Key points:
- The originally planned ascent of Alto de Hazallanas will be replaced by the climb to Puerto de El Duque.
- Landslides caused by the severe weather that hit the area last February have made it impossible for the race to use the originally planned route.
- The organisation has designed an alternative route that closely mirrors the original and maintains the difficulty and challenge of the penultimate stage.
The landslides caused by the severe weather that affected the area last February have damaged the access road to Alto de Hazallanas, preventing the climb from meeting the necessary safety conditions for La Vuelta.
Same difficulty, same challenge
In order to remain as true as possible to the original route, and in collaboration with the local authorities, the organisation has decided to replace the ascent of Alto de Hazallanas with the first-ever climb to Puerto de El Duque. This change preserves the essence, difficulty and challenge of the penultimate stage, with a route profile that is almost identical to the original. The new climb shares its final section with the ascent initially planned.
With this modification, the riders will tackle Puerto de El Purche twice and Puerto de El Duque once before the final ascent to the first-ever Collado del Alguacil. The stage distance will remain virtually unchanged, while the overall level of difficulty and challenge will be in line with the route originally presented in December.
La Vuelta would like to thank the local authorities and all the organisations involved for their collaboration. Their joint efforts have made it possible to define the best alternative to ensure the stage can be held under the highest safety standards.
