Just a week before Christmas, the organisers of the Vuelta a España unveiled a festive gift to climbing aficionados—a course sculpted for mountain goats and GC daredevils. With ten summit finishes, including the mythical Alto de l’Angliru, the 2025 edition promises unrelenting altitude, relentless gradients, and Grand Tour drama from start to finish.
This mountainous odyssey might just tempt Tadej Pogačar to return to the Vuelta for the first time since his breakout 2019 campaign. He’d previously hinted at his interest, and with this terrain tailor-made for a rider of his calibre—versatile, explosive, relentless—it’s hard to imagine a more enticing invitation.
Crossing Borders Before the Climb Begins
The journey begins in Italy, nodding to the Tour de France’s own 2024 Italian start. Three varied stages—flat, rolling, and uphill—set the tone before a detour into France on stage four. It’s only by stage five that the race touches Spanish soil, with a team time trial in Figueres.
Interestingly, this year’s Vuelta abandons the typical southern heat of Andalusia and Murcia, staying north of Madrid and focusing heavily on the rugged landscapes of Navarre, the Pyrenees, and Asturias.
Stage-by-Stage Breakdown
Stage 1 – Torino-Reggia di Venaria to Novara (200km)
A rare road opener and a sprinters’ paradise—expect a high-speed dash and someone in red who’s unlikely to keep it long.
Stage 2 – Alba to Limone Piemonte (157km)
A flat prelude hides an uphill sting. Long and steady rather than explosive, but a marker of GC readiness.
Stage 3 – San Maurizio Canavese to Ceres (139km)
Undulating terrain invites breakaways. With an uncategorized uphill finale, opportunists may shine.
Stage 4 – Susa to Voiron (192km)
Two category two climbs provide a mid-stage test, but a lengthy descent makes regrouping likely.
Stage 5 – Figueres TTT (20km)
Late for a team time trial, and lengthy too. Teams already missing riders will be at a clear disadvantage.
Stage 6 – Olot to Pal, Andorra (170km)
The first category one summit finish on Pyrenean soil. Expect GC signals loud and clear.
Stage 7 – Andorra la Vella to Cerler (187km)
Four tough climbs. KOM hopefuls will animate the breakaway; GC stars will eye Cerler’s slopes.
Stage 8 – Monzón Templario to Zaragoza (187km)
A breather for the peloton. Flat, historic, and destined for a fast finish in Zaragoza’s 50th Vuelta stage.
Stage 9 – Alfaro to Valdezcaray (195km)
Rolling terrain leads to a ski station summit. Not the toughest, but fatigue will start showing.
Stage 10 – Sendaviva to Larra Belagua (168km)
Remco’s 2023 resurrection site returns. Another category one test to open week two.
Stage 11 – Bilbao to Bilbao (167km)
Seven categorized climbs, all mid-tier. Expect a battle between puncheurs and bold GC attacks.
Stage 12 – Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna (143km)
Two brutal ascents, including Brenes’ 15% ramps. But with flat run-in, GC minds may wait for Angliru.
Stage 13 – Cabezón de la Sal to Alto de l’Angliru (202km)
The crown jewel. Two cat-1 climbs precede the fearsome Angliru. This is survival. This is legend.
Stage 14 – Avilés to Alto de la Farrapona (135km)
Short, sharp and savage. Back-to-back cat-1s ensure fireworks.
Stage 15 – A Veiga/Vegadeo to Monforte de Lemos (167km)
An early climb followed by rolling roads—perfect terrain for a breakaway ambush before rest day.
Stage 16 – Poio to Mos.Castros de Herville (172km)
Stage 16 dangles chances for brave GC attacks. But it might just be another prelude to the finale fireworks.
Stage 17 – O Barco de Valdeorras to El Morredero (137km)
Short approach, steep finale. Expect decisive moves atop this penultimate summit finish.
Stage 18 – Valladolid ITT (26km)
A classic time trial—long enough to flip standings. Specialists will pounce. GC contenders must hold on.
Stage 19 – Rueda to Guijuelo (159km)
Sprinters’ return? Perhaps. But weary legs may give breakaway riders their golden shot.
Stage 20 – Robledo de Chavela to Bola del Mundo (156km)
A monster finale before Madrid. Navacerrada’s 2,200m altitude could crown—or crush—a champion.
Stage 21 – Alalpardo to Madrid (101km)
Tradition, tension, and a chaotic finale await in the capital. Can a breakaway repeat 2023’s heroics?
A Vuelta Forged in Elevation
This edition of the Vuelta a España spares no legs. It’s a climber’s crucible, a tactical playground, and perhaps a decisive battlefield in the ongoing rivalry between the sport’s top GC stars. Whether it’s redemption, legacy, or emergence, expect the 2025 Vuelta to be written in pain—and glory—on the steepest slopes in Europe.