Hello, My husband and I have extended our stay in Spain so we will be in Madrid for the last day of the Vuelta Espana. Any tips on best places to see the race, what time it will be running, and how early to snag a watching spot? We’ve been watching all the big cycling races for years, but this is our first chance to get to see a stage live so we are very excited!
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Surrey, UK
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Mid-Atlantic area
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The link Lin gave doesn’t seem to provide the specific visual Madrid loop details. However, from the link you can click on route, then stage 21. The stage begins at 16:40. The estimated time of arrival in Madrid is 17:15 and by the Royal Palace is 18:00, before heading to the places I mention.
Here’s what I found to add to what Lin C’s link has:
“After the start in Alalpardo, a village just north of Madrid, the race finishes on a 5.8-kilometre circuit in the Spanish capital. This provides sprinters with ample opportunity to familiarise themselves with the finish. The loop takes in the Paseo del Prado, Paseo de Recoletos, Calle de Alcalá, and the Gran Vía, before concluding at the Plaza de Cibeles.”
The riders will enter Madrid near the Royal Palace and ride past the Plaza Mayor and Puerta Del Sol before riding down Ctra S. jerónimo to Paseo Del Prado.
The Paseo de Prado and P de Recoletos run directly in front of the Prado museum down to Atocha station and the riders will make 9 loops/passes of that area. The Paseo is divided by what I’ll call a park and the riders will ride up it in one direction, make a 180 turn at Atocha, then down in the other continuing to about the Recoletos metro stop where they’ll make another 180 degree turn and ride back to Calle de Alcalá and the Gran Vía. They will ride up the Gran Vía and make a 180 degree turn by the Callao metro stop and come back down it. If I was going to try an watch it I’d look for a spot someplace between the Fuente de Neptuno and Plaza de Cibeles. Since it ends at the Plaza de Cibeles maybe try and get closer to it. The park area might not be as crowded as the Gran Vía. As an FYI, in that park area there are no restroom facilities and there may be few if any ways to cross over the Paseo while the race is taking place. Anyplace along the route would work, so maybe there’s a spot close to where you’ll be staying.
By the Santa María la Real de la Almudena church I recall there being some steps up, so it might be possible to get a spot there where you’ll be above the crowd if you only want to see the riders once. If you’re there a day before the race, you can check out some spots.
There is an image on the site (when you scroll down) of the exact finish route as well as an interactive map of the route.