Distance: 157km
Category: Flat
Highest point: 550m
After the complication of a time trial on the back of a rest day and with crucial tests in the Pyrenees not far ahead, the GC contenders are sure to sit back and let the breakaway specialists and sprinters sort out this stage between them. It takes the race back to the shores of the Mediterranean and into Tarragona, which hasn't hosted a stage finish since Vuelta route director Abraham Olano won a time trial there in 2000. The only categorised climb of the day is just beyond halfway, while the final 20 kilometres are as flat as it gets in Spain. That should tip the balance towards the sprinters, who won't want to miss one of the few opportunities they have in this race. The fast, flat run into Tarragona will provide a rare opportunity for the sprinters so their teams are sure to keep the break in check.
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