Vuelta 2015: Favourites

Edition 70 of the Vuelta Ciclista a España was an attrition race with loads of climbs in hot conditions. Froome, Nibali and Quintana were pre-race favourites, but eventually young riders Fabio Aru and Tom Dumoulin were battling it out with the Italian turning out on top.

Read about the pre-race GC favourites and click links in the table below for potential winners per stage. Obviously, these articles were written before the start of the race.

Vuelta 2015: Favourites

Nr	Date	Favourites	Type
1	Sa 22-8	Orica vs. BMC vs. Sky	TTT
2	Su 23-8	Rodriguez and other punchers	finish uphill
3	Mo 24-8	For strong sprinter	hills, flat finish
4	Tu 25-8	Puncheurs and climbing sprinters	flat, finish uphill
5	We 26-8	Fast legs, for an uphill sprint	flat
6	Th 27-8	GC guys or escapees	finish uphill
7	Fr 28-8	Froome vs. Quintana vs. Nibali	mountains
8	Sa 29-8	Strong sprinters or escapees?	flat
9	Su 30-8	Gentlemen puncheurs, load your guns	hills, flat start
10	Mo 31-8	Sagan, Degenkolb, and/or escapees…	hills
	Tu 1-9	rest day
11	We 2-9	Wanted – climbers for Andorra’s Queen Stage	mountains
12	Th 3-9	False flat sprint fest	hills, flat finish
13	Fr 4-9		hills
14	Sa 5-9	Aru to glory on perfect closing climb	mountains, flat start
15	Su 6-9	Break away riders vs. GC guys	mountains, flat start
16	Mo 7-9	‘Especial’ climber for ‘especial’ finale	mountains
	Tu 8-9	rest day
17	We 9-9	Tom Dumoulin for glory	ITT
18	Th 10-9	Brilliant descenders like Valverde	hills
19	Fr 11-9	Cobbled climb to suit who?	hills
20	Sa 12-9	Valverde after fast drop	mountains
21	Su 13-9	Last say to the fast men	flat

Vuelta 2015: Route, profiles and more

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Vuelta 2015: All stages source: lavuelta.com

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Vuelta 2015: Scheme with all stages

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La Vuelta Tweets

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Vuelta 2015: Video of the route

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Orica GreenEdge in a league of their own

Vuelta favourites Orica GreenEdge

The Vuelta opens with a shirt team time trial on a flat parcours with hardly any bends. The Orica GreenEdge boys will be pleased...

Rodriguez and other puncheurs

Joaquim Rodriguez

After a race on a hilly parcours, stage 2 is closed with a short and steep closing climb. It's up to the puncheurs!

For strong sprinters

Nacer bouhanni

The first half of the race is marked by one 3rd category and one 1st caregory climbs, but the second half is the stuff sprinter's dreams are made of. So survive the first section and reap in the second half, that's the motto for all fast men in the peloton. Who are the major contenders for today's victory?

Puncheurs and climbing sprinters

Vuelta favourite Daniel Martin

Stage 4 is among the flattest in the 2015 Vueta, but don't expect the race to boil down to a traditional bunch sprint. The final 4 kilometres are marked by a steep 1 kilometre climb, a rolling section, and then the arrival is slightly uphill. Could be something for Dan Martin...

Fast legs for uphill sprint

Peter Sagan

The stage to Alcalá de Guadáira is as flat as Denmark, yet the finish line is slightly uphill. So that's stuff for fast men with that little extra...

More articles

GC guys or escapees
Froome vs. Quintana
Strong sprinters or escapees?
Gentlemen puncheurs, load your guns
Degenkolb and/or escapees...
Wanted - climbers for Andorra's Queen Stage
False flat sprint fest
Up to the escapees
Aru to glory on perfect closing climb
Break away riders vs. GC guys
'Especial' climber for 'especial' finale
Tom Dumoulin for glory
Brilliant descenders like Valverde
Cobbled climb to suit Geraint Thomas
Valverde after fast drop?
Last say to the fast men
Favourites