In the wake of the success of the Etape du Tour, which takes place over two days during the Tour de France, ASO has announced that registration has opened for a similar ride linked to the Tour of Spain.
The Etapa de la Vuelta will be run off this year over 180 kilometres between Gijón and the Valgrande-Pajares ski resort. Taking place on August 25th, it will cover the same roads as the sixteenth stage of the Vuelta, which will be held on Monday September 3rd.
The pro route is five kilometres longer, continuing beyond the ski resort to the top of the Cuitu Negru climb. Other than that, the course is the same, and is expected to have a large turmout.
The riders will scale the Asturian peaks of La Cabruñana, San Lorenzo and La Cobertoria, third, first and first category respectively, before tackling the final climb.
According to ASO, best known as the Tour de France (and Etape du Tour) organisers, but also a large stakeholder in the Vuelta, members of a cycling federation will pay 39 euros for the Etape. Those who are not affiliated to a federation will pay ten euros more, this amount covering the cost of a one day licence from the Real Federación Española de Ciclismo.
While the Vuelta is not as large as the Tour de France, ASO is hoping that the new Etapa will attract large numbers of riders who want to experience the same climbs the Spanish Tour will take.
This year’s Vuelta a Espana will begin in Pamplona on August 18th, and conclude three weeks later in Madrid.
