La Vuelta a Espana 2022: Preview

Well, that was a weird video. You were sick but now you’re well and there’s bike racing to do, as Kurt Vonnegut didn’t say.

Assuming we’re not actually in a time loop, we have an exciting, unpredictable race ahead of us. Let’s take a look at the route.

The Race Route

Running from 19 August to 11 September 2022, La Vuelta 22 will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,280.5 kilometers.

6 flat stages
2 flat stages with high-altitude finales
4 hilly stages
7 mountain stages
1 team trial stage
1 individual time-trial stage
3 rest days

The Contenders / Ones to Watch

First, the startlist.

Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma)

Fresh from another Tour de France regret, Roglic is returning to the race he’s now won three times in a row. The overall record for Vuelta victories is four (belonging to diminutive climber Roberto Heras), and those weren’t done in successive years.

On paper he should be the favorite. Yet it wasn’t long ago he was retiring from the Tour with injuries causing intense pain. Injuries he claims to only recently have recovered from. Will he be fit at this year’s race? If so, it’s hard to see him losing.

Simon Yates (BikeExchange-Jayco)

Yates has won this race before and by all means should have what it takes to win it again. Yet, mysteriously, grand tour success has otherwise eluded him. This year’s Giro d’Italia was his latest disappointment, inasmuch as a campaign that includes two stage victories can be called a disappointment. A knee injury torpedoed his chances at the overall, and ultimately led to him withdrawing from the race and skipping the Tour de France.

Now he’s back and looking fit. Staying upright and avoiding COVID-19 will likely be half of the battle, and he should be looking for a podium finish and stage victories.

Remco Evenepoel (QuickStep-AlphaVinyl)

We’re doing this again. Last year, the extraordinarily talented Remco Evenepoel showed up at the Giro d’Italia hyped beyond all reasonable expectation. And while he briefly impressed, he ultimately failed to finish the race, and the team’s support of him above all else saw eventual sixth-place finisher Joao Almeida’s campaign so sabotaged that he left the team.

Which is all doom and gloom. But it shouldn’t be. Remco remains one of the sport’s most exceptional talents. He’s in great form and, as we’ve seen time and time again, on his day he’s ahead of almost anyone else. This will be only his second grand tour.

João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates)

It’s strange to say that João Almeida’s stock might have dropped a little. The Portuguese national champion has had an okay season so far, including eighth place at Paris-Nice. Yet his Giro d’Italia didn’t live up to his aims, catching COVID-19 and dropping out in the final week while in third place.

He’s becoming a well-known name among cycling fans, but one also that’s becoming synonymous with wheel-sucking among some of the wags. A strong all-rounder, he should be more than capable of a podium finish. If, as the memes say, he’s more of a follower than a leader, he may find it difficult to make it to the very top step. Nevertheless, he’s a seasoned grand tour rider at this point with impressive performances and this could be his moment to step up.

And the Rest

It’s, frankly, too difficult to predict this race. The startlist includes a fantastic mix of talent, and the route offers opportunities to many of them.

Consider Pavel Sivakov, who’s in great form heading into the race, and his teammate Richard Carapaz (both Ineos Grenadiers), who seeks redemption for losing the Giro in such upsetting fashion. Miguel Ángel López (Astana Qazaqstan) should be up there on the biggest mountains, even if there are questions around his time-trialling. Bora-Hansgrohe brings Sergio Higuita and Giro winner Jai Hindley, both of whom are talented riders. Hugh Carthy, Enric Mas, Ben O’Connor, and Mikel Landa will all arrive with high hopes.

In the old man category, 2009 winner Alejandro Valverde bids a tearful farewell to the sport this year, as does 2010 winner (and Tour and Giro winner too) Vincenzo Nibali. Chris Froome is also hopeful of a strong performance, but we’re no-platforming his team so don’t expect to read much about him.