The Vuelta celebrates its birthday

Since then, 69 editions have followed and when the race starts at Puerto Banus this year it will mark the beginning of the Vuelta's 70th edition. So far, the rider to make it onto the podium as the winner the most number of times has been Roberto Heras, who obtained first place in the general classification on four occasions. This year the race will begin in the Province of Malaga and will once again finish in Madrid following the city's absence in 2014, when Santiago de Compostela hosted the final stage. Alberto Contador, the Vuelta's current winner, will not take part in the race this year, which will of course mean that this will mark ten years without a repeat winner of two consecutive editions. The last one to achieve this was Roberto Heras in 2004 and 2005.