The trio of the world’s most exciting professional bicycle competitions wraps up for the 2019 season with the 74th edition of Vuelta a España spinning through three, late-summer weeks. This third Grand Tour scheduled Aug. 24-Sept. 15 in Spain follows the season starter, Giro d ’Italia, and the series grand dame, Tour de France.
“The line-up is looking good including World Champion Alejandro Valverde, Nairo Quintana, Miguel Ángel López and Steven Kruijswijk, the first riders to voice their ambition to succeed title defender Simon Yates. Also riding are Primoz Roglic and Richard Carapaz, who won this year’s Giro d ’Italia. After winning the Tour de France with Egan Bernalr, Team Ineos cannot be ruled out with a joint leadership of Wout Poels and Tao Geoghegan Hart,” said Ross Litherland, Sports Marketing Manager for Sports Tours International, a UK-based, officially sanctioned tour operator for this event. This is the international company that specializes in creating opportunities for visitors to vacation in the midst of the excitement of world-class cycling and running events.
This year Sports Tours International is the only company to offer stage-viewing privileges from the start to the predictably exciting finish of the tour. Following are examples of three pre-arranged vacations with a competitive cycling focus.
All programs include hotels accommodations in the most race-accessible locations, transport to watch the innovative, ground-breaking and colorful stages and ride support with airport, luggage and transfers. Exclusive VIP Vuelta stage access is included in all of its Vuelta tours.
* Sept. 4-Sept. 10: 2019 Vuelta a España – Basque Country and Asturias is a seven-day vacation complete with the excitement of the Basque onlookers who are focused on the exciting mountain stages of the tour in northern Spain. The gateway city is Bilbao, with overnights (andbreakfasts) here and in Oviedo. Airport transfers, daily guided bike rides and three dinners are included. The rate is £1199 per person double (£400 single supplement).
* Sept. 4-Sept. 16: 2019 Vuelta a España – Basque Country to Madrid over 13 days includes rowdy, passionate cyclists entering the final stages of the race with exclusive and ringside VIP hospitality experiences including at the finish line. Hotel accommodations with breakfasts are in Bilbao, Oviedo, Segovia and Madrid. Seven dinners are included. The rate is £1699 per person double (£690 single supplement).
* Sept. 10-Sept. 16: 2019 Vuelta a España – The Final Week is a seven-day vacation leading to the final decisive stages of the 2019 Vuelta from Segovia to Madrid. Guests lodge in beautiful Segovia at the foot of the famous aqueduct and in the center of Madrid for the tour’s final week. During this program guests arrive on the final rest day at Madrid airport for transfer to Segovia for a four-night stay. The following day, stage 17 from Aranda de Duero will most likely end up in a sprint finish in Guadalajara, just north of Madrid. Stage 18 will take place in the Sierra de Guadarrama, a mountain range close to Madrid, where Fabio Aru left it late to beat Tom Dumoulin and take the 2015 Vuelta title. This tough stage features climbs up the Puerto Navacerrada, Puerto de la Morcuera (twice) and Puerto de Cotos. Stage 19 travels from Ávila to Toledo and is made for the sprinters or fast finishers and the penultimate stage takes in hilly terrain between Arenas de San Pedro and Plataforma de Gredos. The final ceremonial procession into Madrid starts in Fuenlabrada and there will be a sprint finish on the traditional circuit in Madrid. Guests will enjoy VIP start Village and Finish line hospitality. The rate is £999 per person double (£360 single supplement).
