Vuelta a España

[ariadneoliver]

Lots of info and links here: www.steephill.tv/vuelta-a-espana/#route-map

The official site is here: www.lavuelta.com/14/en/index.html

No Chris Horner this year so new champ beckons

1 Saturday, August 23 12.6 km
Jerez de la Frontera

2 Sunday, August 24 174 km
Algeciras ? San Fernando

3 Monday, August 25 188 km
Cádiz ? Arcos de la Frontera

4 Tuesday, August 26 173 km
Mairena del Alcor ? Córdoba

5 Wednesday, August 27 182 km
Priego de Córdoba ? Ronda

6 Thursday, August 28 158 km
Benalmádena ? La Zubia

7 Friday, August 29 165 km
Alhendín

8 Saturday, August 30 207 km
Baeza ? Albacete

9 Sunday, August 31 181 km
Carboneras de Guadazaón ? Aramón Valdelinares

R Monday, September 1
Rest day
10 Tuesday, September 2 34.5 km
Real Monasterio de Santa María de Veruela ? Borja

11 Wednesday, September 3 151 km
Pamplona ? Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar

12 Thursday, September 4 168 km
Logroño ? Logroño

13 Friday, September 5 182 km
Belorado ? Obregón. Parque de Cabárceno

14 Saturday, September 6 199 km
Santander ? La Camperona. Valle de Sábero

15 Sunday, September 7 149 km
Oviedo ? Lagos de Covadonga

16 Monday, September 8 159 km
San Martín del Rey Aurelio ? La Farrapona. Lago de Somiedo

R Tuesday, September 9
Rest day
17 Wednesday, September 10 174 km
Ortigueira ? Coruña

18 Thursday, September 11 174 km
A Estrada ? Mont Castrove. Meis

19 Friday, September 12 177 km
Salvaterra do Miño ? Cangas do Morrazo

20 Saturday, September 13 0 km
Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil ? Puerto de Ancares

21 Sunday, September 14 10 km
Santiago de Compostela ? Santiago de Compostela. El Final del Camino

Total Distance 3018 km

So pour a glass of Sangria, kick back and enjoy!

On Euro Apparently. Still, watching anyone bike round a track for an hour suggests you've not enough to do in your life, even watching @jensie .

He's pedaling t-shirts "Shut Up Hour" at 29Euros, which is a bit on the steep bank. (pedaling, steep, velodrome, money,bank..see what I did there?..on so many levels?...I'm wasted! )

I welled up along with David Millar. I think the interviewer knew just what he was doing, anyone with a vaguely sensitive cell in their body could see Millar was already at that 'can't speak I'll cry' point.
Also feeling bereft...will maybe take up chess.

Nooo to chess! Poker, maybe..it's turned coldish already. Morning after Vuelta ends I'm having to wear a rain jacket.

Also feeling bereft. Not been on here much recently, but really enjoyed the Vuelta & the ToB

It's been an odd season really, for me. The BIIIIG highlight was when Le Tour came to my back garden, and also really reading How's account of standing in the middle of it all with nothing but an over-sized uniform and a yellow flag to protect her.

I think I enjoyed the one day classics more than the tours tbh - too much stuff knocked out of kilter. The Antrim scenes were fab in Giro and it was great seeing images of Belfast all pink.

Pan Bless you , that made me feel a bit teary. I still can't quite believe that I stood in the middle of the Tour. Most of the yellow bikes are still up - we can't quite seem to let go...

It has been a memorable season but not always for the racing itself. The Tour de Yorkshire, Jens & David retiring, the skittling of pre-race favourites, the bizarre Giro weather, slapfest, Liege-Baston-Liege finish, Bauer getting caught on the line - its been epic.

I'd have loved to see the Giro along the Causeway Coast, we went there just a few weeks too late (in August). Absolutely beautiful scenery.

I'm with everyone else who can't quite believe the tour was here. Just last weekend crossing the road outside Betty's was thinking "about here was where Cav fell off on stage 1".

My highlight of the season was being at the start of the Giro in Belfast, which was great fun.

I will never forget the sight of the huge crowds at the Tour de Yorkshire. It really made me feel proud to be British.

ShutUp, I'm sorry, but quietly pleased, a reminder of your post was a bit teary! It was so well written! And of course Endo's link to "When The Tour de France came to Yorkshire" still gives goosebumps. (our valley is on it for about 2 secs.)

Prep for tomorrow.

Jensie's playlist for the hour is out there, can't link on iPad but 80s metal is a bit of a theme.

David Millar is in worlds road team so another one who has not quite retired yet...

This thread has been great!
My highlights also going to Yorkshire for the start. Seeing yellow bikes everywhere,
And seeing Cav and his team climbing my local hills on the TOB.
The accounts on here .......these too
Roll on next July.

Our year started with the Tour of Flanders - feels like a long time till Easter though, and don't think I'll be able to go next year :-(

Has been lovely hearing everyone else's stories

Just seen on Dr a Hutch twitter feed that the Jensie has done the hour! New record, 51.115km in the hour.

I sat and watched it all (not very attentively)! The kids said it sounded boring and then all ended up watching with me

I recorded it, watched the beginning, then fast forwarded it to the last five minutes

Good old Jensie, going out on a high

So the legs have finally shut up.

Watched all of the highlights. Thought the commentators had a similar challenge as commentators on hours and hours of royal weddings etc.. What an effort going faster in the 'hurt locker' time at the end - extraordinary. Spartacus/Wiggo/Martin must be seriously . I'd say 'aufwiedersehn Jensie', but he won't be shutting up totally, will he?

Yay! Just watched the last five minutes, he did in fact lap himself.

Just realised that I have my own "Hour Challenge" each time I ride home from work - it takes one hour. It's 14 miles, which at 1.6 kms/mile is.....counts on fingers whilst looking up...22.5kms. Which is less than half the av speed of Jensie. Though he doesn't have traffic lights, round-abouts, buses and HGVs in the velodrome. Imagine.

?? great idea pan, next time the hour record is done it should be in rush hour during a British city of the rider's choice. And if they do it in London then they get to do it on a Boris bike, none of this TT bike malarkey.

I was looking at this year's haul of random souvenirs and the idea came to me that I could set a cycling based quiz over Christmas/new year with assorted baseball caps and clappers as prizes (you're not having my straw hat) anyone else up for this?

Someone rode a Boris bike up Ventoux. Ariadne quiz sounds like a good idea.

Up for a quiz! But ariadne shouldn't shorn of her goodies? Just a virtual series of prizes? Like...oh I don;t know...

Right, I shall post it, work permitting on Christmas Eve otherwise on Boxing Day.

I can throw in some TdF goodies - it'll be like a MN/TdF/Secret Santa mash up.

THe Youtube film of the Boris-bike-up-Ventoux is well worth a watch. Kudos to ariadne for the quiz idea. CHapeau!

I'm sure I can round up some bits and bobs as well :-) Quiz sounds excellent festive fun!

First Question - who won the TT World Champs Gold 2014?