Cycling events
catch up on past happenings
Event Start: 08/29/2009 - 9:00am
Event End: 09/20/2009 - 4:00pm
Channel: Cycling
Tags: alberto contador alejandro valverde cadel evans david moncoutie ivan basso
Uploader: Roadie
The Vuelta is a three week road bike stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar.
The 2009 Vuelta was the 63rd edition and is the last to have the Golden Jersey for the General Classification leader. (Next year, it will be red to better represent Spain) The 2008 winner, Alberto Contador won this year's Tour de France and did not ride to defend his title in the Vuelta. Early race favorites were Alejandro Valverde, Ivan Basso and Cadel Evans. In the end it was Valverde taking the GC followed by Samuel Sanchez and Cadel Evans. At Basso's expense, Evans had to fight his way back on to the podium after some middle stage mishaps that put him well out of contention. To his credit, he nearly found himself second. France's David Moncoutie took the king of the mountains as he did in 2008.
