Vuelta a España 2018: guide

Eurosport will cover Vuelta a España cycling from Sunday, Live in HD and ad-free.

Coverage will be led by Juan Antonio Flecha and commentators Carlton Kirby and Sean Kelly, with three-time Vuelta winner Alberto Contador to join during stages 9, 17 and 20.

Australians competing include Richie Porte (BMC), Rohan Dennis (BMC), Nick Schultz (Caja Rural–Seguros RGA), Jack Haig (Mitchelton–SCOTT), Jay McCarthy (BORA – Hansgrohe), Michael Storer (Team Sunweb) and Jai Hindley (Team Sunweb).

On Free to Air SBS VICELAND will also have Live coverage from 2am AEST with highlights at 5:05pm on SBS.

The Vuelta a España, one of the toughest races on the cycling calendar, returns to Eurosport from Sunday 26 August, Live, HD and every stage ad free. This legendary race marks the final Grand Tour event of the season, and viewers can tune in to Eurosport for more than 70 hours of uninterrupted Live coverage, as the world’s cycling elite battle it out in the hopes of securing a Vuelta victory.

This year’s route will cover a total distance of 3271.4 kilometres across 21 stages, including: six flat stages and two flat with high-altitude finale stages, six hill stages, five mountain stages and two individual time trial stages. The Vuelta starts with an individual time trial in Malaga, and concluding more than three weeks later, on September 16 in Madrid.

In addition to delivering every stage ad free and in HD, Eurosport’s comprehensive coverage of the event includes a daily after-show, Vuelta Extra, featuring expert insights, highlights and interviews with riders competing this year, plus you can stay up to date with daily news, stage highlights, interviews and behind-the-scenes content via the Eurosport website and the Eurosport App.

With a history of mythical and brutal climbs, the Vuelta a España is the most mountainous Grand Tour on the calendar. The intense heat is another factor to be reckoned with, especially since the 2018 edition starts in the deep south. Last year the race was won by controversial Englishman Chris Froome who led all the way from stage three to the event’s conclusion in Madrid. Froome beat Italian veteran Vincenzo Nibali by 2 minutes and 15 seconds, with Russian Ilnur Zakarin a further 36 seconds behind.

This year, Aussie Richie Porte riding for BMC is one to watch. Following an injury that shattered his dream of vying for the Tour de France title, the Vuelta is his chance for redemption. Also riding in this year’s event are Rohan Dennis for BMC, Nick Schultz for Caja Rural–Seguros RGA, Jack Haig for Australian owned Mitchelton-SCOTT, Jay McCarthy for BORA – Hansgrohe, and Michael Storer and Jai Hindley for Team Sunweb.

Sunday 26 August
Stage 1
2.00am AEST

Sunday 26 August
Stage 2
11.00pm AEST

Monday 27 August
Stage 3
11.00pm AEST

Tuesday 28 August
Stage 4
11.00pm AEST

Wednesday 29 August
Stage 5
10.30pm AEST

Thursday 30 August
Stage 6
11.00pm AEST

Friday 31 August
Stage 7
10.30pm AEST

Saturday 1 September
Stage 8
10.30pm AEST

Sunday 2 September
Stage 9
8.00pm AEST

Tuesday 4 September
Stage 10
11.00pm AEST

Wednesday 5 September
Stage 11
11.00pm AEST

Thursday 6 September
Stage 12
10.30pm AEST

Friday 7 September
Stage 13
11.00pm AEST

Saturday 8 September
Stage 14
8.45pm AEST

Sunday 9 September
Stage 15
11.00pm AEST

Tuesday 11 September
Stage 16
11.00pm AEST

Wednesday 12 September
Stage 17
9.15pm AEST

Thursday 13 September
Stage 18
11.00pm AEST

Friday 14 September
Stage 19
11.00pm AEST

Saturday 15 September
Stage 20
10.45pm AEST

Monday 17 September
Stage 21
1.15am AEST