Vuelta a España hits the heights on stage 3 with first summit finish - Preview

Coll d'Ordino (1980m) which forms but one of the major climbing obstacles for riders on stage 3 of the 2023 Vuelta a España
Coll d'Ordino (1980m) which forms but one of the major climbing obstacles for riders on stage 3 of the 2023 Vuelta a España (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Vuelta a España takes a radical change of direction on Monday as the race heads away from the coastline of Barcelona and into the Pyrenees and the tiny state of Andorra for its first summit finish of Arinsal.

The first of nine summit finishes in this year’s race, and also one of six to make its debut in the Vuelta this year, Arinsal’s 6.8 kilometres at a daunting average of 8.3% are likely to see a first major sort-out amongst the GC riders. 

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Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.

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