The first leg in a mountain triptych begins in the Basque capital of Vitoria and finishes at the Fuente del Chivo, a handful of kilometres above the ski station of Alto Campoo, which has hosted three stage finishes, the last of them in 1993.
The peloton’s pace should increase on the first-cat Puerto del Escudo, which averages nine per cent over 7km. Riders will rejoin the main group as the road flattens out on a plateau for 40km but the GC contenders will soon emerge on the 17km ascent to the finish.
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