Missed it last time

Monica Lorente, the mayor of Orihuela, attended the official presentation of the 2011 Vuelta a España at the new Auditorium in Alicante. 

The 66th edition of the cycle race starts in Benidorm on Saturday 20th August with a 16km time trial at night and ends in Madrid on Sunday, 11th September. In all,  21 stages will cover more than 3,000 kilometres over the duration of the  three weeks.

Now to the important bit - the second stage of the race will follow the Costa Blanca coastline from La Nucia in the north to the beaches of Orihuela Costa in the south via Vilajoiosa, Alicante, Santa Pola, Guardamar and Torrevieja. I’m not sure where it will finish but I will find out before the date.

More than 10,000 people watched the conclusion of the Vuelta a España cycling tour last year during the Vega Baja stage.  It is hoped that as this year’s stage, which takes place on a Sunday, still more people will cheer on the cyclists. I missed last year’s stage because we flew to England on that day. I won’t be making that mistake again this year – I will be there with my camera looking for a good vantage point.