The 1941 Vuelta a España marked the third edition of one of cycling’s most prestigious Grand Tours, taking place during a difficult period in Spain’s history, shortly after the end of the Spanish Civil War. Despite the challenges facing the country at the time, the race symbolized resilience and a return to national sporting events.
The competition began in Madrid on 12 June 1941, setting the stage for a demanding multi-stage journey across Spain. Riders faced long distances, unpredictable weather, and rough road conditions—far more challenging than modern cycling surfaces. The peloton traveled through various regions, giving spectators across the country a rare opportunity to witness top-level sport during a time of recovery and rebuilding.
One of the notable moments in the race came on 25 June, during Stage 12, which included a route from Logroño, a city in the La Rioja region known for its rolling terrain and demanding roads. Stages like this tested not only the physical endurance of cyclists but also their tactical awareness, as positioning and energy conservation were crucial for success.
The race continued for several weeks, gradually pushing the riders to their limits. Each stage brought new challenges—from mountainous stretches to long flat sections where speed and teamwork played a decisive role. Riders had to rely heavily on their own stamina, as support technology and team strategies were far less advanced than they are today.
Finally, after weeks of intense competition, the Vuelta concluded where it had begun—back in Madrid on 6 July 1941. Finishing in the capital gave the race a sense of completion and celebration, drawing crowds eager to see the cyclists who had endured the grueling journey across the country.
Overall, the 1941 Vuelta a España was more than just a sporting event; it was a testament to determination and the enduring appeal of cycling. It helped lay the foundation for what would become one of the most important races in the world, continuing to grow in prestige and global recognition in the decades that followed.
Stage 12 25 June 1941 - Logroño to San Sebastián,
Stage 12 result Rank Rider Time 1 2 s.t. 3 s.t. 4 s.t. 5 s.t. 6 s.t. 7 s.t. 8 s.t. 9 s.t. 10 s.t.General classification after Stage 12 Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 3' 25" 3 + 3' 51" 4 + 5' 18" 5 + 7' 46" 6 + 17' 36" 7 + 19' 50" 8 + 20' 00" 9 + 21' 58" 10 + 27' 11"
Stage 13 26 June 1941 - San Sebastián to Bilbao,
Stage 13 result Rank Rider Time 1 2 s.t. 3 s.t. 4 + 24" 5 s.t. 6 s.t. 7 s.t. 8 s.t. 9 + 58" 10 + 1' 01"General classification after Stage 13 Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 1' 27" 3 + 2' 02" 4 + 3' 18" 5 + 6' 35" 6 + 18' 00" 7 s.t. 8 + 19' 34" 9 + 24' 47" 10 + 27' 11"
Stage 14 28 June 1941 - Bilbao to Santander,
Stage 14 result Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 2' 09" 3 s.t. 4 + 24" 5 s.t. 6 + 7' 33" 7 + 13' 48" 8 s.t. 9 s.t.General classification after Stage 14 Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 6' 36" 3 + 7' 11" 4 + 20' 06" 5 + 23' 23" 6 + 24' 43" 7 + 29' 56" 8 + 34' 48" 9 + 37' 44" 10 + 53' 01"
Stage 15 29 June 1941 - Santander to Gijón,
Stage 15 result Rank Rider Time 1 2 s.t. 3 s.t. 4 s.t. 5 s.t. 6 s.t. 7 s.t. 8 s.t. 9 s.t. 10 s.t.
Stage 16a 30 June 1941 - Gijón to Oviedo, (ITT)
Stage 16a result Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 44" 3 + 1' 13" 4 + 5' 23" 5 + 5' 26" 6 + 6' 39" 7 + 8' 44" 8 + 14' 11" 9 + 14' 19" 10 + 15' 02"General classification after Stage 16a Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 36" 3 + 6' 01" 4 + 18' 57" 5 + 22' 07" 6 + 22' 39" 7 + 27' 45" 8 + 47' 02" 9 + 58' 17" 10 + 1h 03' 02"
Stage 16b 30 June 1941 - Oviedo to Luarca,
Stage 17 1 July 1941 - Luarca to A Coruña,
Stage 17 result Rank Rider Time 1 2 s.t. 3 s.t. 4 s.t. 5 s.t. 6 s.t. 7 s.t. 8 s.t. 9 s.t. 10 + 40"General classification after Stage 17 Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 36" 3 + 5' 41" 4 + 19' 37" 5 + 21' 37" 6 + 27' 45" 7 + 33' 00" 8 + 37' 42" 9 + 53' 56" 10 + 1h 08' 30"
Stage 18 2 July 1941 - A Coruña to Vigo,
Stage 18 result Rank Rider Time 1 2 s.t. 3 s.t. 4 s.t. 5 s.t. 6 s.t. 7 s.t. 8 s.t. 9 s.t. 10 s.t.General classification after Stage 18 Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 36" 3 + 6' 01" 4 + 19' 37" 5 + 21' 57" 6 + 27' 45" 7 + 33' 00" 8 + 47' 42" 9 + 53' 56" 10 + 1h 08' 30"
Stage 19 4 July 1941 - Vigo to Verín,
Stage 19 result Rank Rider Time 1 2 s.t. 3 s.t. 4 s.t. 5 s.t. 6 s.t. 7 s.t. 8 s.t. 9 s.t. 10 s.t.General classification after Stage 19 Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 36" 3 + 6' 01" 4 + 19' 37" 5 + 22' 07" 6 + 27' 45" 7 + 33' 00" 8 + 47' 42" 9 + 53' 56" 10 + 1h 10' 30"
Stage 20 5 July 1941 - Verín to Valladolid,
Stage 20 result Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 31" 3 s.t. 4 s.t. 5 s.t. 6 s.t. 7 s.t. 8 s.t. 9 s.t. 10 s.t.General classification after Stage 20 Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 1' 07" 3 + 6' 27" 4 + 22' 38" 5 + 25' 00" 6 + 28' 16" 7 + 33' 31" 8 + 48' 13" 9 + 54' 27" 10 + 1h 11' 38"
Stage 21 6 July 1941 - Valladolid to Madrid,
Stage 21 result Rank Rider Time 1 2 s.t. 3 s.t. 4 s.t. 5 + 6' 39" 6 + 6' 56" 7 + 7' 24" 8 + 10' 57" 9 s.t. 10 s.t.General classification after Stage 21 Rank Rider Time 1 2 + 1' 07" 3 + 5' 52" 4 + 28' 47" 5 + 35' 40" 6 + 35' 57" 7 + 46' 04" 8 + 54' 25" 9 + 1h 05' 40" 10 + 1h 23' 53"
References