Presentation - The Vuelta 2022
The 2022 Vuelta, starting in the Netherlands in Utrecht, will begin with a magnificent team time trial through the streets of the city.
A demanding course
There Vuelta 2022 offers an extremely hilly and mountainous route. Throughout the three weeks, the route is demanding. After a flat start in the Netherlands, the Vuelta will not let up in the first week with a very hilly route in northern Spain.
The Vuelta will then head to the Sierra Nevada, well-known among cyclists as an exceptional training camp. Stages will be offered along the Mediterranean for the sprinters, and finally, a final summit finish is planned at the Alto del Piornal, the judge of peace for this 2022 Vuelta, three days before the arrival in Madrid. However, two hilly stages follow; they won't reach the summit, but the favorites in the general classification will have to remain focused.
Our four big favorites at the start
Primoz Roglic
Primoz Roglic, the three-time reigning Vuelta a España winner, is clearly one of the favorites for this Tour of Spain. Seeking revenge after his lackluster Tour de France, it is difficult to predict his fitness at the finish of this Vuelta. After an early retirement from the Tour following a fall and a fractured vertebrae, it is difficult to predict whether the Slovenian will return to form quickly or not. He nevertheless remains one of the favorites for the overall victory in this Vuelta.
Richard Carapaz
The Ineos Grenadiers climber is shaping up to be the overwhelming favorite for this 2022 Vuelta. With Roglic's uncertain form, the Ecuadorian climber has become the No. 1 favorite. After three podium finishes in his last three Grand Tours, Carapaz is aiming to win this 2022 Vuelta.
Simon Yates
Simon Yates is making his big comeback to the Vuelta. After a victory in 2018, the British climber ventured onto the roads of the Giro and the Tour. He returns to this 2022 Vuelta with a clear objective: to win it again. Simon Yates arrives fresh with few days of racing, but already numerous successes in 2022 that prove his form this season.
Jay Hindley
Defending Giro winner Jay Hindley is aiming for a double this year. The Bora-hansgrohe leader arrives fresh and full of confidence following his Giro victory. He'll have excellent mountain teammates like Vlasov, Kelderman, and Buchmann, as well as teammates who ride very well to accompany him during the inaugural team time trial.
Little bonus: Remco Evenepoel
A true outsider, Remco, a young Belgian star, will embark on his first Vuelta with a well-planned preparation. He's here to challenge for the general classification, and even if his true capabilities are still unknown, we'll have to keep an eye on him during these three weeks, and we wouldn't be surprised to see him on the podium in Madrid.
The French at the start
A few French riders are competing in the Vuelta, and first and foremost we will be seeing our magnificent world champion, Julian Alaphilippe. After a comeback at the Tour de Wallonie and a bout of Covid, he returns to the Vuelta after fine-tuning his preparation on the roads of Ain TowerJulian will be back, motivated, and with the desire to win a stage in this Vuelta, a race he has not raced since 2017 when he won a stage.
We'll also be joining Remi Cavagna, as well as many other French riders like Bryan Coquard for the sprints, or Dorian Godon and Nans Peters within the AG2R Citroën team. Many French adventurers like Quentin Pacher, Julien Bernard and Laurent Pichon will be present on the roads of the Vuelta, looking to claim a stage victory.
Come watch the Vuelta broadcast live at Matchy Cyclist Clubhouse from August 19 to September 11.
