Vuelta a Espana may end with night stage

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Madrid is looking to emulate its fellow capital Paris by hosting a night stage at the 2015 Vuelta a España, according to a report in AS. The final decision is yet to be made but it looks likely that the Madrid Council and race organisers will agree to a late stage, ensuring that the final podium on September 13 would take place at night.

According to the report, the plan is to backdrop the podium with the illuminated Puerta de Alcalá, which is just down the Calle de Alcalá and can be seen from the traditional podium setting inside the Plaza de Cibeles.

The race will return to Madrid next season, after making a brief trip to Santiago de Compostela for an evening time trial, which was topped off with a dusk podium in front of the Cathedral. However, Madrid has been inspired by the night time stage hosted by the Tour de France in 2013 where the final sprint stage took place in the fading light.

The final route for the 2015 Vuelta a España is still being ironed out, with the announcement of the full route coming on January 10. A few details are known, however. The race will begin in Puerto Banús, Marbella on August 22, although organisers are still deciding whether to begin with an individual or team time trial. The race has begun with a team stage since 2010, but it is thought that there is too much traffic in Marbella in August to design a route long enough. If they chose to go with an individual time trial, it will be just 7 kilometres long, says AS.

Race director Javier Guillén also revealed earlier this month that the time trial later in the race would be a predominantly flat one of around 40 kilometres. Guillén is hoping to attract the likes of Chris Froome to target the Spanish race.