Universal Sports Network’s “Cycling Series” continues with live multiplatform coverage of the highly anticipated 2012 Vuelta a España, the final Grand Tour of the 2012 season. Coverage begins Saturday, August 18, at 1 p.m. EST on Universal Sports and UniversalSports.com. LIVE coverage of all 21 stages of the 2012 Tour of Spain continues daily at 10 a.m. EST starting on Sunday, August 19 and throughout the three week race. Universal Sports partner Roadcycling.com will air video highlights from every stage of the 2012 Vuelta a Espana in its video section at http://www.roadcycling.com/videos and will feature photos, news and results from the event.

Universal Sports' and Roadcycling.com's coverage of the 2012 Vuelta a Espana will follow many of the best pro cyclists in the road cycling sport as they ride across Northern Spain for the 67th edition of Spain’s premier cycling event beginning Saturday, August 18, with a team time trial in Pamplona and culminating Sunday, September 9, in the capital city of Madrid, per tradition.

The 2012 Vuelta a España is made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,360 kilometers including 36 mountain passes and hills, 10 summit finishes, two rest days, individual and team time-trials, and the return of the climb up the Bola del Mundo. Back for only the second time in history, the Bola del Mundo was the site of an epic battle between 2010 Vuelta winner Vincenzo Nibali and runner-up Ezequiel Mosquera for the eventual overall victory.

This year’s competitive field features Alberto Contador (Team Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank), who is coming off a doping suspension and has promised to focus on winning the Vuelta for a second time; Chris Froome (Team Sky), who first showed his potential by taking second overall at last year's Vuelta and has since gone on to a second place finish in this year's Tour de France, while riding in the service of Team Sky leader Bradley Wiggins, followed by a Bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics; Juan Jose Cobo (Team Movistar), who will be back to defend his 2011 title with teammate and 2009 Vuelta winner Alejandro Valverde riding in a supporting role; and Joaquim Rodriguez (Team Katusha), another strong contender who is seeking his first Grand Tour title in a race perfectly suited to his climbing excellence.

Universal Sports’ broadcast team will feature veteran announcer Steve Schlanger on play-by-play alongside analyst Todd Gogulski, who spent more than a decade racing professionally, including on the U.S. National team, and had more than 100 victories during his career.

"Alberto Contador, the most decorated professional racing today with four Grand Tour titles, is probably the favorite," Gogulski said when asked to comment on his expectations for this year's Vuelta a Espana. "But Britain’s Chris Froome has been on a roll this year, and could move up to the top step, and Joaquim Rodriguez is a talented Spanish climber in search of that elusive Grand Tour overall victory."

Stay tuned to us here at Roadcycling.com for complete 2012 Vuelta a Espana coverage including free video highlights from every stage of the race in our videos section and visit http://universalsports.com/category/cycling/ for live coverage of the event.

While you wait for the Vuelta to begin, be sure to subscribe to our Twitter feed @RoadCyclingCom , like our Facebook page, and start your own training diary created in partnership between TrainingPeaks and Roadcycling.com and used by many of the pro riders who will compete in this year's Vuelta - including Vuelta favorites Alberto Contador and Chris Froome.