Ruta del Sol 2023: The Route
image: Cor VosAs always, the Ruta del Sol - aka the Vuelta a Andalucía - serves a mountainous route. No time trial, but three uphill finishes account for selective racing. The race lkicked into gear last Wednesday and is set to finish on Sunday. Wout Poels is title holder. (Slideshow route/profile)
The trip through the deep south of Spain kicks into gear in Puente de Génave. Stage 1 takes in five intermediate climbs. Possibly the hardest ascent is the last one, Alto de Despiernacaballos. Peaking out at 1,580 metres above the sea level, the Despiernacaballos is 10.6 kilometres long and averages 5.8%. The summit is crested 7.4 kilometres before the finish in Santiago de la Espada.
The route of stage 2 is also though and the finale is particularly challenging. The last 3.4 kilometres climb at 6.3% to the ruined castle above Alcalá la Real. Not only is the finale partially cobbled, the last kilometre rises at 11.5% to the line. Ethan Hayter and Alessandro Covi won the Alcalá la Real stage in the last two editions.
Stage 3 is a lumpy transition race from Alcalá de Guadaira to Alcalá de los Gazules. It’s the flattest race of the five, but the last kilometre features ramps at 25% on a cobbled wall-like climb.
The 4th stage travels from Olvera to Iznájar. After coming down the climb to Fuente de Cesna the route ramps up to the line in the last kilometre.
The final stage of the Ruta del Sol goes from Otura to Alhaurín de la Torre. Following a race with quite some elevation gain the home straight runs false flat uphill. Four years ago it was Matteo Trentin who took the spoils in Alhaurín de la Torre.
Ruta del Sol 2023: routes, profiles, more
Click on the images to zoom
Watch the highlights of recent races here:
Leave a comment
No comments yet, your opinion is most welcome.
Related articles Sprint triumph Fraile, Pogacar seals GC win - Ruta del Sol 2023 Pogacar scores hattrick to cement lead - Ruta del Sol 2023 Wellens wins in Alcalá de los Gazules, Pogacar still leader - Ruta del Sol 2023 Pogacar cements GC lead on steep cobbled climb - Ruta del Sol 2023 Pogacar powers into leader's jersey on day one - Ruta del Sol 2023 Route stage 1: Puente de Génave – Santiago de la Espada - Ruta del Sol 2023 Route stage 2: Diezma - Alcalá la Real - Ruta del Sol 2023 Route stage 3: Alcalá de Guadaira - Alcalá de los Gazules - Ruta del Sol 2023 Route stage 4: Olvera - Iznájar - Ruta del Sol 2023 Route stage 5: Otura - Alhaurín de la Torre - Ruta del Sol 2023 More articles Critérium du Dauphiné 2023: The Route
Critérium du Dauphiné 2023: Riders
Critérium du Dauphiné 2023 Route stage 1: Chambon-sur-Lac - Chambon-sur-Lac
Critérium du Dauphiné 2023 Route stage 2: Brassac-les-Mines - La Chaise-Dieu
Critérium du Dauphiné 2023 Route stage 3: Monistrol-sur-Loire - La Coteau
Critérium du Dauphiné 2023 Route stage 4: Cours - Belmont-de-la-Loire
Critérium du Dauphiné 2023 Route stage 5: Cormoranche-sur-Saône – Salins-les-Bains
Critérium du Dauphiné 2023 Route stage 6: Nantua - Crest-Voland
Critérium du Dauphiné 2023 Route stage 7: Porte-de-Savoie - Col de la Croix de Fer
Critérium du Dauphiné 2023 Route stage 8: Le Pont-de-Claix - La Bastille, Grenoble
Tour de Suisse 2023: The Route
Tour de Suisse 2023: Riders
Tour de Suisse 2023 Route stage 1: Einsiedeln - Einsiedeln
Tour de Suisse 2023 Route stage 2: Beromünster - Nottwil
Tour de Suisse 2023 Route stage 3: Tafers - Villars-sur-Ollon
Tour de Suisse 2023 Route stage 4: Monthey - Leukerbad
Tour de Suisse 2023 Route stage 5: Fiesch - La Punt
Tour de Suisse 2023 Route stage 6: La Punt - Oberwil-Lieli
Cycling Calendar 2023
Tour de France 2023: The Route
Tour de France 2023: Riders
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 1: Bilbao - Bilbao
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 2: Vitoria-Gasteiz - San Sebastián
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 3: Amorebieta-Etxano - Bayonne
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 4: Dax - Nogaro
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 5: Pau - Laruns
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 6: Tarbes - Cauterets
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 7: Mont-de-Marsan - Bordeaux
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 8: Libourne - Limoges
Tour de France 2023 Route stage 9: Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat - Puy de Dôme