Traditionally in the beginning of January, the route of the last Grand Tour race of the upcoming season has been unveiled, this time at the ceremony held in the Spanish city of Torremolinos located at the Costa del Sol. Even though some of rumours concerning parcours of the 2015 edition of the Vuelta a Espana turned out to be true, the whole picture of the year's ultimate three-week event is nothing but intriguing...

Will kick off with a team time trial in the scorching heat of Andalucia and reach its climax exactly at the midpoint, on brutally steep climbs of Andorra, two years ago washed by freezing cold rain. Will contain nine mountaintop finishes, among which none has been tackled in the 80-years history of the Spanish Grand Tour, all packed in first 14 days of competition. And when you may think that everything has been settled, the last weak may produce more than just one unpredictable twist of action, as relatively long flat individual time trial held on windswept roads around Burgos will let more versatile contenders either make up on their losses or extend their advantage. Only its conclusion will serve as a bow to its rich tradition, as the race will reach its conclusion in the Spanish capital. This is how the 2015 edition of the Vuelta a Espana is going to be. And there is no reason not to be excited.

Coming into details, the first week of competition at the 2015 Vuelta a Espana will be a very traditional one, including opening 7.4 kilometre-long TTT from Porto Banus to Marbella, racing along the coastline in the scorching sun of Andalucia and first uphill finishes, testing general classification contenders sooner than in any other Grand Tour event. Riders will tackle typical short, steep climbs à la  Purito Rodriguez on stage 2 and 4, divided by stages dedicated to pure sprinters. Efforst of the first week will reach their conclusion in two consecutive mountain stages to Alto de Cazorla and Capilleira, among which the latter will be so far the most difficult test with its twisting, tough roads. The following 186,6 kilometre-long downhill ride to Murcia on stage 8 will provide riders with little rest, as they will be forced to tackle another short and very steep Cumbre del Sol climb on stage 9 preceded by one more sprinters' stage before enjoying their first rest day in Andorra.

The second chapter of season's untimate three-week event will begin with a true bang, as title contenders will face the toughest mountain test of the 2015 edition of the Vuelta, only 138-kilometers long but containing no less than 5,200 meters of climbing stage in the Pyrenees, including very-well known ascents in likes of Col d'Ordino or Collada de la Gallina. As the weather in Andorra tends to be extremely unfavourable in this part of the year, rain and freezing cold may force many riders to prematurely abandon the event just as it happened during the 2013 edition of the Vuelta. Even though the general classification should be pretty much sorted out following the brutal 11th stage to Alto Els Cortals d'Encamp. Second week will offer more entertainment with one sprinters' affair to Lleida, stage 13 to Tarazona which should be red-circled by all breakaway artists which would line of at the start of the 2015 edition of the Vuelta and three consecutive mountaintop finishes on first caregory climbs Alto Campo, Alto de Sotres and Alto Ermita de Alba.

Without the hardest mountain stage planned for penultimate day of competition as it was a case in several last editions, pure climbers in likes of Nairo Quintana won't be allowed to play a waiting game, forced to show their cards during the first two weeks. You shouldn't expect the last chapter of the 2015 Vuelta a Espana to be boring or predictable one, though, as almost completely flat 40-kilometers long individual time trial held on windswept roads around Burgos may turn the general classification around and bring more than just one surprise. The most aggressive climbers will be provided with yet another three chances to make up on their losses on mountain stages to Riaza, Avila and Cercedilla, but lack of solid uphill finishes would make it an extremely difficult task. 

Traditionally, the 2015 edition of the Vuelta a Espana will be concluded with sprinters-parade to Madrid, where winners will be decorated on Sunday, September 13th.

Vuelta a España 2015 stages:
Saturday August 22nd Stage one: Porto Banus - Marbella (7.4km team time trial)
Sunday August 23rd stage two: Alhaurin de la Torre - Caminito del Rey (mountain finish 1)
Monday August 24th stage three: Mijas - Malaga 
Tuesday August 25th stage four: Estepona - Vejer de la Frontera (mountain finish 2)
Wednesday August 26th stage five: Rota - Alcalá de Guadáira
Thursday August 27th stage six: Cordoba - Cazorla (mountain finish 3)
Friday August 28th: stage seven: Jodar - Capilleira (mountain finish 4)
Saturday August 29th: stage eight: Puebla de Don Fabrique - Murcia
Sunday August 30th: stage nine: Torrevieja - Cumbre del Sol (mountain finish 5)
Monday August 31st: stage 10: Valencia - Castellon 
Tuesday September 1st: Andorra (rest day 1)
Wednesday September 2nd: stage 11: Andorra - Els Cortals de Encamp (mountain finish 6)
Thursday September 3rd: stage 12: Andorra - Lleida
Friday September 4th: stage 13: Catalayud  - Tarazona
Saturday September 5th: stage 14: Vitoria - Fuente del Chivo (mountain finish 7)
Sunday September 6th: stage 15: Comillas - Jitu de Escarandi (mountain finish 8)
Monday September 7th: stage 16: Luarca  - Ermita del Alba (mountain finish 9)
Tuesday September 8th: Burgos (rest day 2)
Wednesday September 9th: stage 17: Burgos - Burgos: individual time trial (39km)
Thursday September 10th: stage 18: Roa de Duero - Riaza
Friday September 11th: stage 19: Medina del Campo - Avila
Saturday September 12th: stage 20: San Lorenzo de El Escorial - Cercedilla
Sunday September 13th: stage 21: Alcalá de Henares - Madrid.