[Ready4Freddy]

Stages for 2009, links to individual Stage Info is @ http://www.lavuelta.com/09/ingles/recorrido/mapa.html

1 - Assen - Assen (ITT) 4,8 km

2 - Assen - Emmen 203,7 km

3 - Zutphen - Venlo 189,7 km

4 - Venlo - Lieja 225,5 km

5 - Tarragona - Vinaros 174,0 km

6 - Xativa - Xativa 176,8 km

7 - Valencia - Valencia (ITT) 30,0 km

8 - Alzira - Alto de Aitana 204,7 km

9 - Alcoy - Xorret del Catí 188,8 km

10 - Alicante - Murcia 171,2 km

11 - Murcia - Caravaca de la Cruz 200,0 km

12 - Almería - Alto de Velefique 179,3 km

13 - Berja - Sierra Nevada 172,4 km

14 - Granada - La Pandera 157,0 km

15 - Jaén - Córdoba 167,7 km

16 - Córdoba - Puertollano 170,3 km

17 - Ciudad Real - Talavera de la Reina 193,6 km

18 - Talavera de la Reina - Ávila 165,0 km

19 - Ávila - La Granja. Real Fábrica de Cristales 179,8 km

20 - Toledo - Toledo (ITT) 27,8 km

21 - Rivas-Vaciamadrid - Madrid 110,2 km

[Paine in the Neck]

Universal Sports will have on-line streaming coverage.

[Ready4Freddy]

OVERALL 2008

1º CONTADOR, Alberto AST 80:40:08
2º LEIPHEIMER, Levi AST a 46
3º SASTRE, Carlos CSC a 4:12
4º MOSQUERA, Ezequiel XAG a 5:19
5º VALVERDE, Alejandro GCE a 6:00
6º RODRÍGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquín GCE a 6:50
7º GESINK, Robert RAB a 6:55
8º MONCOUTIE, David COF a 10:10
9º MARTÍNEZ, Egoi EUS a 10:57
10º BRUSEGHIN, Marzio LAM a 11:56

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CLIMBERS 2008

1º MONCOUTIE, David COF 90
2º KERN, Christophe C.A 78
3º CONTADOR, Alberto AST 69
4º GARATE, Juan Manuel QST 63
5º LEIPHEIMER, Levi AST 54
6º MOSQUERA, Ezequiel XAG 45
7º RODRÍGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquín GCE 40
8º VALVERDE, Alejandro GCE 38
9º LANDALUZE, Iñigo EUS 38
10º TJALLINGII, Maarten SIL 37

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ALLROUND 2008

1º CONTADOR, Alberto AST 6
2º LEIPHEIMER, Levi AST 11
3º VALVERDE, Alejandro GCE 16
4º MOSQUERA, Ezequiel XAG 19
5º MONCOUTIE, David COF 19
6º RODRÍGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquín GCE 20
7º SASTRE, Carlos CSC 26
8º GESINK, Robert RAB 41
9º ARROYO, David GCE 50
10º GARATE, Juan Manuel QST 58

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PER POINT 2008

1º VAN AVERMAET, Greg SIL 158
2º CONTADOR, Alberto AST 137
3º VALVERDE, Alejandro GCE 129
4º LEIPHEIMER, Levi AST 116
5º FDEZ DE LARREA, Koldo EUS 88
6º BRESCHEL, Matti CSC 69
7º RODRÍGUEZ OLIVER, Joaquín GCE 69
8º HINAULT, Sébastien C.A 68
9º MOSQUERA, Ezequiel XAG 67
10º MONCOUTIE, David CSC 65

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TEAMS 2008

1º Caisse D'Epargne GCE 241:20:38
2º Team CSC - Saxo Bank CSC a 38:27
3º Euskaltel - Euskadi EUS a 39:22
4º Astana AST a 41:16
5º Xacobeo - Galicia XAG a 51:31
6º Lampre LAM a 1:14:28
7º Rabobank RAB a 1:17:22
8º AG2R - La Mondiale ALM a 1:27:27
9º Credit Agricole C.A a 1:28:56
10º Silence - Lotto SIL a 1:42:27

[Tallguy]

la Vuelta (Tour of Spain) begins in the Netherlands??? Well I guess that was a they haven’t been an undisputed part of Spain since Emperor Charles V!

I can understand how why the TdF ‘dips’ into neighboring countries for certain stages. It helps generate interest. I suppose this will too, but the logistics involved in beginning a stage in a non-contiguous country...

[Ready4Freddy]

Colors of the Jerseys for La Vuelta:

Overall - Jersey Oro (Gold) - equivalent to TdF's Yellow

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Points (Sprinters) - Jersey Azul (Blue) - equivalent to TdF's Green

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Climbing - Jersey Naranja (Orange) - equivalent to TdF's Polka-dot

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Combination - Jersey Blanc (White) - no current equivalent in TdF, although the TdF did have their own combo jersey 1968-1989

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[Mr. Blonde]

Exciting. Any word on confirmed competitors? I believe Lance is done for the year after the Tour of Ireland.

[luv2ski]

Who of the big names is riding? I have to confess I have not been paying attention since the TdF.
Speaking of big names, though, Lance Armstrong just won the Leadville 100 a couple of weeks ago right here in Colorado. He rode the last 10 miles on a flat tire and still beat the record for the race by 28 min. He defeated Dave Wein who had won it 6 yrs in a row.
It is a grueling race that starts at 10,000 ft (Leadville) and goes up from there!