18 February, 2014

By VIVA Team

Bradley Wiggins

Bradley Wiggins will be riding for Team Sky in what will be his first stage race this season

Celebrating its 60th edition this year, the Ruta del Sol Vuelta Ciclista a Andalucía kicks off in Almería on Wednesday, 19 February with 19 international teams – seven of them World Tour teams – racing their way through all eight Andalusian provinces, before crossing the finishing line 733 kilometres later, in Fuengirola on Sunday, 23 February…


And having taken part in the Mallorca Challenge only a few days ago, 2012 Tour de France winner and Olympic gold medallist Sir Bradley Wiggins will be riding for Team Sky alongside fellow members Richie Porte, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Vasil Kiryienka, Peter Kennaugh, Geraint Thomas and Philip Deignan.

For “Wiggo” – who is said to be taking part in the Paris-Roubaix on 13 April, followed by the Tour of California (May 11 to 18), and then of course the 2014 Tour of France starting in Yorkshire in July with defending champion Chris Froome – the Ruta del Sol is his first stage race this year.

Ruta del Sol 2014Including an individual time trial, three mountain stages and one stage designed with sprinters in mind, the event gets underway with the Almería prologue (7.3km). Then on the 20th, the riders will pedal their way from Vélez Málaga to Jaén (186km); on the 21st, the course will take them from La Guardía de Jaén to Cabra (197km); they’ll be cycling from Sanlúcar la Mayor to Sevilla (182km) on the 22nd; and during the last stage of the Tour, they’ll start off in Ubrique, before passing through Ronda,  El Burgo, Yunquera, Coín and Mijas en route to the finishing line on Avenida de Jesús Santo Rein in the centre of Fuengirola.

Taking in spectacular Andalusian countryside, stunning cities and picture-perfect white villages, the Ruta del Sol is not only a premier fixture on the international cycling calendar, but with masses of live TV coverage around the world, it goes without saying that it’s also a huge shot in the arm for the region’s tourist industry.

Better still, if you’re fortunate enough to already be in Andalucía, check out the Ruta de Sol maps, detailed routes, timings plus loads more information here, and then you can go along and see all the action for yourself!