Stage 3 of the Vuelta a España features the first category 1 climb, and the first summit finish in a mid-mountain Pyrenean stage. This double ascent is likely to mark the first selection among the contenders for the overall victory, but as much of the stage takes place on flat terrain, the GC should remain fairly tight on the eve of the first high mountain stage.
The initial part of the route skirts a vast wetland area before passing Perpignan and heading south-west through a stretch of vineyards, then climbs the Têt valley through Villefranche-de-Conflent for the intermediate sprint at 129 kilometres. The road keeps climbing to the little-known Col de Mont-Louis, then straight on to the final climb of Font-Romeu, at 1,936 metres.
Climbs
Col de Mont-Louis (cat. 1, 19.4km at 4.8%), km. 157.8
Font-Romeu (cat. 2, 9.8km at 5%), km. 174
Sprints
Villefranche-de-Conflent, km. 129
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Lyne has been involved in professional cycling for more than 15 years in both news reporting and sports marketing. She founded Podium Insight in 2008, quickly becoming a trusted source for news of the North American professional cycling world. She was the first to successfully use social media to consistently provide timely and live race updates for all fans. She is proud to have covered men's and women's news equally during her tenure at the helm of the site. Her writing has appeared on Cyclingnews and other news sites.
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