The 2019 Vuelta a Espana is already a week old and in that time we’ve seen plenty of impressive rides and the emergence of several interesting storylines. Not least: Miguel Angel Lopez’s on-again-off-again relationship with the red jersey, Nico Roche’s three-day stint with the same, Nairo Quintana’s early aggression, and most recently, the brilliance of rising star Tadej Pogacar.
The gallery below summarises the first week of the Vuelta, as told through the faces of its participants. There are moments of bliss, moments of despair, and plenty of moments in between. We hope you enjoy it.
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- The Vuelta began with a team time trial.
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- Alejandro Valverde was a picture of focus ahead of the TTT start.
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- Astana had plenty to celebrate after stage 1, having won the stage …
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- … and put Miguel Angel Lopez into red.
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- Colombian success continued on stage 2 with Nairo Quintana’s victory, courtesy of a brilliant late solo attack.
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- Sam Bennett won a couple of stages at the recent Vuelta.
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- … and was quick to embrace his teammate Shane Archbold. More on him in a moment.
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- Stage 3 was a good day for the Irish. In addition to Bennett’s win, Nico Roche maintained his overall lead (taken on stage 2).
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- Shane “The Flying Mullet” Archbold. Is there a “better” head of a hair in the pro peloton?
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- Fabio Aru hasn’t had the Vuelta he would have liked. After nibbling away inside the top 20 for most of the first week, he dropped plenty of time on stage 9.
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- Tony Martin driving the peloton. It’s become a very familiar sight at Grand Tours this season.
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- Dutch champ Fabio Jakobsen won the stage 4 bunch kick.
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- Jakobsen’s compatriot Martijn Tusveld had a much worse day.
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- Valverde and Roglic battle it out on the stage 5 summit finish.
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- Nico Roche wasn’t able to hold onto the overall lead.
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- The stage win went to KOM leader Angel Madrazo.
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- Roche’s reign lasted three days.
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- Gotta stay warm when descending a mountain, right Primoz?
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- Who wore the mullet better: Archbold, or Mitch Docker?
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- Tejay van Garderen had to wear the disappointment of crashing on stage 6 and finishing last.
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- Jesus Herrada took stage honours …
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- … while Dylan Teuns moved into red courtesy of finishing second.
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- That’s right, Dylan. This is serious bike racing. No more time for silliness. Focus up.
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- Tosh Van der Sande made it clear how he felt about the mountains of stage 7. Photo: ©kramon
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- Points leader Sam Bennett was in survival mode too.
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- The stage came down to Valverde and Roglic …
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- … with the evergreen world champion taking stage honours.
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- Nairo Quintana was clearly delighted/dismayed/frustrated/non-plussed about taking a selfie at the start of stage 8.
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- Nikias Arndt took the stage win, much to his delight.
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- Tusveld has continued on through the Vuelta and seems to be improving.
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- Stage 9 was a wild one, with heavy rain that turned to hail before the finish.
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- Tadej Pogacar is just 20 (in his neo-pro season) and already he has a stage win and overall title at the Tour of California, a stage and the overall at the Volta ao Algarve, and now a stage win at the Vuelta to his name. Oh, and he currently sits fifth overall at his first Grand Tour. At 20.
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- Nicolas Edet spent stage 9 in the leader’s red jersey but he lost time on the uphill finish …
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- … leaving second-placed Quintana to take the red jersey for the first time in the race. It’s tight going into the first rest day: Quintana is just six seconds clear of Roglic, while Lopez is at 0:17 and Valverde is at 0:20.
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