The 2019 La Vuelta will be another mountainous challenge

Seven mountain stages with two high altitude summit finishes, will suit the best climbers as race revealed

La Cubilla: 20 km long, 5% average slope and a spectacular view.

“La Vuelta”, which represents one of cycling’s three grand tours, will begin in the town of Torrevieja, near Alicante, on August 24 and finish in Madrid on September 15, with 3,272 kilometres (2033 miles) of racing in between.

Out of the 21 stages, 6 are flat, 7 have mountains, 4 very hilly and two with a high altitude finish, as well as 1 team time trial and 1 individual time trial.

Riders will have to negotiate 59 climbs in total, 13 more than in this year’s race, which was won by Simon Yates. It was Yates’ first Grand Tour victory, with Enric Mas coming second and Miguel Angel Lopez finishing third.

The event next year will also start in the form of a team time-trial, on a flat 18-kilometre opening stage.

A mountainous second stage then follows from Benidorm to Calpe before the fifth stage heads to Teruel and the climb of Pico del Buitre, featuring an 11.8-kilometre ascent.

An individual time trial will commence through France at stage 10 while stage 16 will also favour the sprinters, a flat 155-kilometre stretch between Pravia and Alto de la Cubilla.

The race culminates on September 15 with a 105.6-kilometre 21st stage between Fuenlabrada and Madrid.

2019 Vuelta a Espana Stages:

Saturday, August 24: stage 1: Salinas de Torrevieja – Torrevieja 24 kms (TTT)
Sunday, August 25: stage 2: Benidorm – Calpe 193 kms
Monday, August 26: stage 3: Ibi – Alicante 186 kms
Tuesday, August 27: stage 4: Cullera – El Puig 177kms
Wednesday, August 28: stage 5: L’Eliana – Alto de Javalembre 165 kms
Thursday, August 29: stage 6: Mora de Rubielos – Ares del Maestrat 196.6kms
Friday, August 30: stage 7: Onda – Mas de la Costa 182kms
Saturday, August 31: stage 8: Valls – Igualada 168kms
Sunday, September 1: stage 9: Andorra la Vella – Cortals d’Encamp 96.8 kms
Monday, September 2: restday France
Tuesday, September 3: stage 10: Jurançon – Pau 36.1kms ITT
Wednesday, September 4: stage 11: Saint-Palais – Urdax 169kms
Thursday, September 5: stage 12: Circuito de Navarra – Bilbao 175kms
Friday, September 6: stage 13: Bilbao – Los Machucos 168kms
Saturday, September 7: stage 14: San Vicente de la Barquera – Oviedo 189kms
Sunday, September 8: stage 15: Tineo – Alto del Acebo 159kms
Monday, September 9: stage 16: Pravia – Alto de la Cubilla 155kms
Tuesday, September 10: rest day two
Wednesday, September 11: stage 17: Aranda del Duero – Guadalajara 199.7 kms
Thursday, September 12: stage 18: Colmenar Viejo – Becerril de la Sierra 180.9kms
Friday, September 13: stage 19: Avila – Toledo 163.4kms
Saturday, September 14: stage 20: Arenas de San Pedro – Plataforma de Gredos 189kms
Sunday, September 15: stage 21: Fuenlabrada – Madrid 105 kms