

[del1962]

Startlist

Courtesy of Procycling stats http://www.procyclingstats.com/race/Vuelta_a_Andalucia_Ruta_Ciclista_Del_Sol_2014-Stages

Movistar Team
VALVERDE Alejandro, MORENO Javier, PLAZA Rubén, HERRADA Jose, GUTIéRREZ Iván, ERVITI Imanol, CAPECCHI Eros

Lotto Belisol
VANENDERT Jelle, HENDERSON Gregory, MONFORT Maxime, DE CLERCQ Bart, WELLENS Tim, WILLEMS Frederik, DEBUSSCHERE Jens

Astana Pro Team
SCARPONI Michele, FUGLSANG Jakob, GRUZDEV Dmitriy, KANGERT Tanel, LUTSENKO Aleksey, KESSIAKOFF Fredrik, ZEITS Andrey

Team Giant-Shimano
DUMOULIN Tom, KITTEL Marcel, GESCHKE Simon, OLIVIER Daan, VEELERS Tom, MEZGEC Luka, ARNDT Nikias

Trek Factory Racing
IRIZAR Markel, HONDO Danilo, VOIGT Jens, ZUBELDIA Haimar, DIDIER Laurent, VANDEWALLE Kristof, SILVESTRE Fábio

Team Sky
WIGGINS Bradley, PORTE Richie, THOMAS Geraint, KIRYIENKA Vasil, KENNAUGH Peter, BOASSON HAGEN Edvald, DEIGNAN Philip

Belkin-Pro Cycling Team
MOLLEMA Bauke, HIVERT Jonathan, TEN DAM Laurens, VAN DER LIJKE Nick, NORDHAUG Lars Petter, TANNER David, HOFLAND Moreno

Cofidis, Solutions Créd
MATE Luis Angel, CAMMAERTS Edwig, NAVARRO Daniel, BAGOT Yoann, ZINGLE Romain, POULHIES Stéphane, SIMON Julien

Caja Rural - Seguros RGA
SANCHEZ Luis Leon, PIEDRA Antonio, ARROYO David, GARCIA Marcos, TXURRUKA Amets, MAS Lluís Guillermo, VIGANO Davide,

Topsport Vlaanderen – B...
DECLERCQ Tim, STEELS Stijn, CAMPENAERTS Victor, LAMPAERT Yves, THEUNS Edward, VANBILSEN Kenneth, VAN ASBROECK Tom

CCC Polsat Polkowice
REBELLIN Davide, HONKISZ Adrian, MATYSIAK Bartlomiej, MORAJKO Jacek, SAMOILAU Branislau, PATERSKI Maciej, TACIAK Mateusz

MTN - Qhubeka
PARDILLA Sergio, CIOLEK Gerald, STAUFF Andreas, GERDEMANN Linus, KONOVALOVAS Ignatas, TEKLEHAIMANOT Daniel, VENTER Jaco

Wanty - Groupe Gobert
HABEAUX Gregory, DEGAND Thomas, DE GREEF Francis, JANS Roy, SEELDRAEYERS Kevin, SIJMENS Nico, VAN MELSEN Kevin

Team Novo Nordisk
MEJIAS Javier, LOZANO David, HENTTALA Joonas, PERON Andrea, ERSCHOOR Martijn, DE MESMAEKER Kevin, WILLIAMS Christopher,

Etixx
CUADROS Álvaro, WISNIOWSKI Lukasz, GUERIN Alexis, HOELGAARD Daniel, HOELGAARD Markus, KERKHOF Tim, SPOKES Samuel

ActiveJet Team
EZQUERRA Jesus, GONZALEZ Mario, MUNTANER David, BODNAR Lukasz, FRANCZAK Pawel, PIASKOWY Emanuel, PODLASKI Michal

Rabobank Development Team
KOREVAAR Merijn, DOLFSMA Emiel, HAVIK Piotr, HOFSTEDE Lennard, LINDEMAN Bert-Jan, SLIK Ivar, TUSVELD Martijn

Euskadi
LECHUGA RODRIGUEZ Pablo, ABERASTURI Jon, BARBERO Carlos, LARRINAGA Jon, MINGUEZ Miguel, ORBE Haritz, TXOPERENA Beñat

Team Ecuador
GUAMA Byron Patricio, RAGONESSI Jose, NAVARRETE Segundo, ROVIRA POUS Jaume, SIMóN Jordi, HIDALGO Pablo, CARBONELL Isaac

The prologue kicks of the race

This is the stage for the short timetrialists, I expect Geraint Thomas to do well here.

Images courtesy of http://www.vueltaandalucia.es/index.php/en

 

[del1962]

Stage 1 Velez Malage - Jaen

Finishing with a third catogory climb this should be suited to Valverde.

Images courtesy of http://www.vueltaandalucia.es/index.php/en

 

[del1962]

Stage 2 Le Guardia de Jaen - Cabra

This stage includes a mountain top finish where the GC men will battle it out

Images courtesy of http://www.vueltaandalucia.es/index.php/en

Profile of final climb courtesy of Climbybike

Up to but not above 10%

 

[del1962]

Prologue

The prologue kicks of the race

This is the stage for the short timetrialists, I expect Geraint Thomas to do well here.

Images courtesy of http://www.vueltaandalucia.es/index.php/en

 

[del1962]

Stage 3 Sanlucar La Mayor - Sevilla

Giant will probably try to set this finish in Seville up for Kittel

Images courtesy of http://www.vueltaandalucia.es/index.php/en

 

[del1962]

Stage 4 Ubrique - Fuengirola

I expect all the GC men to finish together

Images courtesy of http://www.vueltaandalucia.es/index.php/en

 

[del1962]

Is it possible for an administrator to move the prologue stage to before stage 1, I messed up with the titles.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

some top riders, pretty nice field despite being at the same time as Oman and Algarve

 

[Parrulo]

Is it possible for an administrator to move the prologue stage to before stage 1, I messed up with the titles.

Done, even tho you could have easily done it yourself you lazy *******

This race should be very interesting, a shame it will be decided by the first 2 stages as the 3 others will be flat stages. They even changed the route of the last stage to make it more sprinter friendly :0

I am going for El Bala to take it, Movistar os bringing a very strong team so he must be in form. Who are we kidding? Valverde is always on form lol

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Any time bonus on the line here?

 

[del1962]

Any time bonus on the line here?

Not sure but I dont think so.

 

[Netserk]

Any time bonus on the line here?

There wasn't last year.

 

[Christian]

I wonder, where will they arrive in Sevilla? Does anyone know? Lots of possibilities in the newer parts of town, where there are a lot of long, broad avenues

 

[Bakhjulet]

This should be an easy one for Porte. He is in good shape and has a strong team around him.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

This should be an easy one for Porte. He is in good shape and has a strong team around him.

Agree, or even Sir Wiggo. 1-2 perhaps.

Its a good the parcours, but just as with the organizers in the French 1 week stage races, they should consider 5 or 6 men teams.

 

[del1962]

I wonder, where will they arrive in Sevilla? Does anyone know? Lots of possibilities in the newer parts of town, where there are a lot of long, broad avenues

Is that any help?

http://www.vueltaandalucia.es/index.php/en/route-detail-stage-3

 

[Christian]

Is that any help?

http://www.vueltaandalucia.es/index.php/en/route-detail-stage-3

Thanks, del - I did not know this Calle Secoya. It is indeed in a newer part of town

 

[Ryo Hazuki]

very itnerested in guama. he has the characteristics of a gerrans but better climber. not saying her's level of gerrans but I think he will have very high level this year

 

[Kwibus]

Nice line up!

Curious what will happen.

 

[the sceptic]

Sky and Movistar with strong teams here, hopefully will be a good battle. should be interesting to see if Sir BMW has his climbing legs back.

 

[Arredondo]

Nice race. Looking forward to Guama indeed, and Barbero, perhaps for a nice result in the hilly stage or sprint stage.

Does anyone know on which climb they arrive at Jaén? Not the finish they used at the Vuelta 2011 and 2013 i suppose.

 

[greenedge]

I'll go for Porte to win the GC here. Valverde to challenge.

I wonder how Scarponi will be (stage win maybe)?

 

[trevim]

Valverde wins points competition. How good is this bet?

 

[icefire]

Nice race. Looking forward to Guama indeed, and Barbero, perhaps for a nice result in the hilly stage or sprint stage.

Does anyone know on which climb they arrive at Jaén? Not the finish they used at the Vuelta 2011 and 2013 i suppose.

It's the castle in the town of Jaén. 3.7 kms @ 6.5%