The first individual time trial in this year's Vuelta will start and finish in Ciudad Real. The 42.5-kilometre course is mostly flat and the biggest obstacle will be the winds in La Mancha. Winds that already drove Don Quixote crazy. But the power riders won't mind a bit of a breeze. Anything to blow the little climbers off the road before heading into the mountains.
Ciudad Real – or Royal City in English – was a walled city that featured 130 towers to protect the mix of population, made up of Christians, Moors and Jews. Today, only fractures of the wall, once four kilometres long, remain. A Don Quixote museum will keep the tourists entertained, but many opt to quickly hop on the AVE train that stops here and go either to Madrid or down to the Andalucian coast.
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'I've always dreamed of winning this' - Jonas Vingegaard within sight of taking first-ever Vuelta a España after Bola del Mundo victory
Dane overcomes last mountain challenge to all but secure general classification victory -
'It was impressive to see' - Sepp Kuss celebrates Jonas Vingegaard's Vuelta a España victory atop Bola del Mundo
Colorado climber finishes second on final mountain stage -
UCI MTB World Championships: Sweden's Jenny Rissveds earns first world title going solo in women's elite XCO contest
Samara Maxwell second and Alessandra Keller third, while defending champion Puck Pieterse finishes sixth -
Tour Féminin de l'Ardeche: Marion Bunel wins stage 5 as Visma-Lease a Bike take 1-2
Breakaway lasts to the line, with Bunel taking the overall race lead
