Cycling news - Vuelta a Espana reduced to 18 stages, date yet to be agreed

The coronavirus pandemic has greatly affected the cycling season, with the year's other Grand Tours, the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France both postponed.

The Vuelta was due to begin on August 14 in the Netherlands but race organisers have decided to ditch the first three stages and instead begin in the Basque Country/

“Obviously, when you design the race, you hope to never have to make changes of this magnitude, but we have to be sensible with the current situation and we have to accept that it is very difficult to replace an official departure at this late stage, given all the institutional and logistic planning that it involves”, stated Javier Guillen, Director of La Vuelta.

Nevertheless, Guillen welcomed the Vuelta beginning in the Basque Country, due to the region's passion for the sport.

“To have that passion for cycling that is so present in the Basque Country from the very first day makes this change in plans much more pleasant," added Guillén.

"In any case, we only hope that this unprecedented health crisis is resolved soon, that we can all return to normal, including La Vuelta – that will again consist of its traditional format and duration of 21 stages and two rest days in 2021."

Furthermore, race organisers confirmed that new dates for the race are yet to be determined.

The 2020 edition of the Vuelta is an historic one, marking the 75th staging of the event.