The 2014 Vuelta a España took place between 23 August and 14 September 2014 and was the 69th edition of the race. 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 . 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 . 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 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.

In the race's other classifications, John Degenkolb of 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 León Sánchez of . 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. 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.

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†: 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 and Alberto Contador announced they would compete in the Vuelta. 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 specified threshold. On stage 11, Nairo Quintana withdrew from the race after crashing twice in two days.

Route

+Stage characteristics and winnersStageDateCourseDistanceTypeWinner123 AugustJerez de la FronteraTeam time trial 224 August Algeciras to San Fernando Flat stage 325 August Cádiz to Arcos de la Frontera Hilly stage 426 August Mairena del Alcor to Córdoba Medium-mountain stage 527 August Priego de Córdoba to Ronda Flat stage 628 August Benalmádena to Cumbres Verdes, La Zubia Mountain stage 729 August Alhendín to Alcaudete Hilly stage 830 August Baeza to Albacete Flat stage 931 August Carboneras de Guadazaón to Aramón Valdelinares Mountain stage 1 SeptemberRest day102 September Monasterio de Santa María de Veruela to Borja Individual time trial 113 September Pamplona to Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar Mountain stage 124 September Logroño to Logroño Flat stage 135 September Belorado to Obregón, Parque de Cabárceno Medium-mountain stage 146 September Santander to La Camperona, Valle de Sábero Mountain stage 157 September Oviedo to Lagos de Covadonga Mountain stage 168 September San Martín del Rey Aurelio to La Farrapona, Lagos de Somiedo Mountain stage 9 SeptemberRest day1710 September Ortigueira to A Coruña Flat stage 1811 September A Estrada to Mont Castrove, Meis Medium-mountain stage 1912 September Salvaterra de Miño to Cangas do Morrazo Medium-mountain stage 2013 September Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil to Puerto de Ancares Mountain stage 2114 September Santiago de Compostela Individual time trial Total

Race overview

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 Jonathan Castroviejo not awarded not awarded not awarded not awarded 2 Nacer Bouhanni Alejandro Valverde Nacer Bouhanni Nathan Haas Valerio Conti Javier Aramendia 3Michael Matthews Michael Matthews Lluís Mas Lluís Mas Lluís Mas 4John Degenkolb Michael Matthews Valerio Conti Amets Txurruka 5John 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 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 Javier Aramendia 16 Alberto Contador Luis León Sánchez Luis León Sánchez 17John Degenkolb Bob Jungels 18Fabio Aru Alberto Contador Luis León Sánchez 19Adam Hansen Pim Ligthart 20Alberto Contador Jérôme Coppel 21Adriano Malori Adriano Malori Final Alberto Contador 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 RiderTeamTime 1 2 + 1' 10" 3 + 1' 50" 4 + 3' 25" 5 + 4' 48" 6 + 9' 30" 7 + 10' 38" 8 + 11' 50" 9 + 12' 50" 10 + 13' 02"

Points classification RiderTeamPoints 1 169 2 146 3 145 4 139 5 117 6 105 7 103 8 85 9 71 10 61

King of the Mountains classification RiderTeamPoints 1 58 2 45 3 40 4 33 5 33 6 20 7 19 8 19 9 18 10 18

Combination classification RiderTeamPoints 1 6 2 8 3 11 4 17 5 19 6 48 7 49 8 62 9 63 10 64

Team classification Pos.TeamTime1 2 + 38' 54"3 + 40' 16"4 + 52' 33"5 + 1h 06' 31"6 + 1h 08' 09"7 + 1h 17' 06"8 + 1h 17' 32"9 + 2h 13' 06"10 + 2h 54' 48"

References

External links

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