Vuelta a Murcia

Last updated
Vuelta a Murcia
Race details
DateMid-February
Region Region of Murcia, Spain
English nameTour of Murcia
Local name(s)Vuelta Ciclistica a la Region di Murcia
Discipline Road race
Competition UCI Europe Tour
Type
  • Stage race (until 2012, 2019–2020)
  • One-day race (2013–2018, 2021–24)
Web site www.vueltamurcia.es OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
History
First edition1981 (1981)
Editions45 (as of 2025)
First winnerFlag of Spain.svg  Pedro Delgado  (ESP)
Most winsFlag of Spain.svg  Alejandro Valverde  (ESP)(5 wins)
Most recentFlag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg  Fabio Christen  (SUI)

The Vuelta Ciclista a Murcia (English: Tour of Murcia) is a road bicycle race held in and around Murcia, Spain. The first four editions were reserved to amateurs. Originally the race was held in early March and consisted of five stages. However, due to Spain's financial turmoil, the race was scaled back to three stages in 2011 and two stages in 2012. [1] From 2013 to 2018 the Vuelta a Murcia was organised as a single-day race and shifted to mid-February on the international calendar. [2] In 2019 the race was expanded to two stages. [3] It is part of the UCI Europe Tour as a 2.1 event. [3] However, due to the postponement of the 2021 edition to May, the race was reverted to its one-day nature, with the expectation that the race will continue as a two-day event in future editions. [4]

Contents

Controversies

All Italian teams were banned from taking part in the 2010 edition of the race by race organizers. This decision was made due to the banning of Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde by the Italian Olympic Committee due to his links with the Operación Puerto blood doping ring. [5]

In 2011 Alberto Contador won both the overall and points classification after winning Stage 2 and the Stage 3 individual time trial. However, in February 2012 he was suspended and all his results after July 2010 were voided, awarding Jérôme Coppel of Saur Sojasun the overall victory. [6]

Past winners – men's race

YearCountryRiderTeam
1981Flag of Spain (1977-1981).svg  Spain Pedro Delgado
1982Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Salvador Sanchis
1983Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Francisco Javier Cedena
1984Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Ricardo Martinez
1985 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain José Recio Kelme
1986 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Miguel Induráin Reynolds
1987 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Pello Ruiz Cabestany Caja Rural–Seat
1988 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Carlos Hernández Teka
1989 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Marino Alonso Teka
1990 Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands Tom Cordes Buckler–Colnago–Decca
1991 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain José Luis Villanueva ONCE
1992 Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia Álvaro Mejía Postobón
1993 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Carlos Galarreta Deportpublic
1994 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Melcior Mauri Banesto
1995 Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Adriano Baffi Mapei–GB
1996 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Melcior Mauri ONCE
1997 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Juan Carlos Domínguez Kelme–Costa Blanca
1998 Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Alberto Elli Casino–Ag2r
1999 Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Marco Pantani Mercatone Uno–Bianchi
2000 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain David Cañada ONCE–Deutsche Bank
2001 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Aitor González Kelme–Costa Blanca
2002 Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia Víctor Hugo Peña U.S. Postal Service
2003 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Javier Pascual Llorente Kelme–Costa Blanca
2004 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Alejandro Valverde Comunidad Valenciana-Kelme
2005 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Koldo Gil Liberty Seguros–Würth
2006 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain José Iván Gutiérrez [7] Caisse d'Epargne–Illes Balears
2007 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Alejandro Valverde Caisse d'Epargne
2008 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Alejandro Valverde Caisse d'Epargne
2009 Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Denis Menchov Rabobank
2010 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic František Raboň Team HTC–Columbia
2011 Flag of France.svg  France Jérôme Coppel Saur–Sojasun
2012 Flag of Colombia.svg  Colombia Nairo Quintana Movistar Team
2013 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Daniel Navarro Cofidis
2014 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Alejandro Valverde Movistar Team
2015 Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia Rein Taaramäe Astana
2016 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Philippe Gilbert BMC Racing Team
2017 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Alejandro Valverde Movistar Team
2018 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Luis León Sánchez Astana
2019 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Luis León Sánchez Astana
2020 [8] Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium Xandro Meurisse Circus–Wanty Gobert
2021 [9] Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Antonio Jesús Soto Euskaltel–Euskadi
2022 [10] Flag of Italy.svg  Italy Alessandro Covi UAE Team Emirates
2023 [11] Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain Ben Turner Ineos Grenadiers
2024 Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia Ben O'Connor Decathlon–AG2R La Mondiale
2025 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg   Switzerland Fabio Christen Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team

Past winners – women's race

YearCountryRiderTeam
2018 Flag of Spain.svg  Spain Gloria Rodriguez Movistar Team

References

  1. "Economic crisis hits Tour of Murcia". Cyclingnews. Future Publishing Limited. 6 January 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  2. Axelgaard, Emil. "Vuelta a Murcia preview". Cycling Quotes. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia (2.1) on BikeRaceInfo.
  4. "The 41st Vuelta Ciclista a la Región de Murcia "Costa Cálida"-Gran Premio Banco Sabadell, to start from Los Alcázares and finish on Alcantarilla". Vuelta a Murcia. 20 April 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  5. "Tour of Murcia bars Italian teams". Cyclingnews. Future Publishing Limited. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  6. Stokes, Shane (6 February 2012). "Confirmed: Contador handed two year doping ban, loses 2010 Tour title". VeloNation. Retrieved 27 February 2012.
  7. "Santos se queda sin victoria por un positivo". 2 July 2006.
  8. "Standings Vuelta a Murcia 2020 - Cycling". Eurosport. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  9. "Road race - Men live - 23 May 2021". Eurosport. 23 May 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  10. "Alessandro Covi wins Vuelta a Murcia". cyclingnews.com. 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  11. "Ben Turner surges late to win Vuelta Murcia". cyclingnews.com. 11 February 2022.