Aguilar de Campoo – Valladolid
Distance: 186.4km
Highest point: 890m
Category: Flat
Look to the sprinters
The 2012 Vuelta offers a mere half a dozen or so opportunities to the sprinters and this is among the most obvious of them. A lot of the riders will be familiar with some of these roads from the Vuelta a Castilla y León and they will be well aware that the principal danger comes from the wind. Although relatively flat, the stage takes place on the high plains. If it starts to blow, the peloton could split all too easily, especially given the fatigue that most of the field will be fighting by now. Valladolid has a long Vuelta history. The late Wouter Weylandt won the last stage into the city in 2008, outsprinting Matti Breschel.
Bingen Fernández: "This will be a very fast stage. It runs more or less downhill into Vallodolid. This is a very windy area, though. Normally, it should be a bunch sprint but the wind will decide whether it’s a big group or a small group that contests it."
-
Best cycling shoes 2026: Our pick of the best shoes for road cyclists, tested and reviewed
The best road cycling shoes are the foundation of every great ride, these are our favourites for performance, comfort and style -
'Even as the dog grows old, its sense of smell never fades' – Nairo Quintana still ambitious for podiums and victories after turning 36
Colombian falls 300 metres short of glory on stage 3 of the Tour of Oman -
'There are no gifts' – Former Tour de France winner Egan Bernal warns against hike in expectations after second straight triumph in Colombian National Championships
29-year-old solos to finish in home town of Zipaquirá, reveals intensive early 2026 season also includes Strade Bianche -
All the reasons to subscribe to Cyclingnews in 2026: More industry-leading lab tests, exclusive investigations and insider interviews
All the member-exclusive features you can expect to read on Cyclingnews in the coming weeks and months
