The Vuelta is like a sigh of relief. After the pressure cooker of the Tour de France, with its whirlwind of sponsors; its media circus; its prestige; the Vuelta feels like a letting go. Languid, sultry days traversing the dry Spanish landscape, with its rocky outcrops and deserted plains; there’...
Despite coming in third in a recent poll containing just three options, La Vuelta a Espana has always held a peculiar charm. From over 600 respondents, a loyal minority of 22% picked the Spanish Grand Tour as their favourite, and I’m happy to count myself among them. It’s...
The final events on the road would see a small but perfectly formed field of 39 men and 25 women take on a long, undulating course against the clock. The distance was 44.2km for the men and 22.1km for the women, taking place over a lap (or two)...
The wait is finally over: the Olympics have arrived. With the preparations five years in the making following the delay to the Tokyo Games due to coronavirus, the stakes were arguably higher than ever With the men’s and women’s road races some of the first events of the...
Writing reports about Grand Tour stages is tricky; writing short ones is nigh on impossible. Trying to recall the endless brief iterations of breakaways; recounting the dynamics of a group attacking up a long climb; remembering to mention the quirks and random occurrences that make every day different in a...
The second week of a Grand Tour traditionally sees the turning of the screw; the ramping up of pressure, on whoever holds the yellow jersey, and those who are in close proximity. If the first week is attritional and the final week is a full-blooded attack, the central week is...
