Graham Watson

...ex-cycling photographer, travel-addict, wine lover - now retired and having even more fun!

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Il Lombardia in four decades: Gianbattista Baronchelli won in 1986, Andrea Tafi won in 1996, Paolo Bettini won in 2006, Esteban Chaves won in 2016...and 2026?

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Lake Hawea hosted our NZ gravel ride this a.m, specifically Dingle Burn Station road with views to inspire each and every one of us...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Day 2 of our springtime trip in south island NZ, what better than this view of Mt Hutt range over the Rakaia Gorge..?

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

First day of our springtime road trip in NZ, nice view of the Kaikoura range - not a bad start!

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

The men's elite road race concludes the 2026 World Championships today. Back in 2003 Canada saw a ding-dong battle between Paolo Bettini, Peter Van Petegem and the Spanish duo of Alejandro Valverde and Igor Astarloa, with Astarloa winning alone after a crafty attack...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Canada hosts the World Time Trial Championships today for the first time since 2003, when Joanne Somarriba beat Judith Arndt and Zulfiya Zabirova in the women's event and David Millar beat Michael Rogers and Uwe Peschel in the men's - Millar was later DQ'd so Rogers won Gold...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Final stage of the Vuelta today, into one of Spain's grandest cities, Granada... Laurent Jalabert won a stage there in 1997, Tom Danielson won there in 2005, Sammy Sanchez won into Granada in 2007...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

It's the 'queen' stage of the Vuelta today, a huge climbing challenge with an un-used finale in the Sierra Nevada range. Chris Horner won at nearby Haza Llanas in 2013 when Dani Moreno was race-leader, the Vuelta climbed El Purche in 2011 after passing the reservoir of Canales...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Alto de Peñas Blancas awaits the Vuelta climbers today - Leopold Konig won there in 2013. The stage passes through Ronda - where John Degenkolb won in 2014 - and Estepona - where Jan Kirsipuu won in 1998. Hot, hilly and high, three words that sum up this stage!

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Stage 18, a big TT challenge for the overall Vuelta favourites... Djamolidine Abdujaparov won a stage into Jerez de la Frontera in 1992; Movistar won a TTT in Jerez de la Frontera in 2014; even the famous black bulls of Spain emanate from the sherry of Jerez de la Frontera..!

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Stage 17 of the Vuelta takes us to Seville after another day in the sun and heat of Andalucia. Caleb Ewen won into Alcala de Guadaira in 2015; Tom Dumoulin led the race that same day; Jeroen Blijlevens won into Sevilla in 1995...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

The Vuelta goes back on the road today with a stage to Huelva. Marcel Wust won there in 1997, on a day when Lars Michaelsen wore the leader's amarillo jersey...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

The Vuelta goes to Cordoba today, one of its all-time favourite destinations. I photographed the 14 winners in my 30 years on the Vuelta: Leoni, Zberg, Minali, Freire, Bettini, Lastras, Boom, Millar, Bertagnolli, Voskamp, Van Poppel, Degenkolb, Sagan and Boonen...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Sierra de la Pandera awaits the Vuelta today, after a nasty day out in the hills of northern Andalucia. Alejandro Valverde won in 2003, Andrey Kashechkin was allowed to win by Vinokourov in 2006, Damiano Cunego won well in 2009...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Stage 12 of the Vuelta heads for Calar Alto observatory today after climbing the nasty Alto de Velefique along the way. Roberto Heras won at Calar Alto in 2004 when Floyd Landis led the race; Igor Anton won there in 2006 when Alejandro Valverde was race-leader...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Stage 11 of La Vuelta is in Murcia today on a route that takes in the winds of Cartagena and the rugged hills of the hinterland. Philippe Gilbert was race-leader here in 2010 on a day won into Lorca by Tyler Farrar.

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

The Vuelta is back on the road again for stage 10, a whole day in the province of Castilla-La Mancha where it can get quite windy! The stage passes Hellin where Alessandro Petacchi won a stage in 2007, and when the race-leader was Denis Menchov...

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Stage 9 of the Vuelta goes back to the Alto de Aitana after a 10-year gap since Pierre Latour won in 2016. Claus-Michael Moller was the first winner there in 2001, Leonardo Piepoli won in 2004, Damiano Cunego won in 2009 - look out for spectacular scenery along the way..!

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Maybe a day for the Vuelta's few sprinters today, an around-Valencia stage with a few hills thrown-in..as in 2016. Nairo Quintana led the race overall while Magnus-Cort Nielsen won into Gandia, next door to today's finish in Xeraco.

[Graham Watson @grahamwatson10]

Aramon Valdelinares is today's uphill finish of the Vuelta's stage seven. Chris Froome battled with Alberto Contador in 2014 when the winner was...Winner Anacona!