The 2013 Vuelta a España route was announced today.. It will cover 3319.1km with the following stage breakdowns:
6 flat stages
13 mountain stages
1 team time-trial stage
1 individual time-trial stage
Following recent tradition, La Vuelta starts Saturday, 24 August 2013, with a team time trial of mostly flat 27km from Vilanova de Arousa to Sanxenxo. The first uphill stage finish comes right away, on stage 2, to Baiona. Alto Do Monte Da Groba. Doesn't look too terribly bad.
via www.lavuelta.com
Stages 3 and 4 look (to me at least) like Ardennes type finishes, with slight uphills, with finishes at Mirador de Lobeira / Valagarcía de Arousa and Finisterra. La etapa del Fin del Mundo, respectively.. Stage 5 is a bit on the hilly side, finishing at Lago de Sanabria. Stages 6 and 7 look like the first best bets for a sprint finish, but neither stage is what you would call flat.
Stage 8 appears to be the actual first mountain top finish, to Estepona. Alto de Peñas Blancas.
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 9 is another up and down stage that finishes with a slight uphill kick into a vuelta favorite finishing town of Valdepeñas de Jaén . But, that's just to keep the legs in climbing order for the following Stage 10, that arrives at the first especial category climb finish, at Güéjar Sierra. Alto de Hazallanas.
via www.lavuelta.com
Stage 11 is the lone individual time trial of 38km around the environs of Tarazona. It appears quite similar to the 2012 ITT, a steady incline up a cat 3, then a not too screaming descent to the finish. (yo, jrod, this is made for you.) Stages 12 and 13 have some lumps and bumps, but nothing too daunting.
Stage 14 returns to Andorra. Collada de la Gallina for some more mountain fun.
via www.lavuelta.com
which continues on Stage 15 to Peyragudes
via www.lavuelta.com
and Stage 16 to Sallent de Gállego. Aramón Formigal
via www.lavuelta.com
The peloton will be able to catch its breath on Stage 17 to Burgos. Still not flat, but not leg killing climbs either. But, it won't last long, as Stage 18 returns to Peña Cabarga.
via www.lavuelta.com
The final two "competitive" road stages venture into beautiful Asturias to finish at two of the more favorite and famous mountain top finishes: Stage 19 to Oviedo, Alto de Naranco, once a yearly one day classic, usually paired before or after the Vuelta a Asturias.
via www.lavuelta.com
The penultimate Stage 20 will once again strike fear into the peloton as we return to the Angry Lu, Alto de L'Angliru.
via www.lavuelta.com
I can only guess that the peloton will be extremely happy to see the circuits of Madrid on Sunday, 15 September.
Visit the official website to see the summary video and more info. Warning: the French and English pages still have the 2012 Vuelta stage profiles and descriptions. So, you'll have to stick to the Spanish main page.