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Vuelta a España 2012

Contador loses the Vuelta for a fortnight, then takes it in one afternoon at Fuente Dé

  • 18 August – 9 September 2012
  • Spain
  • 21 stages
  • 3,396 km
  • 50,161 m climbed
  • Won by Alberto Contador

The overall

Final general classification, Vuelta a España 2012
RankRiderTeamTime
1Alberto ContadorTeam Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank84:59:49
2Alejandro ValverdeMovistar Team+1:16
3Joaquim RodríguezTeam Katusha+1:37
Points
Alejandro ValverdeMovistar Team
Mountains
Simon ClarkeOrica GreenEDGE

21 stages

  1. Stage 1: Stage 1Movistar, last down the ramp17.1 km143 mJonathan Castroviejo
  2. Stage 2: Stage 2Degenkolb, from third wheel186 km1,914 mJohn Degenkolb
  3. Stage 3: Stage 3Valverde by millimetres156 km2,470 mAlejandro Valverde
  4. Stage 4: Stage 4Clarke refuses the invitation161 km2,840 mSimon Clarke
  5. Stage 5: Stage 5Degenkolb closes it himself168 km1,079 mJohn Degenkolb
  6. Stage 6: Stage 6Rodríguez, uphill, again176 km2,289 mJoaquim Rodríguez
  7. Stage 7: Stage 7Degenkolb's third166 km1,300 mJohn Degenkolb
  8. Stage 8: Stage 8Froome's last flourish177 km3,565 mAlejandro Valverde
  9. Stage 9: Stage 9Gilbert, at last199 km2,442 mPhilippe Gilbert
  10. Stage 10: Stage 10Degenkolb goes far too early, and wins202 km2,212 mJohn Degenkolb
  11. Stage 11: Stage 11Purito clings on by a second41.1 km730 mFredrik Kessiakoff
  12. Stage 12: Stage 12Rodríguez first, Contador second193 km2,511 mJoaquim Rodríguez
  13. Stage 13: Stage 13Four seconds, and Meyer's fingertips175 km2,443 mSteve Cummings
  14. Stage 14: Stage 14Rodríguez, on a thirteen per cent ramp150 km3,951 mJoaquim Rodríguez
  15. Stage 15: Stage 15Piedra by two minutes; the podium settles186 km3,549 mAntonio Piedra
  16. Stage 16: Stage 16Rodríguez was bluffing all along187 km5,065 mDario Cataldo
  17. Stage 17: Stage 17The Vuelta changes hands at Fuente Dé191 km3,815 mAlberto Contador
  18. Stage 18: Stage 18Bennati, and a dedication206 km1,082 mDaniele Bennati
  19. Stage 19: Stage 19Roche attacks at the kilometre178 km1,719 mPhilippe Gilbert
  20. Stage 20: Stage 20Menchov, and a Vuelta held169 km4,291 mDenis Menchov
  21. Stage 21: Stage 21Degenkolb's fifth, Contador's third113 km751 mJohn Degenkolb
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