2009 Vuelta a España

The 64th Vuelta a España took place on August 29, 2009 instead of September 20, 2009 and had a total of 3263.7 km long. It was won by the Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde.

The three-week cycling stage race consisted of 21 stages and was launched in the Netherlands. This was after 1997, the second international start of the Vuelta. The prologue was driven on the motorcycle circuit of Assen. In the third stage, the tour led near Nijmegen 26.5 kilometers through Germany. The fourth stage was to Belgium and from there we took a transfer on the first day off to Spain. The tour included, inter alia, two time trials and eight mountain stages.

• 2.1 List of stages
• 2.2 ratings in the itinerary
• 2.3 Retired driver

Starting position

Team

Of the 29 cycling teams who had applied to take part in the race, were finally invited 21. It was missing from the UCI ProTeam only Katjuscha and Fuji - Servetto. However, the Spanish team Fuji has earned it before the International Court of Sport, the right to participate and was subsequently approved.

Thus participated in the Vuelta 2009, the following 17 ProTeam part:

• Ag2r La Mondiale
• Bbox Bouygues Télécom
• Caisse d' Epargne
• équipe Cofidis
• Euskaltel -Euskadi
• Française des Jeux

• Fuji - Servetto
• Garmin - Slipstream
• Lampre- N.G.C.
• Liquigas
• Quickstep
• Rabobank

• Silence-Lotto
• Team Astana
• Team Columbia- HTC
• Team Milram
• Team Saxo Bank

And the following five Professional Continental teams:

• Andalucía - Cajasur
• Cervélo TestTeam
• Content Polis - AMPO
• Vacansoleil
• Xacobeo Galicia

In part.

Favorites

From the first three of last year's Vuelta - Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer and Carlos Sastre - this year, after they have all three of the Tour de France contest, not a single one at the start. Nevertheless, the starting field is very well staffed. Most stir certainly caused the comeback announcement of doping sinner Alexander Vinokourov, who has been the Tour de France in 2007 had his first Grand Tour. Another doping convicted drivers in your favorites Ivan Basso, who has already contested in this year's Giro d' Italia. His first Grand Tour this year takes Alejandro Valverde attacked because he is locked in Italy and the Tour de France led by Italy in 2009. Other favorites are the third in the Vuelta 2007 Samuel Sanchez, the fourth of the Vuelta in 2007 and second in the 2008 Tour de France Cadel Evans, the Fifth of the Vuelta in 2007 and fourth in 2008 Vuelta Ezequiel Mosquera and the second in the Giro in 2007 and the Tour de France 2009 Andy Schleck. Underdog could have, among other things Damiano Cunego, Roman Kreuziger, Igor Antón Robert Gesink or.

Race course

Fabian Cancellara won as with this year's Tour de France, the first stage and was the first winner of the gold jerseys. As the following two stages both were decided in a bunch sprint, the Swiss managed to defend his jersey.

During the fourth stage, it was because of rain always small falls and then just before the end of the stage there was a massive crash at the top of the field, in which two drivers ( Kišerlovski, Horner ) treat injuries sustained broken bones and had consequently end their tour. Earlier, the Dane Jakob Fuglsang had collided with a parked roadside tankers at this stage and had a serious injury on the left tibia suffered, which had to be sewn later, however, he was able to continue the race. From the massive crash, seven drivers - all of them members of the Columbia team and Quickstep - benefit, which ultimately serves the German André Greipel decided to sprint for themselves. Since the fall was but happened shortly after the 3km mark, the fallers were counted with the time of the stage winner and so likewise involved in the crash Cancellara retained the overall lead even on the first day of rest.

The first stage on Spanish soil was again a matter for the sprinters. Despite stronger competition than on the previous stage André Greipel was victorious and took over so thanks to the 20 second time bonus he received for the stage win, overall lead from Cancellara.

After another sprint win on stage 6 Greipel retained the lead before the 7th stage was followed by the second individual time trial of the tour. This dominated the Swiss Fabian Cancellara with over half a minute ahead of second-placed David Millar and celebrated his second stage victory after the first stage. He also picked up the win with the lead in the overall standings of Greipel, who lost more than two minutes, and led back there now with more than fifty seconds ahead of Tom Boonen and David Herrero.

The Stage 8 was the first real mountain stage, so it was unlikely that the time trial specialist Cancellara would defend the golden jersey and otherwise major changes in the overall rankings were expected. Soon, formed a breakaway group, who was also last year's winner of the mountains classification of the Vuelta, David Moncoutie. This group had occasionally saw a lead of over twelve minutes and a few kilometers from the finish Moncoutie, who had left by one, all his colleagues behind him, even like the winner from before he was surprisingly overtaken even by Damiano Cunego. This had settled from a chasing group with Alejandro Valverde, Cadel Evans and Ivan Basso won the stage and finally clear before Moncoutie. The golden jersey of overall leader took over the Australian Evans two seconds before Valverde and eight seconds ahead of Samuel Sanchez. One of the favorites for the overall victory, Andy Schleck had to finish the race prematurely during this stage because of persistent stomach cramps since the day before.

On the 9th stage there was the first Spanish Vuelta stage win this by Gustavo César Veloso. He was at the mountaintop finish of the fittest from a breakaway group and took a 40 second lead on the favorites to the finish. Behind Marco Marzano to Valverde secured third place by he overtook his compatriot David de la Fuente short of the target and using the 8 second time bonus the overall lead from Cadel Evans took over, who had come just a second after him to the finish.

The 10th stage was decided by a breakaway group. Of the 19 riders remained at the end of four left, this group included, among others, the co-favorite Alexander Vinokourov, however at this time had already 18 minutes behind in the overall standings. In the sprint, then the Australian Simon Gerrans won out, so advancement in the select group of drivers who have won in each of the three Grand Tours a stage. At the top of the standings, there were no changes after this stage.

On the 11th stage of the breakaway was caught early, and the subsequent breakaway of Remy Di Gregorio was not successful and so the stage in a bunch sprint was decided. This won the American Tyler Farrar, who thus his first stage victory on a Grand Tour, celebrated before the next day the Vuelta left voluntarily. In the overall standings, there were no changes again.

Section 12 was the first of three hard climbs after the second rest day. Here Ryder Hesjedal won from a breakaway group of the first Canadian ever a stage of the Vuelta and made for the second victory of his team Garmin in a row. Alexander Winokourow also was like during the 10th stage in the break, but could not finish and had to end his comeback prematurely. From favorites Robert Gesink made ​​the biggest impression, he brought significant 10- seconds ahead of Valverde to the finish and received more than 8 seconds time bonus stage of third parties and thus also strengthened his third place overall.

The 13th stage was dominated by the solo flight of Frenchman David Moncoutié who gathered next to the stage win also important points for the mountain classification, making it almost unassailable lead was now in the lead in this classification. Valverde received as third stage again important time bonus seconds, increased from favorites make up on him just Ezequiel Mosquera as a Second time. The loser of the day was Cadel Evans, who had a technical defect in the finish, wait long for their support vehicle and had thus created backlog of more than one minute to Valverde and Basso could not catch up. Thus he fell in the standings of a promising for him as a good time trialist 2nd place on the 5th rank back. Another loser was Tom Danielson, who lost almost 7 minutes on this stage and thus his chances had buried on the overall victory. The 13th stage was also carrying an injury for some drivers. Evans received 10 second time penalty because he had greatly help in the opinion of the commissioners at his comeback to his escort vehicle leave. Mosquera and some other driver received 20 second time penalty because they had illegally meals from the team car can be, although this is prohibited on the last 20 kilometers of a stage. Worst hit but probably the sprinters, they came in a 50 -strong group with over 39 minutes down on the winner, which would have been on the waiting period for this stage. To prevent all these drivers retire, elevated to the waiting period, as a punishment, however, all these drivers were 25 -point deduction in the points standings. This hurt the particular in these standings leader André Greipel, as this together melted his lead to Valverde to 6 points. However, he also lost some of its closest competitors, as the likes of Tom Boonen and Oscar Freire, the stage could not finish.

On the 14th stage Damiano Cunego celebrated superior to his second stage win during this Vuelta, after he had already won the first mountain stage of the Tour. He benefited from the fact that he had lost on the 13th stage nearly half an hour and thus for the favorites posed no more danger. The latter saw a few kilometers from the finish look as could be suspended Valverde, but then he went on again and overtook Gesink, Evans and Basso again. He eventually lost only a few seconds to Sánchez and Mosquera, but consolidated his overall lead. With the Stage 5 rank he assumed now also the lead in the points classification of Greipel.

The 15th stage was rather used by the strenuous mountain stages of most drivers to rest, so it happened that a 13 -man breakaway group over 20 minutes out went ahead and this also brought to the finish. The strongest of this group was eventually the Dutchman Lars Boom, who won the stage. In the standings, there were no changes, except that the lead in the team standings of Caisse d' Epargne joined Xacobeo Galicia, there were two riders in the breakaway group of this team.

Section 16 was similar to the previous one, only that this time it was no breakaway group, but Jesus Rosendo succeeded a solo flight. The peloton let him temporarily out drive over 12 minutes ahead, but caught up with him in time before the target again. Thus, the stage ended in a bunch sprint, the favorite of André Greipel decided in his favor and thus bringing back the green jersey from Valverde. However, there had been a fall just before the finish, in which, among other things, the sprinter Wouter Weylandt came to drop and drew upon a fracture at the wrist. In the overall standings, there were no changes.

The 17th stage was after two more leisurely days then one of the most exciting of the entire Vuelta. Five riders managed to escape and a few kilometers from the finish it looked as if they could be obtained. But the Frenchman Anthony Roux broke away in the final kilometer of the other outliers, and saved a few meters to the onrushing sprinter to the finish. Greipel collected in third again important points for the green jersey, otherwise there was no change in the ratings. Gesink, Mosquera, Danielson - - During the stage some of the overall in front winning drivers came to fall, but the stage could continue. Gesink had to have stitches on his knee after the finish even, but was able to continue the race. The ninth -placed American Tom Danielson was forced to retire during the next stage, however.

Section 18 was a mountain stage again. A large group was allowed to settle at the end of Roman Kreuziger and Philip Deignan were left by the and the Irishman finally had the stronger legs and won the stage. This he slid in the overall standings to 9th place. Otherwise, there were no changes in the classifications.

The 19th stage was the last mountain stage, again there was a breakaway group, but this was caught in time. From the group with the favorites, surprisingly won the tenth- placed in the overall Wertungn Spaniard Juan Jose Cobo the stage. With a ranking of 2 and 3, Valverde and Evans secured the Zeitbonifikationen. The loser of the day was Robert Gesink, who after his fall during the 17th stage could not keep up and lost about 4 minutes. Thus he lost his second place overall and dropped to sixth place.

Stage 20 was the third time trial during this Vuelta and the penultimate section, the last chance to make a difference in the overall standings. In the absence of the winner of the first two time trial, Fabian Cancellara won the runner-up already the 7th stage, David Millar, this stage. Valverde filed a 7th place, to defend his overall lead. The real winner of this stage, however, was Cadel Evans, the third stage gutmachte as almost a minute on Basso and thus took third overall by the Italians.

On the last leg to Madrid, there was traditionally no attacks on the general classification more. The goal was lying on a circular course in the Spanish capital. There was expected to be a bunch sprint to the already three-time stage winner and winner of the green jersey Andre Greipel could decide for themselves. Valverde came with the peloton and celebrated the first victory in a Grand Tour in his career against Sanchez and Evans.

List of stages

Ratings in the itinerary

In the Vuelta a España in 2009 there are four different classification jerseys. The shirt is features the overall leader and winner of the race - the golden jersey. For this evaluation, the times of all driven stages are added for each driver and the rider with the lowest time receives the jersey.

There is also a score whose Leading wearing a green jersey. To obtain points for this classification, a driver in the top 15 must be at the finish of a stage. There, receives the first 25 points, the second 20, the third 16, the fourth 14, the fifth 12, the sixth 10, and so on graded by the fifteenth, which still receives a score. It is not - such as in the Tour de France, where there are these points only flat stages - distinguish between flat, mountain and time trial stages. This means that in this summary and the drivers that are in the standings front, have a chance to win and not just the Sprinter. In addition, still points at intermediate sprints can be achieved during stages.

Furthermore, there is a red jersey for the best of the mountains classification. Points for this classification will be awarded to the driver who will be the first on certain mountains or at mountain top finishes first home. These mountains are divided into five categories, which bring many different points.

Finally, there is the combined score for which a white jersey is awarded. To create rows in this classification the rankings in the three previous ratings are for each driver adds and that driver with the lowest score is the leader ( If a driver is eg Leading in total and point scoring and fifth in the mountains classification, he shall receive for the combined score 1 1 5 = 7 points. ). However, only the driver will be considered, which are already in each of the three ratings classified, that is, both for the points as well as for the mountain classification dotted ( eg lost Fabian Cancellara after the fourth stage the white jersey, because at this stage for the first but the Swiss were awarded mountain time points could not score points for the mountains classification. ).

There is also a team classification. For the times of the best three riders of each team are added at each stage.

The red shirt number awarded to the driver who has won in the previous stage, the so-called solidarity Sprint. In addition, he receives 125 euros, the overall winner in this vote receives 2,500 euros.

Furthermore, each stage (except time trials ) received the first three one time bonus of 20, 12, or 8 seconds credited for the overall standings.

The table shows the leaders in their respective standings after each stage.

If a driver is leading in two or more votes at the same time, bears the " less important " Jersey both the next -placed who does not already wearing a different shirt. The " value" of the jerseys corresponds to the order of jerseys in the table above from left to right.

• During the stage 2 Tyler Farrar wore as a third of the points classification green jersey ( the leader of the standings, Fabian Cancellara, wearing the yellow and the second scoring, Tom Boonen, had the Belgian national champion jersey wear ) and Jens Mouris the white jersey.
• During the 2nd and 3rd stage Tom Leezer wore the red jersey, although no mountain points were awarded to the first three stages, as he had won on the second stage, a mountain stage.
• During the third stage Gerald Ciolek was wearing the white jersey.
• During the fourth stage, Greg Henderson was wearing the white jersey.
• During the 6th stage Tyler Farrar was like on the 2nd stage as third of the points standings behind Greipel and Boonen the green jersey.
• During the 7th stage Tom Boonen wore the green jersey because he was not allowed to wear his jersey as a Belgian road champion during the time trial.
• During Stage 9 Damiano Cunego was wearing the white jersey.
• During the 13th stage Cadel Evans wore the white jersey.
• From the 14th to the 19th stage Robert Gesink wore the white jersey.
• During the 15th and 16th stage André Greipel wore the green jersey.
• During the 20th stage Ezequiel Mosquera wore the white jersey.
• During stage 21 Samuel Sánchez wore the white jersey.

Retired driver

139 Of the 198 riders started reached the finish in Madrid. The team Caisse d'Epargne, Euskaltel, Cofidis and Liquigas finished the Vuelta with all nine riders.