Vuelta 2026 Route stage 12: Vera - Calar Alto

Thursday 3 September - Stage 12 of the Vuelta a España covers 166.5 kilometres from Vera to the Calar Alto Observatory. The decisive action is expected in the final 44 kilometres, where the riders first climb the Alto de Velefique - 13.2 kilometres at 7.3% - before taking on the ascent to the line: 15.5 kilometres at 6%.

n short, stage 12 revolves around two climbs: the Alto de Velefique and the ascent to Calar Alto. The Vuelta followed the same script in 2017, when Miguel Ángel López reached the observatory 14 seconds ahead of a group containing Chris Froome, Vincenzo Nibali and Wilco Kelderman. Five editions ago, the finish line was on the Velefique itself, where Damiano Caruso crowned a long solo break with victory.

The riders can warm up their legs straight from the start, on the Puerto Los Barrancos. The route then continues over rolling terrain to the Alto Cóbdar, before a series of short descents and gentle rises leads to the foot of the Collado García, which the riders reach around halfway through the stage.

A long descent and a false flat then usher the peloton towards the decisive part of the stage. After passing through the former mining town of Velefique, the riders tackle a climb of 13.2 kilometres at an average gradient of 7.3%. It starts with double-digit gradients before easing after 5 kilometres. From there, the road climbs at around 7% until the final kilometre, which ramps up to 15%.

The stage finishes with the ascent to the largest telescope on the European mainland, the Calar Alto Astronomical Observatory. The climb is 15.5 kilometres long and features several steep ramps early on, with gradients of around 12% over the first 2 kilometres. The climbing remains demanding until kilometre 6, after which the ascent becomes much more irregular, alternating between false flats, short descents and uphill stretches. Overall, it averages 6%.

At the summit of Calar Alto, the winner will succeed Roberto Heras (2004), Igor Antón (2006) and, as mentioned, Miguel Ángel López (2017).

Fancy riding the route yourself? Download GPX 12th stage 2026 Vuelta a España.