Vuelta a España 2023

The route of the 2023 Vuelta a España is one for the climbers. Plenty of mountains to traverse in the three-week stage race, starting in earnest as early as Stage 3. Racing fans can look forward to the Team Time Trial on Stage 1, a particular vicious pair of mountain stages on Stage 13 and 14, and that famous Spanish heat of late summer to test the endurance of riders anxiously eyeing the offseason. Not so fast, Madrid is calling.

Stage 1 | Barcelona - Barcelona (TTT)

8-26 14.6km

Flat

It’s getting increasingly difficult to find elite example of the team time trial at the highest level of cycling. Is it just not fashionable at the moment? La Vuelta is bucking the trend by setting the challenge to the riders in the very first stage. Teams will take a high velocity tour through Barcelona, taking the time of the fifth rider to cross the line.

Stage 2 | Mataro - Barcelona

8-27 181.3km

Hilly

The category-2 climb on the second stage might provide ambitious riders with a chance in the breakaway. Nothing a team would like more than to secure a stage win early in the Vuelta. Otherwise, the sprint teams will hold on for a chance to put their fastman over the finish line first.

Stage 3 | Barcelona - Andorra

8-28 158.5km

Mountain

Ready or not, here the real deal mountains come. Stage 3 ends with a pair of category-1 monsters that separate the climbers from the rest of the pack. Could be a sneaky day for a breakaway win? It’s too early for the steep terrain to produce major time gaps among the GC contenders, but we’ll get a look at who looks in good form and who’s just grinding it out.

Stage 4 | Andorra la Vella.Andorra - Tarragona

8-29 183.4km

Hilly

Hilly, yes, but the sprint teams shouldn’t have too much difficulty pulling their fastmen over the two category-3 climbs. Everything is shaping up for a bunch sprint finish on Stage 4.

Stage 5 | Morella - Burriana

8-30 185.7km

Hilly

Another stage for the sprinters, though their teams will have to put in a little more work than yesterday to shuttle the fastmen to the finish in one piece. The climbs along the way are not awful, but the constant up-and-down will suck the lightness out of the legs.

Stage 6 | La Vall d'Uixó - Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre

8-31 181.3km

Mountain

After two nominal sprint stages the final climb on Stage 6 will be a kick in the pants. We might start to see separation between the lesser lights of the GC competion and the elite riders.

Stage 7 | Utiel - Oliva

9-01 188.8km

Flat

On paper the stage looks like a gift to the peloton, a restful ride after a hard day in the mountains. But every team will be going full gas on this “easy” stage in the hopes of thinning out the competition in the final bunch sprint.

Stage 8 | Dénia - Xorret de Catí. Costa Blanca Interior

9-02 164.8km

Mountain

A demanding day of climbs. With the first rest day within spitting distance, teams that are falling out of GC contention might eye this stage as a chance to gain back time or steal a breakaway stage win. The first rider over the top of the final category-1 peak will have a good chance for the win, if he can keep his speed up on the descent into the finish.

Stage 9 | Cartagena - Caravaca de la Cruz

9-03 180.9km

Hilly

The stage has a pair of categorized climbs, to be sure. Perhaps a chance for a breakaway after the first one, but the peloton will have plenty of road to catch it. Do they want to catch it? If the strong teams can control the race and not let any true contenders escape up the road, they won’t have to.

Rest Day 1

9-04

Stage 10 | Valladolid - Valladolid (ITT)

9-05 25km

Flat

A close GC battle could break wide open at the conclusion of the individual time trial. We saw what kind of hammer Jonas Vingegaard dropped on the field with his TT performance in this year’s Tour de France. Will we see another rider pull off the same feat in Law Vuelta?

Stage 11 | Lerma - La Laguna Negra.Vinuesa

9-06 163.2km

Flat with uphill finale

Some race observers have picked this stage out for a possible breakaway opportunity. If the breakaway goes, it shouldn’t contain any serious contenders. There’s not enough difficult terrain to gain good separation from the peloton. Watch for the main rivals to keep close and then put pressure on each other in the final uphill.

Stage 12 | Ólvega - Zaragoza

9-07 165.4km

Flat

The stage looks harmless at a glance, but strong winds will lead to a day of high intensity riding in echelon formations. If the peloton snaps in the wind and key riders get left behind, we could be looking at significant time losses. Riders will be on their toes all race.

Stage 13 | Formigal - Col du Tourmalet

9-08 134.7km

Mountain

A ferocious monster of a mountain stage, boasting the two especial climbs Col d’Aubisque and the final Col du Tourmalet. GC contenders will have a ,prime opportunity to put significant time gains on their rivals. The sprinters will just be holding on for dear life ahead of the broom wagon.

Stage 14 | Sauveterre-de-Béarn - Larra-Belagua

9-09 161.7km

Mountain

If your GC man had a bad day of it yesterday, Stage 14 offers a chance to gain back time. The two especial climbs Col Hourcere and Puerto de Larrau before the finish will give opportunity to the brave and insane to sneak ahead of the peloton. But can any rider hold onto the advantage through the finish? If any GC contender already has a significant lead on the field, it’s still to early to play defense.

Stage 15 | Pamplona - Lekunberri

9-10 156.5km

Hilly

Too much climbing for a pure sprint finish. But maybe a day for a sprint/climb hybrid type of rider like a Mads Pedersen? Will the peloton keep up the pace or let riders up the road on the eve of the second rest day?

Rest Day 2

9-11

Stage 16 | Liencres Playa - Bejes

9-12 119.7km

Flat with uphill finale

Were we just talking about Mads Pederson? Not sure if he’s even riding La Vuelta at the moment, but this would be his kind of stage. All the makings of a sprint finish, except that uphill finale wrecks it for the pure sprinters. A hybrid rider who can keep his fast legs through short and intermediate climbs will win this one.

Stage 17 | Ribadesella/Ribeseya - Altu de L'Angliru

9-13 122.6km

Mountain

A brutal stage, a lot of climbing. Where have we heard that before? Riders who’ve fallen out of contention might see this stage as their dwindling opportunity to get back in the race. Otherwise, GC contenders (or their mountain lieutenants) who have fallen too far out might be looking for a stage win. GC leaders will be tracking their rivals closely and trying not to blow themselves up.

Stage 18 | Pola de Allande - La Cruz de Linares

9-14 178.9km

Mountain

A sneaky grinder. Watch for a break to go out early since the series of peaks offer the perfect opportunity to keep the peloton at bay. It all depends, though, on whether you have the legs for the job. This deep into a three-week race is no joke. Watch for defensive racing from the leaders and a go-for-broke approach among the rest.

Stage 19 | La Bañeza - Íscar

9-15 177.4km

Flat

The wind could throw a curveball into an otherwise slamdunk sprint stage that’s a reward to all the fastmen that made it through the mountains.

Stage 20 | Manzanares El Real - Guadarrama

9-16 208.4km

Hilly

No major peaks, just the longest stage of the race with relentless peaks. Riders who are feeling the fatigue of the third week will have to stay alert as the twists, turns, and numerous descents threaten the inattentive with catastrophe at any moment. It would be a shame to have to abandon La Vuelta at this late stage, but such things happen all the time.

Stage 21 | Hipódromo de la Zarzuela - Madrid. Paisaje de la Luz

9-17 101kms

Flat

A ceremonial final promenade into the capital of Spain. Riders with cause to celebrate (and really just surviving a three week tour is cause enough) will vamp for photos on their bicycles. Watch for the final sprint, tears of joy, grimaces of pain, and sweet relief that the third of three Grand Tours has concluded for 2023.

Let the preparations for 2024 commence…