Stage 9: Orihuela. Ciudad del Poeta Miguel Hernández - Cumbre del Sol. El Poble Nou de Benitatxell, 174km
This stage is essentially the Vuelta's winter training camp preview of the Costa Blanca. The road is seaside promenade flat apart from the Alto de Puig Llorença, hit twice, at 134km and then in the finale when the race carries on to the line at Cumbre del Sol, with sections up to 20 per cent. Tom Dumoulin won here in 2015, over Chris Froome.
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