Spring stage racing in the mountains of northern Spain
Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo
A short, sharp stage race in Asturias that rewards climbers who can handle steep gradients and changeable spring weather across four days.
- Location
- 🇪🇸 Spain
- When
- Late April
- Course
- Stage Race
- Most recent winner
- 🇨🇴 Nairo Quintana (2026)
- Also known as
- Vuelta a Asturias
- Category
- Men’s Continental
About Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo
Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo is a four-day men's cycling stage race held each April in the mountainous region of Asturias in northern Spain. Named after a local cycling figure, it sits on the continental calendar and typically features punchy summit finishes.
Also known as: Vuelta a Asturias · Vuelta Ciclista a Asturias
Named in honor of Julio Alvarez Mendo, an Asturian cycling promoter who helped build the region's racing culture.
Asturias offers some of the steepest, most compact climbing in Spain, and this race uses it without mercy. The stages are short, the gradients are unforgiving, and the weather in late April can turn a mountain stage into a survival test. It's a proving ground for young climbers and a late-season tuneup for riders heading toward the Giro, with GC often decided by seconds rather than minutes.
Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo winners
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 🇨🇴Nairo Quintana |
| 2025 | 🇪🇸Marc Soler |
| 2024 | 🇲🇽Isaac del Toro |
| 2023 | 🇮🇹Lorenzo Fortunato |
| 2022 | 🇨🇴Ivan Sosa |
| 2021 | 🇨🇴Nairo Quintana |
| 2019 | 🇪🇨Richard Carapaz |
| 2018 | 🇪🇨Richard Carapaz |
| 2016 | 🇬🇧Hugh Carthy |
2026 results
This edition is complete.
Vuelta Asturias Julio Alvarez Mendo route
The race typically opens with a short, rolling stage that establishes position without separating the field, then moves into the mountains for two or three stages with summit finishes or late climbs that decide the overall. The climbs are rarely long by Grand Tour standards, but they're steep and often come in quick succession, favoring explosive climbers over diesel engines. Time gaps tend to be small, and the final mountain stage usually settles the GC unless the race includes a short time trial. Weather is a variable: clear skies can make the racing predictable, but rain or fog in the Picos de Europa can fracture the peloton and rewrite the script. Positioning into the climbs matters more than raw power, and teams with numbers can control the valleys before the road tilts up.
What shapes the race
Asturian mountain severity
Steep summit finishes in the Picos de Europa and Asturian hills, rewarding explosive climbers on gradients that mirror the Vuelta a Espana.
Grand Tour springboard
Richard Carapaz won back-to-back (2018, 2019) weeks before his shock Giro d'Italia victory, making the race a proven form indicator.
Signature landmarks
- Summit finish
Alto del Naranco
Hilltop overlooking the Asturian capital Oviedo, a traditional stage finish.
- Terrain
Picos de Europa
The iconic mountain range that provides the most demanding stages, shared with the Vuelta a Espana.
History
Memorable editions
- 2019
Carapaz before the Giro
Richard Carapaz won his second consecutive title just weeks before his shock Giro d'Italia overall victory.
- 2025
100th anniversary
The race celebrated its centenary, won by Marc Soler on home Spanish roads.
Iconic victories
Richard Carapaz
Back-to-back winner (2018, 2019). His Asturias form preceded his Giro d'Italia breakthrough.
Nairo Quintana
Two wins in the modern era (2017 inherited, 2021), a natural fit for Asturian climbing terrain.
Marc Soler
Won the 100th anniversary edition in 2025.
Eras and records
First held in 1925. Named after Julio Alvarez Mendo, late president of the Asturian cycling federation.
First edition
1925, one of Spain's oldest stage races.
Modern revival
Suspended in 2014 due to financial issues, returned in 2015.