Ruta del Sol guide
Bradley Wiggins returns to action in five-day Spanish race
Last Updated: 23/02/14 6:26pm
A UCI 2.1-ranked event since 2005, the five-day race (also know as the Vuelta a Andalucia) is a good indicator of form as one of the first real mountainous tests of the season.
After a 7km opening prologue, the race contains two summit finishes, one sprint stage and then a rolling day that could go a number of ways.
Wiggins is poised to play a support role for Team Sky leader Richie Porte, while Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) won the last two editions of the race and is looking to make it three in a row.
Stages
Prologue: Wednesday, February 19 - Almeria - 7km | Report
Result and general classification
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar, 8:22
2 Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Giant-Shimano, +7secs
3 Jon Izagirre (Spa) Movistar, +9
4 Vasil Kiryienka (Blr) Team Sky, +13
5 Geraint Thomas (GB) team Sky, +14
6 Sir Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky, same time
7 Javier Moreno (Spa) Movistar, +15
8 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky, st
9 Simon Geschke (Ger) Giant-Shimano, +16
10 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek Factory Racing, +17
Stage 1: Thursday, February 20 - Velez to Jaen - 186.6km | Report
Result
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar, 5:08:57
2 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin, +4secs
3 Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Polsat Polkowice, same time
4 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky, st
5 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, st
6 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, +11
7 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, +12
8 Ruben Plaza (Spa) Movistar, +15
9 Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, +16
10 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana, +17
Selected other
56 Sir Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky, +3:51
General classification
1 1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar, 5:17:19
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky, +19
3 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros SGA, +21
4 Jon Izagirre (Spa) Movistar, +24
5 Haimar Zubeldia (Spa) Trek Factory Racing, +37
6 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana, +38
7 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin, +39
8 Julien Simon (Fra) Cofidis, +40
9 Davide Rebellin (Ita) CCC Polsat Polkowice, +43
10 Geraint Thomas (GB) Team Sky, +44
Selected other
54 Sir Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky, +4:05
Stage 2: Friday, February 21 - La Guardia de Jaen to Santuario Virgen de la Sierra de Cabra - 197.1km | Report
Result
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar, 5:02:53
2 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, +1secs
3 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, same time
4 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana, st
5 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky, st
6 Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, +5
7 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin, st
8 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana, st
9 Marcos Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, +9
10 Jon Izagirre (Spa) Movistar, st
General classification
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar, 10:20:12
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky, +20secs
3 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, +22
4 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana, +43
5 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin, +44
6 Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, +51
7 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, +55
8 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana, +1:02
9 Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, +1:24
9 Marcos Garcia (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, +1:27
Stage 3: Saturday, February 22 - Sanlucar la Major to Sevilla - 181.8km | Report
Result
1 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) MTN-Qhubeka, 4:17:39
2 Roy Jans (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, same time
3 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Belkin, st
4 Niklas Arndt (Ger) Giant-Shimano, st
5 Tom van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, st
6 Jens Debusschere (Bel) Lotto Belisol, st
7 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky, st
8 Fabio Silvestre (Por) Trek Factory Racing, st
9 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, st
10 Davide Vigano (Ita) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, st
General classification
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar, 14:37:51
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky, +20secs
3 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, +22
4 Jon Izagirre (Spa) Movistar, +33
5 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana, +43
6 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin, +44
7 Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, +51
8 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, +55
9 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana, +1:02
10 Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, +1:24
Selected others
12 Geraint Thomas (GB) Team Sky, +1:30
71 Sir Bradley Wiggins (GB) Team Sky, +16:18
Stage 4: Sunday, February 23 - Ubrique to Fuengirola - 159.8km | Report
Result
1 Moreno Hofland (Ned) Belkin, 4:09:53
2 Nikias Arndt (Ger) Giant-Shimano, same time
3 Kenneth Vanbilsen (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, st
4 Tom van Asbroeck (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, +1sec
5 Edward Theuns (Bel) Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise, st
6 Davide Vigano (Ita) CajaRural-Seguros RGA, st
7 Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky, st
8 Jon Izagirre (Spa) Movistar, st
9 Daniel Hoelgaard (Nor) Etixx, st
10 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar, st
Final general classification
1 Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar, 18:47:45
2 Richie Porte (Aus) Team Sky, +31secs
3 Luis Leon Sanchez (Spa) Caja Rural-Seguros RGA, +33
4 Jon Izagirre (Spa) Movistar, same time
5 Tanel Kangert (Est) Astana, +43
6 Bauke Mollema (Ned) Belkin, +55
7 Thomas Degand (Bel) Wanty-Groupe Gobert, +1:02
8 Daniel Navarro (Spa) Cofidis, +1:06
9 Michele Scarponi (Ita) Astana, +1:13
10 Luis Angel Mate (Spa) Cofidis, +1:24 Team Sky, +17:04
The favourites
Alejandro Valverde won the race in both 2012 and 2013 and will be favourite to retain his crown. Richie Porte won a stage of the Santos Tour Down Under, so has the form to mount a serious challenge, while Michele Scarponi (Astana) could also pose a threat.
Brit watch
Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky), Geraint Thomas (Team Sky), Sir Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky)
Key stage
Stage four's summit finish on Santuario Virgen de la Sierra de Cabra is a big climb that should create big, and potentially decisive, gaps in the general classification.
