The 2010 Vuelta a España was held from 28 August to 19 September and was won by Vincenzo Nibali. The race began in Seville and ended, as is tradition, in Madrid.

The race covered . There was critical analysis that this Vuelta, which commemorates the 75th anniversary of the first edition of the race, was an especially difficult one and that stage 16 was the queen stage.

The stage 1 team time trial was held at night.

Vuelta runner-up Ezequiel Mosquera and teammate David García Dapena were announced on September 30 to have given positive tests for hydroxyethyl starch during the race, a substance which is known as a masking agent for erythropoietin (EPO). All results from Mosquera after 12 September (stage 15) were annulled, which caused him to lose his second place. García later was announced to have tested positive for EPO during the race as well.

Teams

Sixteen teams were automatically selected due to previous agreements and there were six wildcard places. Three of these were given to UCI Professional Continental teams, and three to UCI ProTour teams.

Team RadioShack was not invited despite having a ProTour license.

Route

+ Stage characteristics and winnersStageDateCourseDistanceTypeWinner 128 AugustSeville Team time trial 229 AugustAlcalá de Guadaíra to Marbella Flat stage 330 AugustMarbella to Málaga Mountain stage 431 AugustMálaga to Valdepeñas de Jaén Intermediate stage 51 SeptemberGuadix to Lorca Flat stage 62 SeptemberCaravaca de la Cruz to Murcia Flat stage 73 SeptemberMurcia to Orihuela Flat stage 84 SeptemberVillena to Xorret de Catí Mountain stage 95 SeptemberCalp to Alcoi Intermediate stage6 SeptemberRest day 107 SeptemberTarragona to Vilanova i la Geltrú Intermediate stage 118 SeptemberVilanova i la Geltrú to Vallnord Sector Pal (Andorra) Mountain stage 129 SeptemberAndorra la Vella (Andorra) to Lleida Flat stage 1310 SeptemberRincón de Soto to Burgos Flat stage 1411 SeptemberBurgos to Peña Cabarga Mountain stage 1512 SeptemberSolares to Lagos de Covadonga Mountain stage 1613 SeptemberGijón to Alto de Cotobello Mountain stage14 SeptemberRest day 1715 SeptemberPeñafiel Individual time trial 1816 SeptemberValladolid to Salamanca Flat stage 1917 SeptemberPiedrahita to Toledo Flat stage 2018 SeptemberSan Martín de Valdeiglesias to Bola del Mundo Mountain stage 2119 SeptemberSan Sebastián de los Reyes to Madrid Flat stage Total

Race overview

Classification leadership

In the 2010 Vuelta a España, four different jerseys were awarded. For the general classification, calculated by adding the finishing times of the stages per cyclist after deduction of time bonuses for high placings in stage finishes and at intermediate sprints, the leader received a red jersey. This classification was considered the most important of the Vuelta a España, and the winner of the general classification was considered the winner of the Vuelta.

Additionally, there was also a points classification, which awarded a green jersey. In the points classification, cyclists received points for finishing in the top 15 in a stage. The winner got 25 points, second place 20, third 16, fourth 14, fifth 12, sixth 10, and one point per place less down the line, to a single point for fifteenth. In addition, some points were won in intermediate sprints.

There was also a mountains classification, which awarded a blue-spotted white jersey. In the mountains classifications, points were won by reaching the top of a mountain before other cyclists. Each climb was categorized, either first, second, third or "special" category, the last of which is equivalent to the Hors catégorie rating used in races such as the Tour de France.

Finally, there was the combination classification. This is calculated by adding the rankings in the general, points and mountains classifications; the cyclist with the lowest combined ranking is the leader in the combination classification, and receives a white jersey.

There was also a classification for teams. In this classification, the times of the best three cyclists per stage were added, and the team with the lowest time is the leader.

Stage Winner General classification Points classification Mountains classification Combination Classification Team classification 1 Mark Cavendish Mark Cavendish1 not awarded Mark Cavendish 2 Yauheni Hutarovich Yauheni Hutarovich Mickaël Delage Javier Ramírez 3 Philippe Gilbert Philippe Gilbert Philippe Gilbert Serafín Martínez Serafín Martínez 4 Igor Antón Igor Antón Vincenzo Nibali 5 Tyler Farrar 6 Thor Hushovd Philippe Gilbert Philippe Gilbert 7 Alessandro Petacchi Mark Cavendish 8 David Moncoutié Igor Antón Vincenzo Nibali 9 David López David Moncoutié 10 Imanol Erviti Joaquim Rodríguez David Moncoutié 11 Igor Antón Igor Antón Igor Antón Igor Antón 12 Mark Cavendish Mark Cavendish 13 Mark Cavendish 14 Joaquim Rodríguez Vincenzo Nibali Joaquim Rodríguez 15 Carlos Barredo 16 Mikel Nieve Joaquim Rodríguez 17 Peter Velits Vincenzo Nibali 18 Mark Cavendish 19Philippe Gilbert 20 Ezequiel Mosquera Vincenzo Nibali 21 Tyler Farrar Final Vincenzo Nibali Mark Cavendish David Moncoutié Vincenzo Nibali

1 Initially, the team time trial gave points toward the points classification. These points were later removed.

2 All results from Mosquera after 12 September (stage 15) were originally annulled. However this was overturned by a Spanish Court.

Standings

General classification RiderTeamTime 1 87h 18' 33" 2 + 41" 3 + 3' 02" 4 + 4' 20" 5 + 4' 43" 6 + 4' 52" 7 + 5' 03" 8 + 6' 06" 9 + 6' 16" 10 + 7' 42"

Points classification

RiderTeamPoints 1 156 2 149 3 119 4 110 5 104 6 97 7 88 8 72 9 63 10 62

King of the Mountains classification

RiderTeamPoints 1 51 2 43 3 36 4 29 5 26 6 25 7 25 8 21 9 18 10 17

Combination classification

RiderTeamPoints 1 9 2 11 3 12 4 23 5 25 6 327 43 8 48 9 49 10 67

Teams classification

TeamTime 1 255h 40' 44" 2 + 33" 3 + 12' 33" 4 + 17' 50" 5 + 35' 42" 6 + 57' 05" 7 + 1h 08' 04" 8 + 1h 12' 06" 9 + 1h 13' 13" 10 + 1h 17' 45"

References

External links

Official website