The Vuelta a Andalucía or Ruta del Sol is a regional Spanish road bicycle race first held in 1925. Since 2005, it has been a 2.1 category race on the UCI Europe Tour. The race became a part of the new UCI ProSeries in 2020. The nickname, Ruta del Sol, is in reference to the region's popular tourist coastline the Costa del Sol.
Vuelta a Andalucía
Alejandro Valverde (pictured at the 2015 Tour de France) has won the race five times.
Alejandro Valverde Belmonte is a Spanish cyclist, who competed as a professional in road bicycle racing from 2002 to 2022, and now competes in gravel cycling for the Movistar Team Gravel Squad.
Valverde at the 2018 UCI Road World Championships
Valverde at the 2005 Tour de France
Valverde at the 2006 Tour de France
Valverde at the 2008 Vuelta a España, wearing the blue jersey of points classification leader.