Vuelta Mexico Telmex

Vuelta Ciclista Mexico Telmex is an annual road cycling race in Mexico that takes place over the course of eight days, involving eight stages. The Mexico national tour has a rich history dating back to the 1940s,[1] and this latest incarnation was revived in late 2008 and early 2009 as the condensed evolution of the Vueltas de las Americas, 21-day stage race, defunct from 2003.[2] This national tour is currently ranked 2.2, according to UCI race classifications, and is a part of the UCI America Tour. Title sponsorship is provided via CONADE (Comisión Nacional de Cultura Física y Deporte), as well as the Telmex Foundation,[3] a philanthropic entity created by Telmex C.E.O., Carlos Slim. Additional sponsorship has been provided previously by BMW, Mercury, Coca-Cola, NovoSportware, and Metalurgica Creativa.

Race details
DateEarly March
RegionMexico, North America
Nickname(s)"Latin America's Grand Tour" "Tour of the Americas"
DisciplineMen's Stage Race
CompetitionUCI Pro Continental Teams

UCI Continental Teams

UCI National Teams

Local Regional Teams
TypeUCI America Tour 2.2
OrganiserTelmex, CONADE
History
First edition2008 (2008)
Editions5 (as of 2014)
First winner Glen Chadwick (NZL)
Most wins Oscar Sevilla (ESP) (2 wins)
Most recent Juan Pablo Villegas (COL)

While 2008 primarily featured non-UCI regional Mexican teams, with nine such squads, 2009 saw that number shrink to eight, of which Arenas and Canel's had been UCI the year prior and may not have renewed due to the poor global economy. More importantly 2009 featured, for the first time, two UCI Professional Continental Teams with Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni, and Amica Chips. Also present in each of the first two editions are various North American national squads: 2008 saw the participation of the Guatemalan and Cuban national teams, and in 2009 the Cuban National Team returned along with first time appearances by national squads, USA and Mexico.

Jerseys
  • Yellow = Overall Leader
  • White = Best Mexican
  • Red = Mountain Leader
  • Green = Combativity Leader
  • Blue = u23 Leader

UCI Scheduling

In what was for all intents and purposes the "de facto" inaugural event, the revamped 2009 Vuelta Mexico Telmex was given a new date on the UCI America Tour calendar. This made it possible for American teams to join the race; the race is scheduled one week after the conclusion of February's Amgen Tour of California, and ends well before March's Redlands Classic and April's Tour de Georgia. The Vuelta Mexico Telmex aims to become the most significant stage race in Latin America, as a standard for Latin American teams, North American teams, and UCI Pro Continental teams seeking results and Grand Tour invite.[4]

Vuelta Mexico
Year Country Rider Team
1948  Mexico Eduardo Aguilar
1949  France Blaise Quaglieri
1950  Mexico Ricardo García
1951  Mexico Ángel Romero
1952  Mexico Ángel Romero
1953  Mexico Ángel Romero
1954  Mexico Rafael Vaca
1955 No race
1956  Mexico Rafael Vaca
1957  Mexico Rafael Vaca
1958
1959		 No race
1960  Mexico Porfirio Remigio
1961  Mexico Jacinto Brito
1962
1967		 No race
1968  Soviet Union Vladimir Sokolov

Ruta Mexico
Year Country Rider Team
1989  Mexico Raúl Alcalá
1990  Mexico Raúl Alcalá
1991  Colombia Julio César Ortegon Postobón-Manzana
1992 No race
1993  France Laurent Fignon Gatorade
1994  Mexico Raúl Alcalá Motorola-Superior
1995  Colombia Luis Espinosa Postobón-Manzana
1996 No race
1997  Colombia José Luis Vanegas Caprecom
1998  Mexico Miguel Arroyo Canel's Turbo
1999  Colombia José Luis Vanegas Aguardiente Néctar-Selle Italia

Vuelta Mexico
Year Country Rider Team
2008  New Zealand Glen Chadwick Team Type 1
2009  Venezuela Jackson Rodríguez Diquigiovanni–Androni
2010  Spain Óscar Sevilla Rock Racing
2011 No race
2012  Colombia Julián Rodas Gobernación de Antioquia-Indeportes Antioquia
2013 No race
2014  Colombia Juan Pablo Villegas 4-72 Colombia
2015  Colombia Francisco Colorado Canel's-Specialized

2008 Event

With prizes of 2,000,000 Peso, worth roughly 188,000 (USD),[5] the inaugural edition, held September 13–20th,[6] centered primarily in the region north of Mexico City, commencing in Aguascalientes and concluded in the outskirts of Distrito Federal. Stage four was neutralized due to bad weather reducing the length of the Vuelta to 1,059 kilometers down from the scheduled 1,139.[7] The final General Classification [8] was won by New Zealand racer, Glen Alan Chadwick riding for team sponsor Team Type 1, which supports persons inflicted with Type 1 Diabetes. Chadwick would return in 2009 to defend his title, albeit with rival sponsor Team Rock Racing.

2009 Event

The 2009 Vuelta saw diverse North American presence, with first time participants including Rudy Pevenage directed, Rock Racing; Steve Bauer directed, Planet Energy; U.S. based OUCH Pro Cycling Team featuring Floyd Landis, all alongside the 2008 winning team Team Type 1. In addition, Trek–Livestrong U-23 Developmental Team, featuring Taylor Phinney started the race. The team is directed by Axel Merckx and partially owned by seven time consecutive Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, who was on hand to fire the start signal for the 2009 race.[9]

Angel de la Independencia, Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City

During his trip to Vuelta Mexico, Armstrong stated that "a country the size of Mexico, with such diverse landscape needs to have a tour.[10]" With the primary devotion of fighting childhood cancer on behalf of his Lance Armstrong Foundation, Armstrong participated in various events with sponsors and the public, including a health care forum with Mexican President Felipe Calderon.[11]

With prizes of 2.5 million Peso, worth roughly 163,000 (USD),[12] the 2009 edition held March 1–8th [13] centered primarily among regional states located in the south-central part of Mexico. The race began in Oaxaca and passed through Puebla, Tlaxcala, Morelos, Edomex, Guanajuato, and Hildago before culminating in the center of Mexico City.[14] The final stage, won by Canada's Andrew Pinfold, ended with a finish similar to that of the Tour de France as the 100+ kilometer circuit race completes twelves laps of La Angel de la Independencia along a large portion of the 12 km Paseo de la Reforma (Reform Promenade).[15] The extra wide boulevard, with its historically elegant design, sharply resembles Paris' Champs-Élysées. It stretches from Chapultepec Park, passing alongside Latin America's tallest building, the Torre Mayor, continuing through the Zona Rosa and then on to El Zócalo (Plaza de la Constitución). Among the largest central squares in the world, El Zócalo is bordered by the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, National Palace, and is adjacent to the ancient Templo Mayor site. Ironically, Paseo de la Reforma, was modeled during the French occupation of the 1860s upon orders from Emperor Maximilian I with the dual purpose of linking Chapultepec Castle to the National Palace, while also creating a French legacy in the city centre.

Despite the presence of pre-race favorites Gilberto Simoni, Floyd Landis, Tyler Hamilton, Glen Chadwick, and Arquimedes Lam, the Final Overall General Classification [16][17][18] was won by Venezuelan racer Jackson Rodriguez, of Venezuelan team sponsor Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni.

Best Young Rider Classification, awarded to the highest place rider under the age of 23, was won by American Peter Stetina of the U.S. National Team.[19]

Jersey Holders
Year Winner Nationality Team
Overall Leader Jackson Rodriguez  Venezuela Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni
Combativity Leader Karl Menzies  Australia Ouch
Mountain Leader David Vitoria  Spain   Switzerland Rock Racing
Best Mexican Carlos Lopez  Mexico Canel's Turbo
u23 leader Peter Stetina  United States USA u25 team

2010 Event
Main article: 2010 Vuelta Mexico Telmex

The Vuelta Mexico Telmex was won by Oscar Sevilla riding for the Rock Racing team in 2010.[20]

gollark: Oh, it must have memetic hazard filters.
gollark: * perfection
gollark: The sheer pefection.
gollark: I don't know if my brain could take it.
gollark: (also, I suspect there may be *some* weirdness you haven't caught, knowing your WONDROUS AND PERFECT CODE)

References
  1. History of Mexican National Tours (Official Site 2009)
  2. 2003 Vueltas de las Americas (cyclingnews.com)
  3. 2009 "Slim Comunicado" (carlosslim.com)
  4. 2009 "The Longest Day" (teamtype12007.blogspot.com)
  5. 2008 Prizes (Official Site 2008, see page 26 of .pdf)
  6. 2008 Vuelta Mexico Telmex (cyclingnews.com)
  7. 2008 "Heavy rain stopped Fourth Stage" (cyclingnews.com)
  8. 2008 Final General Classification (cyclingnews.com)
  9. 2009 "Lance Armstrong, Vuelta Ciclista godfather of Mexico" (bumeral.net)
  10. 2009 "Lance : Mexico deserves a tour" (Seattle Times)
  11. 2009 "Lance Armstrong meets with President Calderon" (Austin American Statesman)
  12. 2009 Prizes (Official Site 2009)
  13. 2009 Vuelta Mexico Telmex (cyclingnews.com)
  14. 2009 Route Map (Official Site 2009)
  15. 2009 Stage Eight Route (Official Site 2009)
  16. 2009 Final General Classification (velonews.com)
  17. 2009 Final General Classification (uciamericatour.com)
  18. 2009 Final General Classification (cyclingnews.com)
  19. 2009 "Stetina takes home Best Young Rider jersey from Vuelta Mexico." (usacycling.org)
  20. http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/vuelta-mexico-telmex-2-2/stage-8/results
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