Every year, the route of La Vuelta a España is planned with exploring Spain’s hidden gems in mind to evoke a sense of wonder and wanderlust. The 2024 edition is, once again, set to cement the race’s reputation of charm and discovery. One could say that this effect comes naturally since Spain features such places as the rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves of La Rioja and Andalusia, looming mountain ranges like the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada, and white-washed villages or stunning seaside views along the Costa Brava and Costa del Sol. But it’s a yearly meticulous and thought-through labour of love. Back to our guest.
Alberto Contador, a former professional cyclist, is undoubtedly one of the household names of both Spanish and international road cycling. He and La Vuelta go a long way back as the race witnessed some of his most stellar racing moments as an excellent attacking rider and climber, and also an extraordinary time-triallist on his best days. He won the Vuelta three times, in 2008, 2012, and 2014, each time showcasing his explosive attacks, which earned him the nickname “El Pistolero” and solidified his status as one of the race’s all-time greats. After his retirement in 2017, Contador remains active in the cycling industry as the UCI Pro Team Polti-Kometa general manager and founder alongside Ivan Basso and also provides race commentary for Spanish Eurosport. Furthermore, he founded Fundación Alberto Contador, which is a non-profit organisation raising awareness of stroke.
During their convivial 30-minute talk, both Matt and Alberto, for example, agreed that Vuelta is more friendly, less under pressure and easier for the fans to spectate compared to, for example, the Giro or the Tour, and reminisced about Alberto’s key moments in the race. They also discussed the importance of La Vuelta for Spanish riders and fans, who Alberto thinks will be the stars of this year’s race, the sheer joy and weight of his winning of the Alto de El Angliru stage in 2017 or what his “three dreams” regarding his cycling career were.
Now retired from the pro scene, Alberto has the luxury of just enjoying his homeland as a leisure cyclist. La Vuelta is going to pass through the north of Spain this year where you can find the La Rioja region and the Lagos de Covadonga climb, which are, according to Alberto, the perfect destinations for a cycling holiday or for watching the race as they are scenic, generally colder, and challenging for the riders and dramatic for spectators.
Furthermore, Alberto shared how essential are coffee, lunch and wine stops for him when cycling in and around Madrid and what are his favourite places to drop by. As he revealed to Matt, one of the downsides to fame is that he has to keep changing his favourite coffee spots year after year because the word gets out and they become packed with cycling enthusiasts maybe chasing that selfie with the Spanish legend.
For more tips for Spanish cycling adventures from someone who is both a legendary former pro and a local and an insider view of La Vuelta, sit back and tune in!
