Vuelta Mexico Telmex - 2009 Event

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.

During his trip to Vuelta Mexico, Armstrong stated that "a country the size of Mexico, with such diverse landscape needs to have a tour." 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.

With prizes of 2.5 million Peso, worth roughly 163,000 (USD), the 2009 edition held March 1–8th 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. The final stage 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). 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 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.