51st Vuelta Andalucía (Ruta Ciclista del Sol) - 2.1, Spain, February 13-17, 2005

The sun shone as teams were presented Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	Axel Merckx and the Lotto Davitamon guys Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	The weather improved considerably for the start Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	Anyone for a spare Gios or eight? Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski
Johan Vansummeren (Davitamon Lotto) Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	Camille Bouquet (Mrbookmaker.Com-Sports Tech) Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	Stijn Devolder (Discovery Channel) Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	The hills are stunning until you have to climb them Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski
A hive of activity and colour Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	It was tough early season work Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	Oscar Sevilla in T-Mobile pink - very nice Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	José Luis Martínez Jiménez (Communidad Valenciana) Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski
The tape is cut as the race starts Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	Saunier Duval worked hard on home turf Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	The Lotto Davitamon team car Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	Andrus Aug (Fassa Bortolo) takes it easy Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski
Carlos García Quesada (Communidad Valenciana) Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	What...? I've gotta do it again tomorrow? Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	Francisco Cabello Luque (Communidad Valenciana) Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski	Back to bike racing fellas Photo ©: Ed Tarwinski

For a thumbnail gallery of these images, click here

Images by Ed Tarwinski

• The sun shone as teams were presented for the start
• Axel Merckx and the Lotto Davitamon guys prepare for the start
• The weather improved considerably for the start
• Anyone for a spare Gios or eight?
• Johan Vansummeren (Davitamon Lotto) finished third on stage one
• Camille Bouquet (Mrbookmaker.Com-Sports Tech) finished 9th
• Stijn Devolder (Discovery Channel) finished in the top 20 on stage one
• The hills are stunning until you have to climb them
• A hive of activity and colour before the start of the Ruta del Sol
• It was tough early season work in Andalucia
• Oscar Sevilla in T-Mobile pink - very nice
• José Luis Martínez Jiménez (Communidad Valenciana) doing it tough
• The tape is cut as the race starts
• Saunier Duval worked hard on home turf
• The Lotto Davitamon team car looks almost as fast as their riders in 2005
• Andrus Aug (Fassa Bortolo) takes it easy on a downhill stretch
• Carlos García Quesada (Communidad Valenciana) gets his butt on film
• What...? I've gotta do it again tomorrow? You must be kidding this early in the season!
• Francisco Cabello Luque (Communidad Valenciana) looked strong, finishing second
• Back to bike racing fellas for the local constabulary