The 10th edition of the Tour de San Luis was presented a few days. The most important race in South America will have some interesting changes, such as a team time trial and the removal of a mountaintop finish.

Unlike the 2015 Tour which visited Cordoba, the race will be held entirely on San Luis territory for a total of 921.7 kilometers, with a team time tril, two mountain stages with a mountaintop finishes, three days for the sprinters and a medium stage that could be suited to late attacks.

The route keeps some key points like the traditional sprints in Villa Mercedes and San Luis and the summit finishes that have been visited in recent years, particularly the Cerro El Amago. Unlike previous years, the ITT is removed and has been replaced by a 21km team time trial which will be a difficult test for many teams at this early point of the season.

The omission of the summit finish in Potrero de los Funes means that the climbers have to make the difference in the two remaning uphill finishes.

Cerro El Amago is 10.5 kilometers long and averages 7.2%, with particularly tough sections along the way. For example, between km 8 and 7, the gradient is 10.8% while it is 11.5% in the fifth last kilometre and 10% for the next 1000m. The final 1000m average 10.7%.

The second uphill finish includes the climb of Sierra de Comechingones which is 16 kilometers long and averages 7.8%, but the 2000 meters stretch from kilometer 11 and 9 averages 15%. Once past the Mirador del Sol, there is an extra 7 kilometers leading to Filo and the summit finish at 2140m of altitude which were tackled for the first time in 2015.

Another important innovation is stage 3 which goes from Potrero to La Punta. There will be no summit finish but the Mirador del Potrero de los Funes (4.8 kilometers to 6.7%) will be climb. The climb is located 12 kilometers from the finish, meaning that the stage should be selective.

The cycling world will have its words on San Luis between January 17 and 24 when a number of stars gather for the Argentinean race. The organizers plan to announce several stars in the near future.

Stage 1:El Durazno-El Durazno TTT (21km)
Stage 2:San Luis-Villa Mercedes (181.9km)
Stage 3:Potrero de Los Funes-La Punta (Cabildo) (131km)
Stage 4:Terrazas del Portezuelo-Cerro El Amago (140km)
Stage 5:Renca-Juana Koslay (168.7km)
Stage 6:La Toma-Filo de la Sierra de Comechingones (159.5km)
Stage 7:San Luis-San Luis (119.6km)