Vuelta 2025 Route stage 17: O Barco de Valdeorras

Vuelta 2025 Route stage 17: O Barco de Valdeorras - Alto de El Morredero

Wednesday, 10 September - Stage 17 of La Vuelta is a punchy 137-kilometre ride from O Barco de Valdeorras to the Alto de El Morredero. Along the way, the riders tackle just shy of 3,200 metres of climbing, most of which comes in the brutal final ascent. The climb stretches 18.1 kilometres at 6.3%, with plenty of double-digit gradients thrown in.

The first 10 kilometres run mostly uphill at gentle gradients, followed by a similar downhill stretch and a flat section. After 40 kilometres, the first proper climb throws in 3.1 kilometres at 6%, soon followed by another ascent of 5.3 kilometres at 4.1%.

None of these early climbs offer KOM points, though. Those come into play on the Paso de las Traviesas, a climb of 7.8 kilometres at 4.2%, crested after 75 kilometres of action. From the summit, there are still 62 kilometres to go.

The next 25 kilometres are a gentle descent leading to two hills that played a role in the 2014 World Championships road race. The second hill is a sharp little kicker: 1.1 kilometres at 6.5%. From there, it’s a fast descent into Ponferrada, the town where Michał Kwiatkowski claimed the rainbow jersey eleven years ago. That’s where the final climb begins.

After crossing the Boeza River, the riders hit a 3.5 kilometres wall at 10.3%. It flattens out briefly before kicking up again for another 4.3 kilometres at 8.7%. There’s a short flat and slightly downhill section before the final 3.8 kilometres ramp up at 7.3%.

Across its full 18.1 kilometres, the Alto de El Morredero averages 6.3%.