Watch all 21 stages of La Vuelta a España LIVE and FREE on SBS and SBS On Demand from August 20 to September 12. Watch all five stages of the women's Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta on LIVE and FREE on SBS On Demand from September 7-11.
Here are our top five things to look forward to from when the racing starts this Saturday (AEST).
1. All-out climbs and hero-level pedalling efforts as the men’s race travels from Utrecht to Madrid
Of the 21 stages in the men’s race, eight are summit finishes, one may as well be, and two are time trials. A team time trial kicks things off on stage 1 and an individual time trial for stage 10 comes directly after a rest day.
Of the summit finishes, one is a category two climb, six are category one climbs, one is a category one climb followed by a flat-ish mad dash for about six more kilometres to the line. Stage 15 ends with an uncatagorised all out slog-fest up the Alto Hoya de la Mora. At 2,512 metres and higher than any terrain in Australia, this will surely be one of the make-or-break moments of the event.
2. Watching the women’s race alongside the men’s race
The Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta has grown from one stage in 2015 to five stages in 2022. Starting on September 7, this course features four action-packed stages of its own before the men’s and women’s events both finish on the same day in Madrid.
Billed as the toughest course yet for the Challenge, this one also starts with a team time trial. Stages 2 and 3 take in the biggest climbs of this Tour before the 160km fourth stage, which will be the longest stage in the event’s history.
Given the every-second-counts approach racing that we saw in the 2022 Tour de France Femmes, it’s safe to assume that this compressed stage race format will once again deliver compelling viewing, nail-biting attacks, and 'full gas' racing from start to finish.
We are looking forward to discovering your reactions to the women’s peloton’s characters, tactics and unique approaches to racing as more of the world’s most incredible riders become household names. Speaking of which…
3. Both Vueltas giving more athletes an opportunity to shine
Flashback to a decade ago, even two, and the high international profile and publicity of the Tour de France, compared with other events on the calendar, placed enormous pressure on riders to do their teams proud and succeed. Increased coverage of many other forms of cycling and cycling events in recent years means that more riders can now build their season, career and value for their teams, around a much bigger range of events.
If a rider’s hopes and dreams fall apart at the Tour de France, the Vuelta becomes an obvious next event to target. In other cases, races like the Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta, the Classics and several other tours and one-day races throughout the year provide a level of competition, exposure and prestige that suits some riders, and teams, better than others. More stories get shared, more cycling physiques get to train to and celebrate their unique strengths, more pathways lead more riders to more opportunities for success.
The 2022 Vuelta will see Australian Jai Hindley (BORA-Hansgrohe) in his first high-profile tour since his standout overall victory in the Giro d’Italia earlier this year. In the women’s Vuelta, 2021 Tokyo Olympic road race gold medallist, Anna Kiesenhofer, will be riding with Spanish continental team, Soltec. This will be her first race with a professional team since 2017.
You can also expect some great battles on the road as some riders have fresher legs than others at this later point in the season. For audiences at home in Australia, enjoy using the racing as motivation to turn winter fitness into spring fitness!
4. Refining your bucket list
Then again, why wait for spring when you can turn an Australian winter into a European summer? The Vuelta will be sure to inspire a whole host of destinations to visit, dream about, or plan toward now that the prospect of a European vacation has become a reality again.
The men’s race will start with three days racing in and around the Netherlands. In addition to discovering more about the bike-loving Dutch culture, take a moment to marvel at how many world-class riders, including all four jersey winners at the Tour de France Femmes, have grown up in a country that is so flat!
Once the racing arrives in Spain, settle in and discover smooth roads, big mountain passes and stunning views to add to your bucket list. Then match and raise these experiences with the friendly, life-loving Spanish culture, frequent sunny weather, and more delicious food than you can sample in one holiday alone.
5. Final stage celebrations in Madrid
To be fair, this final point is as much of a ‘Yayyyy!’ as an ‘Ohhhhh!’ as the racing wraps up, jerseys are decided and the overall winners hold their arms, and trophies, high on the final podium.
The men’s and the women’s events both finish with an urban circuit in Madrid. Expect the sprinters to shine here, unless a breakaway beats them to it.
You can also expect to feel all kinds of warm, happy feelings seeing the race and crowds return to the traditional finish location as life, bike racing, and holiday-dreaming continues to return to a new kind of normal. Let the Vuelta begin!
