It consisted of 19 stages covering a total of 3,398 km (2,111 mi), and was won by Bernard Hinault of the Renault–Elf–Gitane cycling team.

The foreign favourites for the race included Bernard Hinault who had won the Vuelta once before in 1978 and World Champion Giuseppe Saronni.

The Spanish favourites for the race included the de facto defending champion Marino Lejarreta, Julián Gorospe and Alberto Fernández.

Lejarreta then won the stage 8 38 km (24 mi) mountain time trial and increased his lead over Hinault.

Two days later Hinault's pace on the climb to Puerto de Serranillos was too hot for his opponents and he won the stage in Ávila and took back the leader's jersey[1] to win his second Vuelta and his eighth grand tour with Lejarreta second and Fernández in third.