Vuelta a Espana organizers Unipublic have made a definitive decision: their race is not one for sprinters, time triallists or classics riders, it's one for the climbers. Having been praised for their 2012 route with its 10 uphill finishes, the course designers took it a further notch in 2013 by putting together a race containing no less than 11 of those difficult finales. With 9 summit finishes, they have scaled down the mountainous terrain a bit and with the inclusion of an extra time trial and flatter terrain for the races against the clock, the course seems a bit more balanced. Nonetheless, the climbers lick their lips in anticipation of a race that suits them wellwhile the big sprinters have all given the Vuelta and its many mountains a wide berth. Having attracted a host of the world's best climbers, the Spanish grand tour is set to offer a spectacular end to this year's grand tour season.

  

During the final part of Angelo Zomegnan's reign as race director, the Giro d'Italia became famously known for its extremely tough courses, excessively steep climbs and many mountain stages. Since Michele Acquarone took over the reins prior to the 2012 edition, the race has made a public campaign to attract more stars by making the race more rider-friendly and less tough.

 

While the Italians are in a process of defining more balanced courses with an appeal to a broader spectrum of riders, the Vuelta a Espana organizers Unipublic have taken a completely different path. Gone are the days with long, flat stages along the Spanish motorways. The new rule is that every stage should offer some kind of spectacle and more often than not contain a difficult climb in the end. Automatically, that leads to a harder course with more mountainous terrain than any of their fellow grand tours have offered during the recent two seasons.

 

Few believed it to be possible to design a route with no less than 10 uphill finishes but that was what Unipublic did for the 2012 season. They faced plenty of criticism from riders, most notably the sprinters who mostly decided to avoid the Spanish grand tour, and many observers believed that the extreme number of uphill finishes would make it impossible to keep the race exciting all the way to the end.

 

Those pundits were proved wrong as the race developed into a close three-man battle between Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez with those three riders finishing inside 1.37 of each other. Constant attacks, a late change in race leadership and surprises dominated the three weeks of racing in what was described as one of the best Vueltas for years.

 

Last year the organizers took it a further notch when they included an extra summit finish and again the GC came down to the wire. Going into the penultimate stage which finished atop the mighty Angliru, Chris Horner led Vincenzo Nibali by just 3 seconds and despite the many previous summit finishes, the overall victory came down to the very final kilometres of the final climb.

 

With two big spectacles in 2012 and 2013, it is no wonder that Unipublic has tried to repeat the success and they have done nothing to hide that their race is for climbers and not for sprinters. While the race has had lots of mountaintop finishes, it has usually only had a single time trial of around 40km at the midpoint of the race and it has been held on a very hilly course that suited the climbers just as much as the specialist. In addition to the opening team time trial, that has been the only element for the time triallists who like the sprinters have found little ground to excel in the Spanish grand tour.

 

This year, however, the organizers have taken a small step backwards and put together a course that is slightly more balanced. With no less than 9 summit finishes, it is still a climber’s race but there the winner needs to be a bit more versatile to excel in this race. The opening team time trial may have been scaled down to what is almost just a team prologue but the race has been given an extra individual time trial on the final day. Furthermore, the race’s long midpoint TT is a lot flatter than usual and there is a big chance that the climbers will have a harder time taking back the lost time in the mountains.

 

Another special feature of the Vuelta is the fact that it has often had a hard mountain stage very early in the race and there have been hard climbs throughout the entire race. This year the GC riders will have to bide their time a little longer and they don’t have to be at 100% of their capabilities right from the beginning. The first summit finish comes in stage 6 and the riders will only have had two mountain stages by the time they reach the second rest day. From there, the race gets very tough and there will be no less than 6 major uphill finishes in the final two weeks.

 

Another element that has characterized the Vuelta is the many excessively steep climbs. Climbs like the Angliru. Hazallanas and Bola Del Mundo have provided the climbers with a chance to shine while short steep ramps like the ones in Valdepenas de Jaen and San Lorenzo del Escorial have allowed punchy riders like Joaquim Rodriguez to excel. This year none of those very steep climbers feature on a course that is less extreme and more balanced.

 

In recent years, the organizers have introduced a tradition of having three consecutive mountain stages in the penultimate weekend and this has often been the key point in the race. This trend will continue in 2014 as stages 14, 15 and 16 offer three tough days in the Asturian mountains, with the hardest stage of the race coming right at the end. The triptych comes just days after another hard block that includes two summit finishes and a time trial with a rest day in between.

 

As it has been the case for a few years, the organizers have again decided to have one of its hardest summit finishes on the penultimate day and even though the stage won’t feature monstrous climbs like Angliru and Bola del Mundo as it did in 2013 and 2012, the Puerto del Ancares is one of the hardest mountains of the race. This year, however, the time triallists will have the upper hand in the end as the traditional sprint stage in Madrid has been replaced by a short 9.7km time trial in Santiago de Compostela. Even though time gaps on such a short course will be limited, things could change on the very final day that will celebrate the 800th anniversary visit of St Francis of Assisi’s visit to Santiago de Compostela.

  

While the climbers will excel, the sprinters have mostly decided to skip the Spanish grand tour. Only a few stages seem to suit the pure sprinters and so it is no surprise that riders like Mark Cavendish, André Greipel and Marcel Kittel are among the riders to follow a different schedule. For more versatile riders, however, the race is loaded with opportunities and the first week contains several stages for sprinters that also excel in the classics. It is now wonder that Peter Sagan, John Degenkolb and Michael Matthews will all be on the start line in a race where they could win lots of stages. However, they have to make the most of their opportunities in the first week as there will be very little room to excel in the final two weeks that is almost fully dedicated to the GC riders.

 

Below we give an analysis of each of the race's 21 stages to find out where the race will be decided, where the sprinters will come into action and where the potential pitfalls are hidden.

 

Stage 1, Saturday August 23: Jerez de la Frontera – Jerez de la Frontera, 12.6km TTT

While the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France have had a mix of opening stages, with the Tour varying between prologues and road stages and the Giro using team time trials, prologues and road stages, the Vuelta a Espana seems to stick the format of kicking off their race with a team time trial. For the fifth year in a row, the Spanish grand tour will kick off with the collective discipline that is a perfect way to present the teams and their line-ups for the audience. The race last started with a prologue in 2009 when ?? won the opening time trial and the race hasn’t started with a road stage since ?? when ?? won a bunch sprint.

 

While the Vuelta organizers prefer to kick off their race with a team time trial, they usually try to make the opening stage rather short and it rarely has a big impact on the final general classification. It seems that the intention is to have a mostly ceremonial opening that is not intended to play a major role in the outcome of the race. Last year they slightly deviated from this pattern as the opening stage in Galicia was longer than usual but this year, the race kicks off with a very short 12.6km team time trial that will probably create minimal time gaps between the teams.

 

After last year’s start in Galicia, the 2014 race kicks off in Andalusia in the southern part of the country. The city of Jerez de la Frontera plays host to the grand opening of the three-week race and the opening team time trial will take place entirely in its streets. The short course is completely flat and pretty technical as there are several corners in the first part. Things get a little less complicated in the middle section where the powerful riders get a better chance to make use of their big engines but in the end, a number of corners, including two U-turns, will again challenge the cohesiveness of the teams.

 

Time differences between the best teams in short team time trials are usually very small and on this very short course, it will be a matter of seconds. First and foremost, the stage is important from a psychological point of view as it is preferable to kick off the race on the right footing but with many mountains to come, the time differences won’t play much of a role. While the terrains suits the really powerful riders, the many turns make it more about cohesiveness, technical abilities and acceleration and even though the stage is likely to be won by one of the powerhouses in the discipline, a surprise can’t be ruled out. Very often the technical opening team time trials in the Vuelta have had some strange outcomes and this course has the potential to again raise a few eyebrows.

 

In 2010, HTC-Highroad won the opening team time trial to put Mark Cavendish in the red leader’s jersey. In 2011, Leopard-Trek emerged as the strongest while Movistar was the fastest team in 2012. Last year Astana won the technical opening stage and Janez Brajkovic benefited from the win to become the first leader of the race.

 

 

 

 

Stage 2, Sunday August 24: Algeciras – San Fernando, 174.4km

In the last few years, the Vuelta organizers have significantly reduced the number of sprint finishes and nowadays the fast finishers don’t have many opportunities in the last grand tour of the season. This has prompted many of the sprinters to skip the Spanish grand tour which opens the door for those who are brave enough to spend three weeks on the Iberian Peninsula.

 

The Vuelta is now loaded with summit finishes and the stages with flat finales are often pretty hilly with a climb located near the finish. However, the Vuelta always has at least a few completely flat stages and one of them comes right already in the opening road stage, offering the sprinters their first opportunity a lot earlier than in 2013 when stage 5 offered them their first chance to shine.

 

The stage brings the riders over 174.4km and start in Algeciras near Gibraltar. Most of the stage follows a scenic route along the Mediterranean coast but there is a main digression already from the very start as the riders head inlands to go up the category 3 Alto del Cabrito (9.2km, 3.2%) which is the only climb of the day and will determine the first hold of the mountains jersey. The summit comes after 10.2km of racing and they are virtually all uphill.

 

Having descended back to the coast, the riders stay near the coastline for the remainder of the stage and even though they mainly avoid the coastal road, the terrain is almost completely flat as there are just two smaller climbs in the first half of the race. The riders contest the first intermediate sprint with 80km to go and then they pass close by the finishing circuit of San Fernando a few kilometres later.

 

Instead of heading straight to the finish, the riders make a small loop in the area north of San Fernando. The second intermediate sprint comes 41.9km from the finish and a little later, the riders turn around to head back towards the finish. Here they mainly follow the coastal road and inside the final 10km they travel along a very small isthmus that connects Cadiz with San Fernando.

 

The finale is very technical as there are four 90-degree turns inside the final 2km. They all come in quick succession, with the final right-hand corner coming just a few hundred metres from the line. The road is completely flat but positioning and team support will be just as important as pure speed

 

There may not be many sprinters on the start line but those that are present can’t afford to let this opportunity slip away. With bonus seconds on offer and small time gaps from the team time trial, some of the fast finishers may even have a chance to ride themselves into the red jersey for a day and so they have an added incentive to work for sprint finish. At this early point of a grand tour, there is no chance that an early break will create a surprise in this kind of stage. However, the stage is likely to get off to a very fast start as lots of riders will have their eyes on the opening KOM sprint and a chance to wear the first mountains jersey in the race. For the GC riders, it can be a very nervous day as the finale can potentially be very windy and even though the Vuelta is generally a lot less stressful than the Tour, the main contenders can expect to get their race off to a pretty hectic start.

 

San Fernando has not hosted a stage of the Vuelta in recent years but in 2012 and 2013 it was the scene of the opening prologue of the Vuelta a Andalucia. Patrick Gretsch took the win 2 years ago while Alejandro Valverde laid his foundations for his overall victory by winning last year’s opener.

 

 

 

 

Stage 3, Monday August 25: Cadiz – Arcos de la Frontera, 197.8km

The opening road stage may have been unusually flat for the Vuelta but already on the third day, the riders head into the terrain that characterizes the Spanish grand tour. Even though stage 3 is definitely not one for the GC riders, it offers the riders the chance to slightly test their climbing legs on an undulating route and the puncheurs a chance to shine in a finale that is slightly uphill.

 

The 197.8km stage starts in Cadiz just a few kilometres from the previous finish in San Fernando but this time there is no beautiful ride along the coast. Instead, the riders head inlands right from the gun and even though the first half of the stage is mainly flat, the westerly direction brings them towards the hills in the Los Alcornocales National Park.

 

The climbing starts when the riders go up the category 3 Puerto de Galis whose top is located at the 91.8km mark and from there it is almost straight onto the category 3 Alto Alcornocales (9km, 2.9%). Having descended down to Ubrique, the next 15.6km are all uphill as the riders go up the category 3 Alto del Camino (13.3km, 3.7%)  and contest an intermediate sprint along the way. A short, undulating section with the final intermediate sprint leads to the final category 3 climb, Puerto del Boyar (6.6km, 4.2%) which summits at 1100m of altitude.

 

Then it’s time to turn around, leave the hilly national park and head back towards Jerez de la Frontera where the race started a few days earlier. The final 46.2km consist of a fast descent and a slightly descending road to the finish in Arcos de la Frontera. The easy terrain is interspersed with two uncategorized climbs that are both pretty easy. However, the last of those leads to the finish and the final 1.8km are mostly uphill with an average gradient of 4.7% before the road flattens with 400m to go. The finale is a bit technical as a long straight roads leads to two sweeping bends just a few hundred metres from the line.

 

There may not be any major climbs in this stage but the terrain is still pretty hard and there will definitely be some tired legs at the end of this stage. It will be a pretty hard stage to control as it is hard for the sprint teams to go too fast in the hilly zone and so the early break will probably not get too much of an advantage. Due to the small time gaps, the fresh legs and the easy finale, however, the stage is likely to come back together for a sprint. The climb to the finish should be manageable for many sprinters but it should be too hard for the pure ones. The finale is tailor-made for riders like John Degenkolb, Michael Matthews and Peter Sagan who will both have their eyes set on the red jersey and we should see an interesting mix of sprinters and puncheurs mix it up on the streets of Arcos de la Frontera.

 

 

 

 

Stage 4, Tuesday August 26: Mairena del Alcor – Cordoba 164.7km

After three stages in terrain that has rarely been visited by the Vuelta a Espana, it is time for a Vuelta a Espana classic. The fourth stage of the race brings the riders over 172.6km from Mairena del Alcor to the well-known finish in Cordoba that has been used a couple of times in the past. The starting city is located just west of Sevilla in the hottest part of Spain and there is a big risk that the riders will have to tackle some brutal conditions in these opening days of the race.

 

This area is pretty flat and so the first part of the stage is very easy. The riders travel in a straight line from the start towards the finishing city of Cordoba and the only highlight on the plains is the first intermediate sprint which comes with 84.9km to go.

 

Things get interesting when the riders hit the bottom of the category 3 Alto de San Jeronimo (4.3km, 7.0%) which summits with 54.3km to go and serves as a warm-up for the difficult finale. Having descended down to Cordoba where the final intermediate sprint is located, the riders take on the well-known 36.9km circuit in the area north of the city.

 

It’s a pretty tough affair as the riders head straight up the first category 2 climb of the race, the Alto del Catorce por ciento (8km, 4.8%). The summit comes with 26km to go and after a short undulating section, the riders head down the descent back towards Cordoba. The final 8km, however, consist of an almost completely flat run back to the finishing city. The final 800m are slightly uphill with an average gradient of 1-1.5%. The finale is non-technical as the final roundabout comes more from a kilometre from the finish and then the road only bends slightly to the right before the riders hit the long finishing straight.

 

The finishing circuit has been used several times in recent editions of the race and so the riders know what to expect. In 2011, Liquigas did a major coup on the descent when four of the team’s riders, Vincenzo Nibali, Eros Capecchi, Peter Sagan and Valerio Agnoli escaped with Pablo Lastras before Sagan beat the latter in the sprint. Another group rolled in 17 seconds later while the peloton was 6 seconds further adrift.

 

In 2009, the riders did the circuit in the opposite direction, meaning that there was a shorter flat stretch in the end, and back then it was a day for a breakaway. Lars Boom took a solo victory while the peloton took it easy and arrived at the finish more than 25 minutes later. In 2008, the riders did it in the 2014 direction and this time Tom Boonen beat Daniele Bennati in a sprint from a reduced peloton.

 

Due to the long distance from the top of the climb to the finish, this is not a day for the GC riders to make a move and history shows that the strongest sprinters can make it over the climb with the best. While the sprinters will try to dig deep on the ascent to stay with the peloton, the GC riders will take care of the descent to avoid a repeat of the 2011 scenario where Nibali gained more than 20 seconds on most of his rivals. Due to the flat stretch in the end, however, it will take a pretty strong team effort to maintain the gaps to the finish. Peter Sagan will love to repeat his 2011 win here and we can expect Cannondale to try to make the race hard and set up their Slovakian captain for a stage win and maybe the red jersey.

 

 

 

 

Stage 5, Wednesday August 27: Priego de Cordoba – Ronda 180km

The Vuelta a Espana may have a reputation for not being a race for fast finishers but for the versatile sprinters, the first week is loaded with opportunities. Having already had a chance in the last three stages, their string of opportunities continue in stage 5 which should again finish in a sprint.

 

The stage brings the riders over 180km from Priego de Cordoba to Ronda as the riders turn around and head back towards the coast and a finish close to Jerez de la Frontera where it all kicked off a few days earlier. The terrain in this area can be pretty hilly but the organizers have put together a route that is mainly flat. It may be slightly up or down for most of the time but it should be nothing to prevent the sprinters from staying in contention. The main highlights are the intermediate sprints that come with 125km and 58.5km to go respectively.

 

As is usual for the Vuelta, however, the riders won’t just have a flat run-in to the finish in Ronda. In the final part of the race, the riders will go up the long, gradual ascent to the top of the category 3 Puerto del Sotillo (12.5km, 3.3%) and even though it is not a very hard climb, it is likely to be too tough for some of the sprinters. The top comes just 15.2km from the finish and they are mainly flat as there is no real descent after the summit. The final kilometre is slightly uphill with an average gradient of 1-1.5% and is completely non-technical as the line comes at the end of a long straight road with no turns for several kilometres.

 

Due to the late climb and the punchy finale, several sprinters will be a bit uncertain about their chances in this stage but for riders like Peter Sagan, Michael Matthews and John Degenkolb, it is a perfect stage. Most of the race will be pretty easy to control and as we are still in the first week, many riders are still fresh. Furthermore, one of the strong sprinters is likely to wear jersey and all these elements suggest that this should be another sprint finish. Some of the puncheurs may be eager to test themselves in this kind of finale while the GC riders hope for an easy stage on the eve of the first test in the mountains.

 

Ronda has only hosted one major bike race in recent year when Alessandro Petacchi won a bunch sprint in the 2006 Vuelta a Andalucia

 

 

 

 

Stage 6, Thursday August 28: Benalmadena – La Zubia 167.1km

Until now, the GC riders have been biding their time but on the sixth day, it is finally time to find out who will be in contention for the Vuelta victory. Stage 6 offers the first major summit finish which comes unusually late in a race that often tests the GC riders already in the opening stages.

 

Overnight the riders have travelled back to the coast for a start in Benalmadena between Marbella and Malaga and the first part is an easy run on the coastal road through Malaga and further towards the east. The terrain will change after 47km of racing when the riders turn left to head into the Andalucian mountains. First up is the category 2 Alto de Zafarraya (12.3km, 5.8%) which is the hardest climb of the race so far.

 

After the top, there are no major climbs but the terrain is definitely not flat. There is no descent and instead the riders will tackle two uncategorized climbs on tough, rolling roads in a part of Spain that is usually very hot. Things culminate with the category 3 Alto de Bermejo (5.8km, 5.2%) which summits 50.3km from the finish and from there things get a bit easier.

 

The riders now travel along slightly descending or flat roads to the bottom of the final climb to the finish in La Zubia and will contest the two intermediate sprints in quick succession with 21.9km and 14.1km to go respectively. That’s a warm-up for the final, brutal ascent which is a short, very steep affair. Over just 4.6km, it has a pretty easy average gradient of 7.8% but the numbers are deceptive. After an easy first 500m, the road flattens for the next 500m before the hostilities start. The next kilometre has an average gradient of 12.78% and from there the gradient is pretty constant at around 10%. The final climb e is non-technical as it is just a long straight road.

 

The final climb may be steep but it is not very long and so the time differences will be pretty small. As it is the first summit finish of the race, however, it is extremely important from a psychological point of view as everybody wants to get their race off to a good start. As time gaps are small and lots of riders are confident, history shows that the first summit finish is usually one for the GC riders and as the first part of the stage is not too hard to control, we will expect the GC riders to battle it out for the stage win. Joaquim Rodriguez and Nairo Quintana need the bonus seconds and this further suggests that this should be a stage for the race favourites. History shows that the first mountain stage is often raced pretty conservatively but the stage should definitely give a first indication of who’s going to win the Vuelta even though the short final climb will suit the punchier guys more than the real climbers.

 

The final climb has been used in the Vuelta a Andalucia three times within the last ten years. In 2005 Serge Baguet took a surprise victory while Dario Cioni was the strongest two years later. In 2008 Cadel Evans beat Mikel Astarloza and Juan Manuel Garate in this finish and all three races prove that time gaps are usually pretty small.

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 7, Friday August 29: Alhendin – Alcaudete 169km

After the first test in the mountains, the GC rider should get an easier day to reflect on their gains and losses. However, they need to stay attentive in the finale as stage 7 is another typically undulating affair with a tricky end that will make many riders a bit uncertain about what to expect.

 

The riders are still in Andalucia and will spend another day in the terrain just north of the Costa del Sol. Unlike in the previous stage, however, the organizers have found no major climbs for the 169km stage 7 which starts in Alhendin near Granada. From there, they travel in a northwesterly direction along slightly undulating roads, with the main challenge being the category 3 Alto de Illora (7.8km, 6.6%) at the 29.8km mark. After 76km of racing they will contest the first intermediate sprint and then they will be on mainly descending roads in the final part that leads to the finishing city of Alcaudete.

 

Here the riders will go up the category 2 climb Alto Ahillo (12.1km, 4.0%). The finish line comes after 3.9km of climbing and here the riders will contest the final intermediate sprint. Then they take on the 55.9km finishing circuit on the northern outskirts of Alcaudete that is a mixed affair. The first part consists of the final section of the climb and then it’s a fast descent before the riders hit some slightly undulating toads that lead to the city of Noguerones with 14.6km to go. From here, it is slightly uphill all the way to the finish, with the final 2.2km again being the first part of the Alto Ahillo and having a gradient of 3.9%. The finale is mostly non-technical as the finish line comes at the end of a long road that bends slightly to the left in the finale.

 

The final slight rise to the finish is definitely not hard enough for the GC riders to make a difference and they will just stay attentive to avoid any potential splits in the finale. For the puncheurs like Philippe Gilbert, Peter Sagan, Michael Matthews and John Degenkolb, however, this is another great opportunity in a first week that is loaded with chances. For Gilbert, it may even be one of his best opportunities in the entire race and so we could BMC take some responsibility in the stage. On the other hand, bigger time gaps will now have opened up and depending on the number of stage wins for riders like Sagan, Matthews and Degenkolb, this could be a day for a breakaway.

 

 

 

 

Stage 8, Saturday August 30: Baeza – Albacete 207km

The sprinters don’t get an awful lot of opportunities in the Vuelta but actually there is plenty of flat terrain in Spain. On day 8, the riders will start their long journey towards the northern part of the country and the major mountain stages and this includes a section on the plains just north of Murcia. At 207km, stage 8 is the longest of the race and will bring the riders in a northeasterly direction from Baeza to Albacete in what can be described as a transitional day.

 

The roads are slightly undulating in the first part and then it’s a long, very gradual rise to the first intermediate sprint at the 127.4km mark. Moments, later the riders reach the highest point of the stage and from there, it is very slightly descending roads all the way to the finish in Albacete. The only highlight is the final intermediate sprint which comes with 53km to go. There are no categorized climbs on the course

 

The final 2km are completely flat and there are no major technical challenges either. The riders will turn right in a roundabout 900m from the line and from there it is a long, straight road to the finish.

 

This may be the longest stage of the race but when it comes to the terrain, it is definitely one of the easiest. This is a chance that the sprinters cannot miss and so the racing will probably be firmly controlled by the sprint teams. With a long finishing straight, this is one of the few sprints that suit the really power sprinters and they will all be keen to grab this opportunity before the race heads back into the mountains. For the GC riders, it is all about getting as easily through the stage as possible but they have to stay aware as these Spanish plains can be windy and pretty dangerous.

 

Albacete hasn’t hosted a stage since 2013 when Alessandro Petacchi won a bunch sprint before Isidro Nozal beat David Millar in a time trial one day later. In 2011, Robert Hunter beat Danilo Hondo in a sprint while Oscar Freire was the fastest in 2000. In 1999, Marcel Wüst beat Stefano Zanini in a sprint to kick off a string that saw him take three consecutive stage victories.

 

 

 

 

Stage 9, Sunday August 31: Carboneras de Gaudazaon – Aramon Valdelinares 181km

The riders are going into their 9th consecutive day of racing and will now be looking forward to the first rest day. However, it will be dangerous to test too early as the first week comes to an end with the second mountaintop finish of the race and the second big test for the GC contenders.

 

The stage brings the riders over 185km from Carboneras de Guadazon to Aramon Valdelinares and mostly continues the northeasterly journey that the riders started in the previous transitional stage. The first half of the stage takes place in terrain that is very similar to the previous stage as the roads are mainly flat for the first 106km. The only highlight is the first intermediate sprint that comes just 4.5km before that mark.

 

The final 79km, however, are more difficult but the riders will get a gentle introduction to the climbing. First they go up the category 3 Puerto de Cabigordo (18km, 4.4%) which is a long gradual affair. After the summit, the roads are slightly descending for the next 36km and the final intermediate sprint comes at the 132.8km mark.

 

The finale kicks off with 25km to go when the riders hit the bottom of the category 2 Alto de San Rafael (11.5km, 4.3%). After the summit, there is a very short 5.5km descent before the riders hit the bottom of the day’s main challenge, the category 1 climb to the finish. Even though the organizers have split the climb into two, the short descent means that it is almost like one long ascent.

 

The final climb is 8km long and has an average gradient of 6.6% and a maximum of 8.5%. It is a pretty regular affair as the first 5km have a pretty constant gradient of around 7%. Then there is an easier section which leads to the two toughest kilometres that average 8.5%. At just 2.5%, the final kilometre is the easiest part of the climb. The finale is not very technical as the finish line comes at the end of a long straight road.

 

This may be the second big mountain test of the race but the climbing is not very tough. With a pretty easy start to the stage, the riders will be pretty fresh when they arrive at the bottom of the penultimate climb which is not steep enough to make a huge selection. The big battle between the favourites will take place on the final climb but due to the easy gradient, time gaps will be pretty small. With the flat final kilometre, it could come down to a sprint from a 3-4 riders. Due to the flat finish, the likes of Alejandro Valverde and Joaquim Rodriguez may fancy their chance in this stage and they may be keen to secure themselves a stage win and important bonus seconds. On the other hand, the stage is not very prestigious and with an important time trial coming up, this could be a day for a breakaway.

 

 

 

 

 

Monday September 1: Rest day

 

Stage 10, Tuesday September 2: Real Monasterio de Santa Maria de Veruela – Borja , 36.7km ITT

After the first rest day, riders are often a bit uncertain about how their legs will react to the resumption of the competition and so many prefer to have an easy day to get back into racing mode. For most of the riders, they will have their wish fulfilled as stage 10 is the first time trial of the race which is like another rest day for those not targeting the GC or the stage win.

 

For the GC riders, however, it is one of the most important days of the entire race. In recent years, the organizers have not had an awful lot of time trialling and in addition to an opening team time trial, the race has mostly only had one individual race against the clock at around 40km. Very often it has come at the midpoint of the race and has been a pretty hilly affair that has made it possible for the climbers to limit their losses.

 

This year, the time triallists are slightly more favoured. Again the main individual time trial comes at the midpoint and at 36.7km, it has its usual length. Most importantly, however, it is significantly flatter than hilly courses used in 2012 and 2013 and it should suit the specialists a lot more. Furthermore, the time triallists will get an extra chance to gain time as the race will end with another ITT on the final day.

 

A Vuelta time trial is never completely flat and the climbers will be pleased to know that the first 11.2km of the 36.7km course from Real Monasterio de Santa Maria de Veruela to Borja are all uphill. The first 9km are very slightly descending and lead to the bottom of the category 3 Alto del Moncayo (2.2km 4.1%). From there, the roads are slightly descending all the way to the finish in Borja. After the top of the climb, there are a few turns that make things a bit more technical but very soon, the roads get a lot straighter. The final 6.7km are almost all on a long, wide road to the finish in Borja where there are a few turns inside the final 2km.

 

There may be a small climb in the beginning of the stage but due to the easy gradients, powerful riders like Tony Martin and Fabian Cancellara will be able to climb it faster than the climbers. The second part of the course suits the real specialists and Martin and Cancellara will relish the chance to go head to head on a course that suits them well. However, they have to take Chris Froome into contention as the Brit almost beat Martin on an even flatter course in last year’s Tour and he will be eager to deal his rivals a huge blow. On this kind of course, he can gain a lot of time on his rivals and riders like Joaquim Rodriguez and Nairo Quintana will be pleased to have this one out of the way pretty early as they now know how much time they need to take back in the mountains.

 

Borja hasn’t hosted a Vuelta stage in the millennium but in 2000 and 2003 it played host to bunch sprints in the Vuelta a Aragon. Oscar Freire was the fastest in the former year while Alessandro Petacchi won in the latter.

 

 

 

 

Stage 11, Wednesday September 3: Pamplona – San Miguel de Aralar 153.4km

The first week may have mostly about survival for the GC riders but the second one offers lots of terrain where a difference can be made. After their defeat in the time trial, the climbers will get an immediate opportunity to take back some time when the race continues with its hardest mountain stage yet which will see the riders tackle some of the climbs just south of the Basque Country.

 

At just 153.4km, the stage is very short and brings the riders from the major city of Pamplona to a mountaintop finish at the Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar. Like the first mountain stages of the race, it is not a hard day with numerous climbs as the two only ascents come at the end, with the climb to the finish being the only big challenge. The first part of the stage brings the riders along flat roads on the plains south of Pamplona until they reach the first intermediate sprint in Tafalla after 59km of racing from where they turn around to head in a northwesterly direction back towards the hillier terrain.

 

The riders hit the foot of the mountains after 96.2km of racing where they contest the final intermediate sprint before going up a small uncategorized ascent. With 50.1km to go, they reach the bottom of the category 3 Puerto de Lizarrega (18.3km, 2.6%) which is a long, gradual climb that gets a bit steeper near the top. It is followed by a fast descent and around 10km of flat valley roads before it is time for the final category 1 climb to the finish.

 

At 9.9km, it is the longest finishing climb yet and with an average gradient of 7.5%, it should be a lot harder than the one tackled three days earlier. The first part is rather easy with a gradient of 6-8% but then it gets a bit harder with two-digit gradient for the next kilometre. The seventh kilometre gives a little room for recovery but then the riders hit the steepest part with a 14% section where the real difference can be made. The final 2km are a lot easier, with section of around 8% interspersed with easier gradient of 4-5%. The final kilometre has a gradient of around 5%. There’s a 90-degree right-hand turn just 100m from the line and it will be crucial to go into that in the first position.

 

The final climb may not be as steep as the one used for stage 6 but it is a bit longer and should offer a chance to open bigger time gaps. On the other hand, the stage is both short and easy which means that the riders will be pretty fresh at the bottom of the final climb. The first ascent may be used to ride tempo but as it is very easy, it will not create a huge selection. Instead, it will all come down to a battle between the GC riders on the final climb. The stage will be pretty easy to control and so some of the climbers may be keen to have a chance to score bonus seconds. On the other hand, the stage is not very prestigious and depending on the situation after the time trial, it could be a day for a breakaway.

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 12, Thursday September 4: Logrono – Logrono 166.4km

We have barely passed the hallway point of the race but the sprinters have already had most of their opportunities. In fact the second half of the race only offers to chances for the fast finishers and gives them very little incentive to stay in the race.

 

The first of those opportunities comes in stage 12 which is probably the easiest stage of the entire race. Unlike the Tour de France, the Vuelta has occasionally had stages that are held entirely as circuit races and mostly they have been fully dedicated to the sprinters. This will again be the case on the 12th day of racing when the riders tackle a completely flat 20.8km circuit on the southern outskirts of Logrono in the northern part of Spain.

 

The 166.4km stage is made up of 8 laps of the circuit that is flat and non-technical. There are no categorized climbs and very small elevation differences. The main highlights are the intermediate sprints that come 600m before the finish line at the end of the 2nd and 6th laps respectively. Like the rest of the stage, the final 5km are almost completely flat and there aren’t many technical challenges either. Just before the flame rouge, the riders go through two turns in quick succession but from there it is a long straight road to the finish in Logrono.

 

With only one other opportunity left, the sprinters cannot allow themselves to let this one slip away and there is virtually no chance that this will not be decided in a bunch sprint. The GC riders will be pleased to get easily through the stage after two important days for the overall battle but will have to stay attentive in case the wind is strong. Otherwise it should be a straightforward day for the sprinters who will relish the chance to reach their top speed on the long finishing straight that suits the real power sprinters.

 

The stage is almost a carbon copy of stage 5 of the 2012 edition of the race that was also held on a circuit in Logrono. Back then, John Degenkolb beat Daniele Bennati and Gianni Meersman in a bunch sprint. In 2007, Oscar Freire won a bunch kick in the city which proves that the fast finishers usually rule in Logrono.

 

 

 

 

Stage 13, Friday September 5: Belorado – Obregon 188.7km

After a completely flat day, it is back into hillier terrain for stage 13 which could offer the fast puncheurs and the strongest sprinters a chance to shine before the race heads into its most important block of mountain stages. The stage brings the riders over 188.7km from Belorado to the Parque de Cabarceno in Obregon close to Santander and the coast west of the Basque Country.

 

The starting city is located on the windy plains between Burgos and Logrono and so the first part of the stage is very similar to the previous day’s racing. The roads are completely flat as the riders travel in a northwesterly direction towards the coast where the terrain is significantly hillier. The first intermediate sprint comes at the 93km marks and signals the start of the climbing as the riders hit the category 3 Alto Estacas de Trueba (11.1km, 3.1%) just 6km further up the road.

 

After the top, the riders take on a long descent down from the plateau before taking on the category 3 Puerto de la Braguia (6km, 6.1%) and the category 2 Aldo del Caracol (10.5km, 5.5%) in quick succession. The latter summits 37.2km from the finish and they most consist of a descent and flat roads towards the finish near the coast, with the final intermediate sprint coming just 9.7km from the line.

 

The finale, however, is very tricky. With 2.4km to go, the riders hit the bottom of a short, steep climb of a little less than a kilometre that has an average gradient of more than 10%. Its top comes just 1.7km from the line and from there it is a rolling road to the finish. The finale is not very technical though as ther is only a sweeping right-hand bend inside the final kilometre.

 

The final climb will rule out the pure sprinters while the stage is another one that is tailor-made for Peter Sagan. For sprinters like John Degenkolb and Michael Matthews, the final climb could be a bit too steep but there will be time to get back in contention. As they don’t have many opportunities left, there is a big chance that they will try to keep things together for a bunch sprint. On the other hand, fatigue has started to set in and the second half of the stage is definitely not easy to control. Hence, it could also be a day for a breakaway as the GC riders will be keen to have an easy day on the eve of the mountain stages. The wind could also play a role in this part of the country and so it will be important to stay attentive.

 

 

 

 

Stage 14, Saturday September 6: Santander – La Camperona (Sotillos de Sobera) 200.8km

The Vuelta a Espana organizers have introduced a tradition that sees them host three consecutive mountain stages in the penultimate weekend of the race. This will be the case in 2014 as well and the three days in the Asturian mountains form the most important block of racing that will go a long way in determining the overall classification ahead of the final week which is not overly tough.

 

The first stage in the triptyck brings the riders over 200.7km from the coastal city Santander near yesterday’s finish in a southwesterly direction to a mountaintop finish on La Camperona in the Asturian mountains. The first part of the stage is pretty easy as it brings the riders along slightly undulating roads, with the only challenge being the category 2 Collada de la Hoz (7.1km, 6.0%). The first intermediate sprint comes after 35.7km of racing.

 

The climbing starts for real at the 110km mark when the riders hit the bottom of the category 1 Puerto de San Glorio (20.9km, 5.8%, max. 11.67%) which brings them back onto the plateau they left one day earlier. It’s a pretty mixed climb with an easy start and then several 7-8% sections interspersed with easier parts that give room for recovery. The climb gets a bit steeper near the top.

 

After the summit, there is a very short descent before the riders hit the flat plains that can be pretty windy. They will contest the final intermediate sprint at the 159.6km mark while they prepare for the brutal final category 1 climb that leads to the finish. At just 8.3km, it is pretty short and the average gradient is just 7.5%. However, one shouldn’t be fooled by the numbers as the ascent can be split into two. The first four kilometres are very easy with a gradient of 2-4% and lead to a slightly harder section at 6-8%. However, the real challenge is the brutal final 2km. The gradient stays above the 14% mark and even includes sections of 24% before the road flattens slightly for the final 500m which have a gradient of around 8%. The finale is non-technical as a long, straight road leads to the finish.

 

The final steep ramp has Joaquim Rodriguez written all over it and there is no doubt that he has made this stage one of his big goals of the race. The terrain is pretty easy to control and we can expect Katusha to make sure that all is set up for their captain in the finale. In the end, it is likely to come down to a battle between the GC contenders on the final ramp. Of course the time gaps will be counted in seconds on such a short climb but these gradients can create bigger differences than one would initially expect.

 

The final climb has not been used in previous editions of the race but the penultimate climb was the scene of Alberto Contador’s big coup in 2012 when he dethroned Joaquim Rodriguez on his way to the finish in Fuente De.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 15, Sunday September 7: Oviedo – Lagos de Covadonga 152.2km

The second chapter in the mountain triptych that the Vuelta usually has in its penultimate weekend, is a real Vuelta a Espana classic. While the Giro and Tour are loaded with mythical climbs that have been visited time after time, the Vuelta have less historical ascents. One of the few is the Lagos de Covadonga that has been climbed several times and is a place where most riders would love to win.

 

This year the climb is back after a one-year absence and the stage will be very similar to a classic Covadonga stage in the sense that it is a mostly flat affair that culminates with the final ascent. The stage will bring the riders over just 152.2km from the start in Oviedo to the finish at the top of the climb. From the start, the riders head straight to the coast and the first part consists of a long run along the seafront on typical, rolling coastal roads. The main highlights are the intermediate sprints that come at the 55 and 97.4km marks respectively.

 

The climbing starts at the 109km mark when the riders turn right to leave the coast and go up the category 2 Puerto del Torno (8.2km, 5.5%). The descent is interrupted by several small climbs and leads to the bottom of the final 12.2km ascent which is the first HC category climb of the race. The average gradient is just 7.2% but the numbers ae deceptive as the final 3km include two small descents. The first 9km are very tough as the gradient hover between 7% and 14%, with several two-digit sections and no room for recovery. The final 3km are s lot easier as a small descent leads to 2km with a gradient of 7-10% while the final 1.2km are slightly downhill. However, there is a steep 17.5% ramp of around 100m that leads to the finish. The finale is not very technical as there is just a single right-hand turn a few hundred metres from the line.

 

This is one of the mythical stages of the race but very often it comes in the middle of the mountain triptych in the penultimate weekend. This means that the GC riders have been keen to save their energy for the third mountain stage which has often been the easiest and so the stage has been won by a breakaway in the two most recent editions. The terrain is pretty easy to control and so it will not be too difficult to make it a day for the GC riders but as they will be keen to save energy for the queen stage, there is a great chance that this will be a day for a breakaway. In any case, however, the GC riders will have a great battle on the final climb which is one of the hardest of the race and has the potential to open significant time gaps.

 

Lagos De Covadonga was last visited in 2012 when Antonio Piedra emerged as the strongest from a breakaway while Alberto Contador made repeated attempts to distance Joaquim Rodriguez but failed to do so. In 2010 Carlos Barredo won from a breakaway while Vincenzo Nibali lost a bit of ground to key rival Ezequiel Mosquera in the finale. In 2007, the stage was the first big mountain stage of the race and it was Vladimir Efimkin who was a surprise survivor from a long breakaway and took both the stage win and the leader’s jersey. The other three winners in this millennium are Eladio Jimenez, Juan Miguel Mercado and Andrei Zintchenko who won in 2005, 2001 and 2000 respectively

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 16, Monday September 8: San Martin del Rey Aurelio – Lagos de Somiedo (La Farrapona), 160.5km

The triptych of mountain stages comes to an end with the queen stage. The 160.5km stage from San Martin del Rey Aurelio to Lagos de Somiedo on the La Farrapona climb is the hardest of the entire race and is the only really big mountain stage with numerous well-known climbs from start to finish.

 

The stage takes place in the heart of the Asturian mountains just south of Oviedo and mainly bring the riders in a westerly direction on a course that zigzags its way through the terrain to include several big ascents. The hostilities start almost right from the start as 10.2km of slightly ascending valley roads lead to the bottom of the category 1 Alto de la Colladona (7.4km, 6.7%, max. 11.67%) which is a pretty affair with two steep section at the midpoint and near the top.

 

The descent leads to the only easy part of the stage where the riders travel along slightly descending valley roads until the hit the bottom of the category 2 Alto del Cordal (7.6km, 6.2%) after 61.8km of racing. The descent leads straight to the first intermediate sprint at the bottom of the category 1 Alto de la Cobertoria (10km, 8.8%, max. 16%) which is probably the hardest climb of the stage. After an easy start, the gradient barely drops below the 10% mark for most of the climb before the road flattens near the top.

 

After the descent, there is a short section in the valley where the riders will contest the final intermediate sprint before they start to climb the category 1 Puerto de San Lorenzo (10.1km, 8.5%, max. 13%). It is very similar to the previous climb in the sense that the first part is very easy but in the second half, the gradient stays above the 10% mark all the time. Another fast descent leads to the valley where the road is slightly ascending until the final category 1 climb officially starts at the 144km mark.

 

At 16.5km, it is the longest climb of the stage but its average gradient of 6.2% is not overly hard. Like the previous two climbs, however, it has slightly deceptive data as the first 11km are pretty easy with a gradient of around 5%, several flat sections and even a small descent. However, the final 5.5km are very tough as the gradient is constantly around 10% and in the final 2km, it is even steeper at 11.5-12%. The final 500m are a bit easier at a gradient of 8%. There are a number of switchbacks in the finale but the finish line is located at the end of a long, straight road.

 

This is undoubtedly the hardest stage of the entire race and as it comes at the end of a triptych of mountain stages, it has the potential to do a lot of damage. With several hard climbs, the strong teams can make this a really tough day right from the beginning and the third and fourth climbs are both very suitable to making a selection as they are very tough. The battle among the GC riders is likely to come down to the final climb but with only a short valley section in between the two final mountains, we may see some action already on the San Lorenzo. The finally climb is pretty hard and the final 5.5km can create very significant time gaps. This is the day when you don’t want to have bad legs as you can lose lots of time if you get dropped already on one of the earlier ascents. For the climbers that are no longer in GC contention, it is the perfect day for a long-distance breakaway and as it will be very hard to control the stage, it is likely that it will be won a by a formidable climber who has attacked already on the first climb.

 

The climb was last used in 2011 when Rein Taaramae emerged as the strongest from an early breakaway while Juan Jose Cobo sent the first clear signal that he could win the race overall when he dropped all his rivals to finish second, gaining 20 seconds on Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday September 9: Rest day

 

Stage 17, Wednesday September 9: Ortigueira – A Coruna 190.7km

After a well-deserved rest day, the riders head into the final block of racing that has a bit of everything with a stage for the sprinters, two summit finishes, a stage for a breakaway and a time trial. Many riders will be pleased that it all starts with the easiest stage of the final week as it will give them the chance to ease back into competition and get a gentle reintroduction to racing.

 

While the first week offered several opportunities for the sprinters, the final two weeks have been almost fully dedicated to the climbers and there are very few incentives for the GC riders to stay in the race. The final week only leaves one opportunity and it already comes with four hard stages still to go. During the previous three mountain stages, the sprinters will have thought a lot about stage 17 which has been the reason for them to go up the many mountains.

 

The riders have now reached Galicia where the race will end, and the riders will kick off  their time in the region with a 190.7km stage from Ortigueira to A Coruna in the northwestern part of the country. A big part of the stage takes place along coastal roads which means that the roads are of the rolling, twisting nature that characterize such stretches.

 

Even though there are a number of smaller climbers, none of them are categorized and the main highlights are the intermediate sprints that come at the 78.2km and 171.9km marks respectively. In the first part, the riders don’t touch the coastline but when they reach the city of Ferrol after 60km of racing, they will follow the coastal road until they pass close by the finishing city of A Coruna with 65.7km to go. From here, they tackle a small circuit on the southern outskirts of the city before they return to the city for what is likely to be a final sprint. The riders will follow the coastal road for the final few kilometres which means that there are lots of sweeping bends but no sharp turns before the riders bend slightly to the left in the finale. The final 2km are completely flat.

 

This is the final chance for the sprinters and so it is unlikely that it won’t be decided in a bunch sprint. At this point in a grand tour, however, the riders are very tired and there is a chance that a strong breakaway will be able to stay away. There is also a risk that many of the fast finishers have left the race already in the second week which will give the escapees an even better chance. The remaining sprinters, however, know that this is their final opportunity and they will do their utmost to set up a sprint finish. The GC riders have to stay attentive as the coastal wind is a clear threat.

 

 

 

 

Stage 18, Thursday September 10: A Estrada – Monte Catrove en Meis 157km

There won’t be much chance for the GC riders to recover in the final two weeks of the race. After just one easier stage, it is back into the serious business as the riders will tackle another summit finish in stage 18. Even though the climbs are not very easy and it is not a big mountain stage, it is another day to stay attentive and at this point of the race, time differences can definitely be made.

 

The riders are still in Galicia and the day will offer more of the coastal riding that often characterize racing in this region. At just 157km, it is another short stage that brings the riders from A Estrada to the summit finish on the Monte Castrove near the city of Meis. From the start, they head straight to the coast and the first part of the stage consists of a long run along the typical rolling coastal roads in Galicia where the wind can be a potential danger. After 60km of racing, they reach Vilanova de Arousa which hosted the start of last year’s race.

 

From here, they continue along the coastal road to the city of Sanxenxo where the opening team time trial ended in 2013 and where they will contest the first intermediate sprint with 58.4km to go. Moments later they hit the 23.9km finishing circuit that consists of a rolling run along the coastal road to the finish in Pontevedra, a climb to the finish on the top of Monte Castrove and a descent back to the coast.

 

The riders will hit the category 2 climb (6.5km, 7.1%) for the first time with 30.4km to go and then descend back to Ponetevedra for the final intermediate sprint which comes just 9.2km from the finish. Then it is back onto climb for the final time. The riders reach the summit 700m from the line and then it is slightly descending in the final part. There are a number of switchbacks on the climb but the final one comes more than 2km from the finish and from there the road is mostly straight.

 

The final climb of Monte Castrove is not the hardest climb in the race but at this point in a grand tour, it will definitely make a difference and we should see small time gaps between the overall contenders. Last year a similar stage with a finish on the Alto del Naranco produced surprisingly big time differences as Vincenzo Nibali was struggling unexpectedly. Even though this is not the hardest stage of the race, it is a chance for the climbers to gain some seconds and there will definitely be a battle on the final climb. However, the stage win is likely to be taken by an escapee as this is not one of the very prestigious mountain stages

 

 

 

 

Stage 19, Friday September 11: Salvaterra de Miño – Cangas de Onis 180.5km

While the Tour de France is usually a pretty controlled affair dominated by sprinters or GC riders, the Vuelta a Espana usually have lots of opportunities for the attackers. The 2014 edition is no exception and there should be a few ones for them in the final week too.

 

One of them comes in stage 19 which is another typical Galician stage that mainly has the riders riding along the coast. It brings them over 180.5km from Salvaterra de Miño to Cangas de Onis and the first part consists of a flat run from the starting city to the sea where the riders will contest the first intermediate sprint after 59km of racing.

 

Instead of following the coastal road, the riders will go up the category 2 Alto de Monte da Groba (12km, 4.3%) which played a key role in last year’s race as it was the first summit finish already in stage 2. This time, however, it won’t be the final climb and after the top, the riders will descend back to the coast where they will ride along the seafront for most of the final part of the stage, contesting the final intermediate sprint at the 124.7km mark.

 

However, the riders will make a small digression in the finale. Instead of continuing all the way to the finish in Cangas do Morrazo, they will go up the category 2 Alto Monte Faro (4.7km, 8.4%). The summit comes just 15.5km from the finish and they consist of a fast descent back to the coast and then a rolling run along the seafront to the finish. There’s a small uncategorized climb in the finale, summiting just 2.5km from the line from and then a short descent leads to the final 1.5km that are only very slightly descending. The finish line comes at the end of a long, wide road that only bends slightly to the left close to the finish line.

 

The final climb is pretty steep which means that only a rider like Peter Sagan can realistically hope to make it over the top with the best. Hence, Cannondale is probably the only sprint team that may target this stage and there is even a chance that Peter Sagan has abandoned the race at this point. Furthermore, it is the final opportunity for most of the riders in this race which means that the start will be extremely fast and very hard to control. It is hard to imagine that this stage won’t be won by an early escape but if key teams miss out, there is a chance that things will come back together for a fast finisher to take the win in a reduced bunch sprint. The GC riders hope for an easy stage but again have to be aware of the possibly windy conditions.

 

Cangas do Morazzo hosted a stage of the Vuelta a Galicia in 1999 when Marcel Wüst beat Angel Edo in a bunch sprint.

 

 

 

 

Stage 20, Saturday September 12: Santa Estebo de Ribas do Sil – Puerto de Ancares Ancares 185.7km

In recent years, the Vuelta organizers have introduced the idea of having a big summit finish on the penultimate day and that concept will be repeated in 2014. Unlike the two previous editions in which the final summit finish took place on a brutally steep climb – Bola del Mundo and Angliru – this year doesn’t end with an excessively tough climb but the Puerto de Ancares is definitely hard enough to create big time gaps. The ascent is one of the toughest of the entire race and it comes at the end of one of the hardest stages as well.

 

The riders have briefly left the coast and will travel over 185.7km from Santo Estevo de Ribas de Sil to the top of the finishing climb close to Ponferrada which will host the World Chmapionships later in the year. The first part of the stage serves the purpose of bringing the riders to the foot of the mountains and so the first 103.2km are mostly flat. The first few kilometres are downhill and then there is an uncategorized climb but otherwise the terrain is pretty easy and offers the first intermediate sprint at the 89km mark.

 

The climbing starts with the category 2 Alto de Vilaesteva (6.4km, 5.4%) whose descent leads to the bottom of the category 3 Alto de O Lago (8.4km, 4.0%). A very short descent leads to the uncategorized Alto de Restelo which is followed by the first longer descent down to the bottom of the category 1 Alto de Folgueiras de Aigas (9.7km, 6.7%, max. 10%).

 

That climb signals the start of the finale and from now there will be no room for recovery. With a rather constant gradient of around 7-8%, it is a very regular ascent that only gets slightly easier near the top. Then it’s a pretty short descent to the bottom of the final climb which is only one of two to have been categorized as an HC mountain. It is 12.7km long and has an average gradient of 8.7% which makes it one of the steepest finishing climbs of the race.

 

After a first part with a gradient of around 8%, the riders hits the most difficult part with gradients between 13 and 18% for the next two kilometres. Then there’s an easier section before the gradient again reaches double-digit numbers. With 3.5km to go, it becomes easier and a section with a gradient of 2-4% leads to the final 1.5km where the gradient is between 8% and 12%. There’s an intermediate sprint on the lower slopes with 10.7km to go. The finale is a bit technical as there is a hairpin bend and a sharp corner inside the final kilometre, with the latter coming less than 100m from the line.

 

This stage is definitely one of the hardest of the entire race as it is one of only a select few to have several climbs preceding the final mountain. Furthermore, the final climb is probably the hardest finishing ascent of the entire race and as it comes at the end of three weeks of hard racing, lots of damage can potentially be done. On the other hand, history shows that the riders are often so fatigued at this point of the race that it will be more of a natural selection than a really aggressive spectacle and this makes the damage a bit smaller than it could potentially have been. As this is the final road stage and the first part of the stage is pretty easy, it is likely to be one for the GC riders but at this late point in a grand tour, it is always impossible to rule out a win from a breakaway.

 

The Puerto de Ancares was last used in 2012 when Alberto Contador and Joaquim Rodriguez were involved in an intense battle in what was the first of three consecutive summit finish. Contador made several attacks but was unable to drop his rival and instead Rodriguez launched one of his trademark sprints to win the stage, gain five seconds and solidify his overall lead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stage 21, Sunday September 13: Santiago de Compostela – Santagio de Compostela 9.7km

For the first time since 1993, the Vuelta will not finish in the Spanish capital of Madrid. Unipublic wants to celebrate the 800th anniversary visit of St Francis of Assisi’s visit to Santiago de Compostela and so Madrid has passed the baton to the Galician city.

 

The finishing city will not be the only change compared to recent finishes. Every year since 2004, the race has finished with a stage for the sprinters. While the Tour de France has definitely skipped the idea of hosting a time trial on the final day, the Giro organizers have mostly had a race against the clock on the final day of the recent editions of their race. The Vuelta has followed the sprint tradition but this year a time trial will keep the GC excitement alive until the very end and a finish in the early evening will make things a bit more spectacular.

 

Unlike the final Giro time trials which have often been fairly long, however, this year’s final stage will only have an impact if the GC is very close. At just 9.7km, the time differences will be pretty small. The stage takes place on a typical urban course in Santiago de Compostela and is almost completely flat, meaning that it is one for the specialists. It is pretty technical though and there are numerous corners to negotiate in the first part. The second half is a lot more straightforward and here the really powerful riders will be able to make a difference. While the climbers will be able to limit their losses in the first half, they will suffer a lot more in the finale.

 

Time trials at the end of a grand tour usually suit the GC riders as it is more about recovery than TT skills. On such a short course, however, it will be more about power and so we can expect the specialists to come to the fore. As there is a big chance that Tony Martin and Fabian Cancellara have abandoned the race to focus on the Worlds, Chris Froome may actually be the biggest specialist and he could crown what could be a maiden Vuelta win with a victory on the final day. However, he will probably have to beat Adriano Malori who will probably finish the race as he is riding in support of a team fully focused on the GC. The stage will be a fantastic way to celebrate the riders who have completed the final grand tour of the season and will crown a deserved winner of the race and if the standings are still close, we may even see a reshuffling on the final day of the race.

 

Santiago de Compostela last hosted a Vuelta stage In 2007 when Oscar Freire beat Paolo Bettini in a bunch sprint.