The route for the 2011 Vuelta a España has been unveiled at a glitzy presentation in Benidorm.
Basque region makes a return
The route for the 2011 Vuelta a España has been unveiled at a glitzy presentation in Benidorm and sees the race return to the Basque Country for the first time in 33 years.
The 66th edition gets underway with a 16km team time trial around Benidorm on Saturday 20 August and culminates 3295km later in Madrid on Sunday 11 September.
Along the way the riders will have to tackle six mountain-top finishes, two of which have never been climbed before. These include the 1760m-trek up to the Montaña Manzaneda ski station on stage 11, and to the summit of La Farrapona (1710m) three days later.
Before they hit those peaks the race visits San Lorenzo del Escorial (on stage eight) and a final kilometre averaging 23% there makes it one of several stages which are likely to shake up the standings.
The infamous Alto de l'Anglirú (1560m) is back after a three-year absence on stage 15, and the only time trial to make an appearance is the 40km loop around Salamanca five days before.
The Basque Country will host the final decisive stages before the peloton transfers to the heart of the Spanish capital for the usual circuit finish.
The full route for the 2011 Vuelta a España is as follows:
Saturday 20 August: Stage One - Benidorm to Benidorm (TTT) - 16km
Sunday 21 August: Stage Two - La Nucia to Playa Orihuela - 171.5km
Monday 22 August: Stage Three - Petrer to Totana - 164km
Tuesday 23 August: Stage Four - Baza to Sierra Nevada - 172km
Wednesday 24 August: Stage Five - Sierra Nevada to Valdepeñas de Jaén - 200km
Thursday 25 August: Stage Six - Úbeda to Córdoba - 185.7km
Friday 26 August: Stage Seven - Almadén to Talavera de la Reina - 185km
Saturday 27 August: Stage Eight - Talavera de la Reina to San Lorenzo de El Escorial - 182km
Sunday 28 August: Stage Nine - Villacastín to Sierra de Béjar-La Covatilla - 179.5km
Monday 29 August: Stage 10 - Salamanca to Salamanca (ITT) - 40km
Tuesday 30 August: Rest day
Wednesday 31 August: Verín to Estación de Montaña Manzaneda - 171km
Thursday 1 September: Ponteareas to Pontevedra - 160km
Friday 2 September: Stage 13 - Sarria to Ponferrada - 150km
Saturday 3 September: Stage 14 - Astorga to La Farrapona-Lagos de Somiedo - 173.2km
Sunday 4 September: Stage 15 - Avilés to Alto de l'Angliru - 144km
Monday 5 September: Rest day
Tuesday 6 September: Stage 16 - Villa Romana La Olmeda to Haro - 180km
Wednesday 7 September: Stage 17 - Faustino V (Oyón) to Peña Cabarga - 212.5km
Thursday 8 September: Stage 18 - Solares to Noja - 169.7km
Friday 9 September: Stage 19 - Noja to Bilbao - 157.9km
Saturday 10 September: Stage 20 - Bilbao to Vitoria - 187km
Sunday 11 September: Stage 21 - Circuito de Jarama to Madrid - 94km
