This coming September, a Vuelta stage sets off from Jaén to the Sierra de la Pandera. While that promises to be a climbers’ day, the 3rd stage of the Ruta del Sol seems perfect for resilient sprinters or daring breakaway riders.
After a gently rolling opening, the Alto Santa Ana serves up the first climb of the day, rising 5.5 kilometres at an average of 4.1%. A long descent and another undulating section bring the riders close to the finish after roughly 60 kilometres. But instead of heading straight to the line, they first have to complete a wide northern loop.
The riders are roughly 110 kilometres into the race when they crest the Alto de Peñallana. The 4.7-kilometre climb at 4.4% is followed by a descent and a flat section leading onto a long false-flat stretch. Eventually, this gives way to a short descent before the road rises over 2.5 kilometres at 3.6% to Porcuna.
As the riders pass through the town, there are only 13 kilometres to go. The road first drops for 7 kilometres, and after a flat stretch, the road rises gently to the line over the final 2 kilometres.
The intermediate sprint at the Alto Santa Ana offers 3, 2 and 1 bonus seconds, while the first three riders at the finish receive 10, 6 and 4 seconds.
Ride the route yourself? Download GPX 3rd stage 2026 Ruta del Sol.
Stage 3 of the Ruta del Sol starts at 11:10 and the race is expected to finish around 15:45 – both local times (CET).
Ruta del Sol 2026 – stage 3: routes & profiles
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