The theme of the 2023 Vuelta a España is climbing, with only three truly 'flat' stages - 7, 12, 19 and the final day in Madrid, and punishing ascents such as the Col du Tourmalet in the same day as the hors categorie Col d'Aubisque, Col du Soulor and Col de Spandelles, and a short but frantic stage finishing on the brutally steep Altu de l’Angliru.
In total, 10 stages will end in uphill finishes, including the five unprecedented ascents, for the Vuelta, of the Arinsal in Andorra, le Tourmalet, Larra -Belagua, Bejes and La Cruz de Linares.
In addition to the team time trial, and the flat stages. the 3153.8km route also includes two flat stages with high-altitude finales, six hilly stages, seven mountain stages and one individual time trial. From the start in Barcelona to the finish in Madrid, Cyclingnews has all the route details.
While Remco Evenepoel all but won the 2022 Vuelta a España on the time trial stage in Benidorm, this year's mid-race 25-kilometre chrono in Valladolid is less likely to shape the race.
A fairly flat team time trial kicks off the racing on August 26 where time gaps are expected to be small. The overall standings will explode on the 158.5km stage 3 for the first summit finale at Arinsal in Andorra, preceded by the equally tough Coll d'Ordino crested around 20km to go.
If the sprinters’ teams manage to control the breakaways, hilly stages in the first week of racing, stages 4 and 5 could also come down to a bunch sprint.
The climb up to the Astrophysical Observatory of Javalambre becomes tougher in its final slope of the Pico del Buitre for the finale of 183.5km stage 6 could well mark a change in the overall leader as demonstrated in 2019.
After a flat stage 7, the climbing returns for the intense 165km stage 8 with a climb of the demanding slopes of Xorret de Catí with grades up to 22% before the 3km downhill to the finish. To close out the first week of racing, a steady climb to the line on the Alto de Caravaca de la Cruz on hilly 184.5km stage 9.
The second week of racing will begin with the stage 10 time trial followed by the first flat stage with an uphill finish at Laguna Negra on stage 11, a stage earmarked by all the rouleurs in the field.
Stage 12, though considered a flat stage could wreak havoc as echelons are frequent whenever the Vuelta goes to Zaragoza. If this happens, it will be a dangerous day for the riders who don’t handle this type of situation well.
The peloton heads into France for the punishing foray in the Pyrenees on stage 13. It consists of over 4,000 metres of elevation gain over 135km and will not offer a single kilometre of respite. It will be demanding right from the start, with the ascent of the Portalet. Then, the climbs of the Col d’Aubisque, the Col de Spandelles and finally the ascent of the Col de Tourmalet, a first for the Vuelta.
Before enjoying the second rest day, the riders will face very another demanding mountain stage 14 with two hors category climbs of Col Hourcére and Puerto de Larrau and a never seen before the final climb of Puerto de Belagua, followed by hilly stage 15, another stage favourable to the breakaway.
Riders return with a short but furious stage to Bejes on stage 16 where the uphill finish on the category 2 climb is only 5 kilometres long but includes ramps of up to 15%.
Stage 17, with its cruel finish on the Angliru with 20% slopes in the final two kilometres, will be a decisive one for the race’s final outcome. Riders will face two category 1 climbs, the Alto de la Colladiella and the Alto del Cordal, before arriving at the feared slopes of Angliru on the 124.5km stage.
A new summit finish on the Puerto de la Cruz de Linares on stage 18 combined with tired legs will make for unpredictable outcomes.
There's one more truly flat stage before a 208.4km long lumpy stage 20 to Guadarrama that offers little chance for respite. The parade into Madrid will bring welcome relief and a new Vuelta champion.
| Header Cell - Column 0 | Date | Start | Finish | Distance | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 | August 26 | Barcelona | Barcelona | 14.6 km | Team Time-Trial |
| Stage 2 | August 27 | Mataró | Barcelona | 181.3 km | Hilly |
| Stage 3 | August 28 | Súria | Arinsal. Andorra | 158.5 km | Mountain |
| Stage 4 | August 29 | Andorra la Vella.Andorra | Tarragona | 183.4 km | Hilly |
| Stage 5 | August 30 | Morella | Burriana | 185.7 km | Hilly |
| Stage 6 | August 31 | La Vall d'Uixó | Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre | 181.3 km | Mountain |
| Stage 7 | September 1 | Utiel | Oliva | 188.8 km | Flat |
| Stage 8 | September 2 | Dénia | Xorret de Catí. Costa Blanca Interior | 164.8 km | Mountain |
| Stage 9 | September 3 | Cartagena | Collado de la Cruz de Caravaca | 180.9 km | Hilly |
| Rest 1 | September 4 | Valladolid | Row 9 - Cell 3 | Row 9 - Cell 4 | Row 9 - Cell 5 |
| Stage 10 | September 5 | Valladolid | Valladolid | 25 km | Individual time-trial |
| Stage 11 | September 6 | Lerma | La Laguna Negra.Vinuesa | 163.2 km | Flat. Uphill finale |
| Stage 12 | September 7 | Ólvega | Zaragoza | 165.4 km | Flat |
| Stage 13 | September 8 | Formigal. Huesca la Magia | Col du Tourmalet | 134.7 km | Mountain |
| Stage 14 | September 9 | Sauveterre-de-Béarn | Larra-Belagua | 161.7 km | Mountain |
| Stage 15 | September 10 | Pamplona | Lekunberri | 156.5 km | Hilly |
| Rest 2 | September 11 | Santander | Row 16 - Cell 3 | Row 16 - Cell 4 | Row 16 - Cell 5 |
| Stage 16 | September 12 | Liencres Playa | Bejes | 119.7 km | Flat. Uphill finale |
| Stage 17 | September 13 | Ribadesella/Ribeseya | Altu de L'Angliru | 122.6 km | Mountain |
| Stage 18 | September 14 | Pola de Allande | La Cruz de Linares | 178.9 km | Mountain |
| Stage 19 | September 15 | La Bañeza | Íscar | 177.4 km | Flat |
| Stage 20 | September 16 | Manzanares El Real | Guadarrama | 208.4 km | Hilly |
| Stage 21 | September 17 | Hipódromo de la Zarzuela | Madrid. Paisaje de la Luz | 101 km | Flat |
Stage 1: Barcelona - Barcelona, 14.8km - Team Time Trial
Stage 2: Mataró - Barcelona, 181.3km - Hilly
Stage 3: Súria - Arinsal, Andorra, 158.5km - Mountain
Stage 4: Andorra la Vella, Andorra - Tarragona, 183.4km - Hilly
Stage 5: Morella - Burriana, 185.7km - Hilly
Stage 6: La Vall d’Uixó - Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre, 181.3km - Mountain
Stage 7: Utiel - Oliva, 188.8km - Flat
Stage 8: Dénia - Xorret de Catí, Costa Blanca Interior, 164.8km - Mountain
Stage 9: Cartagena - Collado de la Cruz de Caravaca, 180.9km - Hilly
Stage 10: Valladolid - Valladolid, 25km - Time Trial
Stage 11: Lerma - La Laguna Negra, Vinuesa, 163.2km - Flat, Uphill finale
Stage 12: Ólvega - Zaragoza, 165.4km - Flat
Stage 13: Formigal, Huesca la Magia - Col du Tourmalet, 134.7km - Mountain
Stage 14: Sauveterre-de-Béarn - Larra-Belagua, 161.7km - Mountain
Stage 15: Pamplona - Lekunberri, 156.5km - Hilly
Stage 16: Liencres Playa - Bejes, 119.7km - Flat, Uphill finale
Stage 17: Ribadesella/Ribeseya - Altu de L'Angliru, 122.6km - Mountain
Stage 18: Pola de Allande - La Cruz de Linares, 178.9km - Mountain
Stage 19: La Bañeza - Íscar, 177.4km - Flat
Stage 20: Manzanares El Real - Guadarrama, 208.4km - Hilly
Stage 21: Hipódromo de la Zarzuela - Madrid, Paisaje de la Luz, 101km - Flat
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