2014 Vuelta a España

2014 Vuelta a España

2014 UCI World Tour, race 22 of 29
Race details
Dates		23 August – 14 September
Stages		21
Distance		3,181.5 km (1,977 mi)
Winning time		81h 25' 05"
Results
	Winner	Alberto Contador (ESP)	(Tinkoff–Saxo)
	Second	Chris Froome (GBR)	(Team Sky)
	Third	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)	(Movistar Team)
	Points	John Degenkolb (GER)	(Giant–Shimano)
	Mountains	Luis León Sánchez (ESP)	(Caja Rural–Seguros RGA)
	Combination	Alberto Contador (ESP)	(Tinkoff–Saxo)
	Team	Team Katusha

The 2014 Vuelta a España took place between 23 August and 14 September 2014 and was the 69th edition of the race.^[1] It featured eight mountain stages, five hill stages, five flat stages, and three time trials (one team and two individual), two of which appeared at the beginning and end of the race. Jerez de la Frontera, on the Spanish south coast, hosted the opening stage. The Vuelta then went counterclockwise, through the south-east and east of the country before crossing the north and finishing in Santiago de Compostela. This was the first time in 21 years that the race has finished outside Madrid.

The race was won for the third time by Spanish rider, Alberto Contador, of Tinkoff–Saxo.^[2] Contador went into the race uncertain of his form after crashing out of the Tour on the 10th stage, breaking his tibia. However, Contador found his form in the race earlier than expected, taking the red jersey on the 10th stage individual time trial and taking two key mountain stage wins on his way to victory. He won the race by 1' 10" over runner-up, Chris Froome of Team Sky. Like Contador, Froome also went into the race uncertain of his form after he crashed three times in two days during the Tour, leading to his withdrawal. However, Froome came to life during the third week, finishing second in three key mountain stages and taking time to move into second place overall. Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde of the Movistar Team completed the podium, finishing 40 seconds behind Froome and 1 minute and 50 seconds behind Contador. Valverde also took the sixth stage of the race going to La Zubia, the race's first mountain stage.^[3]

In the race's other classifications, John Degenkolb of Giant–Shimano won the green jersey for the points classification. Degenkolb took four stage wins, the most by any rider in the race. The blue polka-dot jersey for the mountains classification was taken by Spaniard Luis Leon Sanchez of Caja Rural–Seguros RGA. Aside from taking the red jersey, Contador also won the white jersey for the combination classification. He took the first place in the general classification, third place in the points classification and second place in the mountains classification. Team Katusha took the team classification for accumulating the lowest time from their three best cyclists.

Teams

The 18 UCI World Tour teams were automatically entitled to start the race; four wildcard teams were also invited.

†: Invited UCI Pro Continental teams

Pre-race favourites

Before the start of the race, defending champion, Chris Horner, 2014 Giro d'Italia champion Nairo Quintana, Joaquim Rodríguez and Alejandro Valverde were among the favourites for overall victory. After abandoning the Tour de France, Chris Froome ^[4] and Alberto Contador ^[5] announced they would compete in the Vuelta.^[6] Other possible contenders could emerge from Wilco Kelderman, Carlos Betancur, Fabio Aru, Thibaut Pinot, Ryder Hesjedal, Rigoberto Urán, Andrew Talansky and Dan Martin.

The day before the Vuelta began, Chris Horner was withdrawn from the race due to low levels of cortisol. This is because Lampre–Merida are part of the Mouvement pour un cyclisme crédible (MPCC) which forbids cyclists from racing when cortisol concentrations drop below a specificed threshold.^[7] On stage 11, Nairo Quintana withdrew from the race after crashing twice in two days.^[8]

Route and stages

Stage results and characteristics^[9]

Stage	Date	Course	Distance	Type[10]		Winner
1	23 August	Jerez de la Frontera	12.6 km (7.8 mi)		Team time trial	Movistar Team
2	24 August	Algeciras – San Fernando	174.4 km (108.4 mi)		Flat stage	Nacer Bouhanni (FRA)
3	25 August	Cádiz – Arcos de la Frontera	197.8 km (122.9 mi)		Hilly stage	Michael Matthews (AUS)
4	26 August	Mairena del Alcor – Córdoba	164.7 km (102.3 mi)		Medium-mountain stage	John Degenkolb (GER)
5	27 August	Priego de Córdoba – Ronda	180 km (110 mi)		Flat stage	John Degenkolb (GER)
6	28 August	Benalmádena – Cumbres Verdes, La Zubia	167.1 km (103.8 mi)		Mountain stage	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)
7	29 August	Alhendín – Alcaudete	169 km (105 mi)		Hilly stage	Alessandro De Marchi (ITA)
8	30 August	Baeza – Albacete	207 km (129 mi)		Flat stage	Nacer Bouhanni (FRA)
9	31 August	Carboneras de Guadazaón – Aramón Valdelinares	185 km (115 mi)		Mountain stage	Winner Anacona (COL)
	1 September	Rest day
10	2 September	Monasterio de Santa María de Veruela – Borja	36.7 km (22.8 mi)		Individual time trial	Tony Martin (GER)
11	3 September	Pamplona – Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar	153.4 km (95.3 mi)		Mountain stage	Fabio Aru (ITA)
12	4 September	Logroño – Logroño	166.4 km (103.4 mi)		Flat stage	John Degenkolb (GER)
13	5 September	Belorado – Obregón, Parque de Cabárceno	188.7 km (117.3 mi)		Medium-mountain stage	Daniel Navarro (ESP)
14	6 September	Santander – La Camperona, Valle de Sábero	200.8 km (124.8 mi)		Mountain stage	Ryder Hesjedal (CAN)
15	7 September	Oviedo – Lagos de Covadonga	152.2 km (94.6 mi)		Mountain stage	Przemysław Niemiec (POL)
16	8 September	San Martín del Rey Aurelio – La Farrapona, Lagos de Somiedo	160.5 km (99.7 mi)		Mountain stage	Alberto Contador (ESP)
	9 September	Rest day
17	10 September	Ortigueira – A Coruña	190.7 km (118.5 mi)		Flat stage	John Degenkolb (GER)
18	11 September	A Estrada – Mont Castrove, Meis	157 km (98 mi)		Medium-mountain stage	Fabio Aru (ITA)
19	12 September	Salvaterra de Miño – Cangas do Morrazo	180.5 km (112.2 mi)		Medium-mountain stage	Adam Hansen (AUS)
20	13 September	Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil – Puerto de Ancares	185.7 km (115.4 mi)		Mountain stage	Alberto Contador (ESP)
21	14 September	Santiago de Compostela	9.7 km (6.0 mi)		Individual time trial	Adriano Malori (ITA)

Classification leadership table

There were four main classifications contested in the 2014 Vuelta a España, with the most important being the general classification. The general classification was calculated by adding each cyclist's finishing times on each stage. The cyclist with the least accumulated time was the race leader, identified by the red jersey; the winner of this classification was considered the winner of the Vuelta. In 2014, there were time bonuses given on mass-start stages; ten seconds were awarded to the stage winner, with six for second and four for third.

Additionally, there was a points classification, which awards a green jersey. In the points classification, cyclists get points for finishing among the best in a stage finish, or in intermediate sprints. The cyclist with the most points led the classification, and is identified with a green jersey. There was also a mountains classification. The organisation categorised some climbs as either Categoria Especial, first, second or third category; points for this classification were won by the first cyclists that reach the top of these climbs, with more points available for the higher-categorised climbs. The cyclist with the most points led the classification, and was identified with a blue polka dot jersey.

The fourth individual classification was the combination classification, marked by the white jersey. This classification is calculated by adding the numeral ranks of each cyclist in the general, points and mountains classifications – a rider must have a score in all classifications possible to qualify for the combination classification – with the lowest cumulative total signifying the winner of this competition.

For the team classification, the times of the best three cyclists per team on each stage were added; the leading team is the team with the lowest total time. For the combativity award, a jury gives points after each stage to the cyclists they considered most combative. The cyclist with the most votes in all stages leads the classification. For the daily combative winner, the rider in question donned a dossard with a red background, on the following stage.

Stage	Winner	General classification	Points classification	Mountains classification	Combination classification	Team classification	Combativity award
1	Movistar Team	Jonathan Castroviejo	not awarded	not awarded	not awarded	Movistar Team	not awarded
2	Nacer Bouhanni	Alejandro Valverde	Nacer Bouhanni	Nathan Haas	Valerio Conti		Javier Aramendia
3	Michael Matthews	Michael Matthews		Lluís Mas	Lluís Mas	Belkin Pro Cycling	Lluís Mas
4	John Degenkolb		Michael Matthews		Valerio Conti		Amets Txurruka
5	John Degenkolb		John Degenkolb		Sergio Pardilla		Pim Ligthart
6	Alejandro Valverde	Alejandro Valverde			Alejandro Valverde		Pim Ligthart
7	Alessandro De Marchi						Ryder Hesjedal
8	Nacer Bouhanni						Javier Aramendia
9	Winner Anacona	Nairo Quintana				Movistar Team	Lluís Mas
10	Tony Martin	Alberto Contador					Tony Martin
11	Fabio Aru						Vasil Kiryienka
12	John Degenkolb						Matthias Krizek
13	Daniel Navarro						Luis León Sánchez
14	Ryder Hesjedal			Luis León Sánchez			Luis León Sánchez
15	Przemysław Niemiec			Alejandro Valverde		Team Katusha	Javier Aramendia
16	Alberto Contador			Luis León Sánchez			Luis León Sánchez
17	John Degenkolb						Bob Jungels
18	Fabio Aru				Alberto Contador		Luis León Sánchez
19	Adam Hansen						Pim Ligthart
20	Alberto Contador						Jérôme Coppel
21	Adriano Malori						Adriano Malori
Final		Alberto Contador	John Degenkolb	Luis León Sánchez	Alberto Contador	Team Katusha	Chris Froome

Notes

• In Stage 4 Danilo Wyss, who was second in the combination classification, wore the white jersey, because Lluís Mas (in first place) wore the blue polka-dot jersey as leader of the mountains classification during that stage.
• In Stage 5, John Degenkolb, who was second in the points classification, wore the green jersey, because Michael Matthews (in first place) wore the red jersey as leader of the general classification during that stage.
• In Stages 7–9, Chris Froome, who was second in the combination classification, wore the white jersey, because Alejandro Valverde (in first place) wore the red jersey as leader of the general classification during that stage.
• In Stage 16, Joaquim Rodríguez, who was third in the combination classification, wore the white jersey, because Alejandro Valverde (in first place) wore the blue polka-dot jersey as leader of the mountains classification during that stage, while Alberto Contador (in second place) wore the red jersey as leader of the general classification during that stage.
• In Stages 19–21, Alejandro Valverde, who was second in the combination classification, wore the white jersey, because Alberto Contador (in first place) wore the red jersey as leader of the general classification during that stage.

Classification standings

Legend
	Denotes the leader of the General classification		Denotes the leader of the Mountains classification
	Denotes the leader of the Points classification		Denotes the leader of the Combination rider classification

General classification

	Rider	Team	Time
1	Alberto Contador (ESP)	Tinkoff–Saxo	81h 25' 05"
2	Chris Froome (GBR)	Team Sky	+ 1' 10"
3	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)	Movistar Team	+ 1' 50"
4	Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)	Team Katusha	+ 3' 25"
5	Fabio Aru (ITA)	Astana	+ 4' 48"
6	Samuel Sánchez (ESP)	BMC Racing Team	+ 9' 30"
7	Dan Martin (IRL)	Garmin–Sharp	+ 10' 38"
8	Warren Barguil (FRA)	Giant–Shimano	+ 11' 50"
9	Damiano Caruso (ITA)	Cannondale	+ 12' 50"
10	Daniel Navarro (ESP)	Cofidis	+ 13' 02"

Points classification

	Rider	Team	Points
1	John Degenkolb (GER)	Giant–Shimano	169
2	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)	Movistar Team	146
3	Alberto Contador (ESP)	Tinkoff–Saxo	145
4	Chris Froome (GBR)	Team Sky	139
5	Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)	Team Katusha	117
6	Michael Matthews (AUS)	Orica–GreenEDGE	105
7	Fabio Aru (ITA)	Astana	103
8	Dan Martin (IRL)	Garmin–Sharp	85
9	Jasper Stuyven (BEL)	Trek Factory Racing	71
10	Damiano Caruso (ITA)	Cannondale	61

King of the Mountains classification

	Rider	Team	Points
1	Luis León Sánchez (ESP)	Caja Rural–Seguros RGA	58
2	Alberto Contador (ESP)	Tinkoff–Saxo	45
3	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)	Movistar Team	40
4	Przemysław Niemiec (POL)	Lampre–Merida	33
5	Chris Froome (GBR)	Team Sky	33
6	Lluís Mas (ESP)	Caja Rural–Seguros RGA	20
7	Fabio Aru (ITA)	Astana	19
8	Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)	Team Katusha	19
9	Winner Anacona (COL)	Lampre–Merida	18
10	Alessandro De Marchi (ITA)	Cannondale	18

Combination classification

	Rider	Team	Points
1	Alberto Contador (ESP)	Tinkoff–Saxo	6
2	Alejandro Valverde (ESP)	Movistar Team	8
3	Chris Froome (GBR)	Team Sky	11
4	Joaquim Rodríguez (ESP)	Team Katusha	17
5	Fabio Aru (ITA)	Astana	19
6	Ryder Hesjedal (CAN)	Garmin–Sharp	48
7	Przemysław Niemiec (POL)	Lampre–Merida	49
8	Winner Anacona (COL)	Lampre–Merida	62
9	Warren Barguil (FRA)	Giant–Shimano	63
10	Samuel Sánchez (ESP)	BMC Racing Team	64

References

External links

• Official website
• 2014 Vuelta a España at Cycling News
• All stages
• Vuelta 2014: downloadable special magazine