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Viva la Vuelta! captures all the spirit and history of the race and - just as fascinating - the great upheavals Spain has gone though in the course of the race's history.' Phil Liggett MBE, Cycling Broadcaster ITV
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In the 70 years that the Vuelta a Espana has been running, it has survived a civil war, four decades of dictatorship, periods of economic and diplomatic isolation, desperate years when the country was close to famine, disruption through political violence, and finally the restoration of democracy and Spain's welcome into the European Community. The race has changed hands several times and been shifted from spring to late summer. It has seen the triumph of foreign stars like Anquetil, Merckx and Hinault; it has given a range of top - but less godlike - cyclists such as Lucho Herrera and Sean Kelly the opportunity to taste the glory of winning a great stage race; there have also been the unknowns who came along and, out of the blue, surprised everybody by winning. And above all the history of the Vuelta recounts the story of the Spanish cyclists, whose lives reflect the incredible changes their country has undergone in those seventy years. The story of the Vuelta is also an account of a race trying to establish itself in an international calendar where the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia had the advantage of a clear head-start. At times the Vuelta has suffered from an inferiority complex, but its current organisers, Unipublic, have approached their race with an innovative spirit, always on the look out for new routes and mountains to climb, and seeking to create dynamic, fiercely contested stages. For many followers of cycle-racing, the most interesting, and excitingly competitive racing of the three major tours in recent years has been in Spain. While there have been numerous books about the Tour de France, this is the only book, in any language, about the 70 years of la Vuelta.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
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This book has often been recommended by amongst others, EuroSport cycling commentators (make of that what you will!). It is the *only* detailed history of the third of the Grand Tours, the Vuelta a Espana; my personal favourite of the great stage races and also that of many cycling fans, since it tends to be the most unpredictable of all the Tours. That on its own would be enough to recommend this book to many; it is also well written and well researched.
This book narrates the story of the tour from its inception until right after the end of the 2005 edition, covering on the way the story of the race's not always easy relationship with the Spanish powers that be. El Caudillo, Franco, attempted to exploit the race for his own ends; non-Spanish riders were often put off attempting this race for that reason, and also because (until Spanish cycling had an attack of sanity - IMO of course - in the 1980s) the Vuelta usually overlapped with the Giro d'Italia and non-Spanish cyclists would more often than not choose to ride the 'more prestigious' event. The historical and political background is well presented by the authors, and I learned a great deal not only about the Vuelta but about recent Spanish history from reading this book. That the race has survived, and has against the odds continued to grow in standing especially over the past decade, is a tribute both to the organisers' ability, and to their sheer determination. This book gives both the cycling enthusiast and the general sports fan a great insight into this process.
However ...
Viva La Vuelta! ends in October 2005, just after Roberto Heras's 3rd successive (4th in total) Vuelta victory. Spanish cycling has found itself a new hero; the future for the Cinderella of the Grand Tours looks to be assured. But anyone who knows anything about cycling has to know what happened next. Prefiguring the great scandals which have since surrounded the Tour de France, both Heras's victory and that of Alexandre Vinokourov in 2006 have since been eclipsed by accusations and confirmations of unacceptable doping practices. Heras's fourth title has been stripped from him; even Vino's looks highly questionable now, in the light of his blood-doping disqualification at the 2007 Tour de France. The Vuelta's real hero of recent years proves to be Denis Menchov, a Spanish-based Russian who is alluded to in this book only in passing, as a great competitor but not as a winner.
Fortunately for the sport, Menchov has now won the Vuelta clean and clear, in 2007. Most unfortunately though, he now appears to be the only completely untainted Grand Tour winner since ... perhaps one shouldn't speculate. With 20-20 hindsight, this book concludes on a note that is both creepy and very sad, with praise given to those who least deserve it, and optimism (though the writers could not have known it) both misplaced and misconceived.
Still highly recommended to any interested in the history of this great bike race; but I have docked it a star because it is more than overdue for a second edition.
This book narrates the story of the tour from its inception until right after the end of the 2005 edition, covering on the way the story of the race's not always easy relationship with the Spanish powers that be. El Caudillo, Franco, attempted to exploit the race for his own ends; non-Spanish riders were often put off attempting this race for that reason, and also because (until Spanish cycling had an attack of sanity - IMO of course - in the 1980s) the Vuelta usually overlapped with the Giro d'Italia and non-Spanish cyclists would more often than not choose to ride the 'more prestigious' event. The historical and political background is well presented by the authors, and I learned a great deal not only about the Vuelta but about recent Spanish history from reading this book. That the race has survived, and has against the odds continued to grow in standing especially over the past decade, is a tribute both to the organisers' ability, and to their sheer determination. This book gives both the cycling enthusiast and the general sports fan a great insight into this process.
However ...
Viva La Vuelta! ends in October 2005, just after Roberto Heras's 3rd successive (4th in total) Vuelta victory. Spanish cycling has found itself a new hero; the future for the Cinderella of the Grand Tours looks to be assured. But anyone who knows anything about cycling has to know what happened next. Prefiguring the great scandals which have since surrounded the Tour de France, both Heras's victory and that of Alexandre Vinokourov in 2006 have since been eclipsed by accusations and confirmations of unacceptable doping practices. Heras's fourth title has been stripped from him; even Vino's looks highly questionable now, in the light of his blood-doping disqualification at the 2007 Tour de France. The Vuelta's real hero of recent years proves to be Denis Menchov, a Spanish-based Russian who is alluded to in this book only in passing, as a great competitor but not as a winner.
Fortunately for the sport, Menchov has now won the Vuelta clean and clear, in 2007. Most unfortunately though, he now appears to be the only completely untainted Grand Tour winner since ... perhaps one shouldn't speculate. With 20-20 hindsight, this book concludes on a note that is both creepy and very sad, with praise given to those who least deserve it, and optimism (though the writers could not have known it) both misplaced and misconceived.
Still highly recommended to any interested in the history of this great bike race; but I have docked it a star because it is more than overdue for a second edition.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
The Tour de France's fans enjoy an extensive bibliography on the race in many different languages, mostly French and English. There are as well some fine books on the Giro d'Italia, althought to my knowledge they are available only in Italian. But to recent date, no monograph at all had been published on the Vuelta a España, leaving aside an old and rather light book published in Spanish in 1985. Viva la Vuelta! has at last made justice to the third big cycling stage race, which will celebrate its 75th anniversary next year.
The book is extremely well researched and it makes clear that its authors, although British, have an extensive and deep knowledge, not only of the history of Spanish cycling, but of the history of Spain more widely. And not just the history, but also the geography, the economy and the culture(s). In addition, the style is smooth, agile and engaging. If you are a cycling nut you should't miss this one, and if in additon you are an aficionado to Spain and the Spaniards, the book turns into a true must.
The book is extremely well researched and it makes clear that its authors, although British, have an extensive and deep knowledge, not only of the history of Spanish cycling, but of the history of Spain more widely. And not just the history, but also the geography, the economy and the culture(s). In addition, the style is smooth, agile and engaging. If you are a cycling nut you should't miss this one, and if in additon you are an aficionado to Spain and the Spaniards, the book turns into a true must.
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