The main field or group of cyclists in the Vuelta a España will make its way across 280 kilometres of southern Spain taking in the Costa del Sol and inland areas during the first four stages of this year’s tour from Saturday August 25th through Tuesday, August 28th.
Spain’s biggest cycle race never forgets Malaga, with this year’s tour passing through the province for the 30th time in its history. Three stages of the race will be held in the province with the 4th stage to Granada starting in the city of Malaga.
For cycling enthusiasts, it’s a chance to get up close to your idols if even for just a few fleeting seconds.
Stage 1 (Saturday):
Malaga-Malaga (8 kilometres)
The first stage of the Vuelta a España involves an 8-kilometre race through the city stating near the Pompidou Centre and finishing in the Plaza de la Constitución.
This short race known as an individual trial (ITT) will determine the first leader of the race and has a start time of 5.26pm and a finish just ten minutes later around 5.35pm.
The route encompasses the Paseo de la Farola, Paseo de Levante, then La Farola again, the Ciudad de Melilla promenade, Pablo Ruiz Picasso, Calle Rafael Pérez Estrada, Paseo Salvador Rueda, Calle Ferrándiz, Victoria, Plaza de Jesús El Rico, the Tres Gracias fountain in the Paseo del Parque and finally the city’s Calle Larios before ending at the Plaza de la Constitución.
Stage 2 (Sunday):
Marbella-Caminito del Rey (163.5 kilometres.)
This stage of the race contains three climbs the Puerto de Ojén (km. 7.5), the Alto de Guadalhorce (km. 91.1 and again at km 163.1) and the Alto de Ardales (km. 136.3).
The race starts at Marbella’s Bulevar Príncipe Alfonso de Hohenlohe at 1.25pm, with the cyclists passing through Coín, Alozaina, Zalea, Pizarra, Álora, El Chorro and the Guadalhorce dam to reach the Alto de Ardales the stages highest point at 538 m before returning via Bermejo and El Chorro to finish at the Caminito del Rey.
The first riders are expected to finish at the Caminito del Rey visitors’ centre at around 5.28pm.
Stage 3 (Monday):
Mijas-Alhaurín de la Torre (178.2 km.)
This is the longest stage of the race through Malaga and will start in the in Calle La Noria, in Mijas at 12.50pm.
In total cyclists will pedal 180 kilometres passing through Mijas, Marbella (and San Pedro Alcántara), Ronda, El Burgo, Yunquera, Alozaina, Coín, Mijas again, Benalmádena, Torremolinos and then finish in Alhaurín de la Torre. With the leading riders expected to finish around 5.26pm. The stage is described as medium mountains and will be one of the few occasions on the race where the riders will need to sprint to the finish line.
Stage 4 (Tuesday):
Vélez-Málaga-Alfácar (161.4 km.)
This will be the last day of the tour that sees cyclists in Malaga province setting off from Avenida de las Naciones at 1pm before finishing in Granada province in the town of Alfácar, in the Sierra de Alfaguara. The race will pass through Torrox, El Morche and Nerja.
The riders love the support of the public, so get out there and cheer them on!
