Route map for seven-day 2023 La Vuelta Fememina(Image credit: Unipublic)
Ceratizit Challenge by la Vuelta 2023 Stages
Stage 1 - Torrevieja to Torrevieja, 14.5km (TTT)
Stage 2 - Orihuela to Pilar de la Horadada, 105.1km
Stage 3 - Elche de la Sierra to La Roda, 148.2km
Stage 4 - Cuenca to Guadalajara, 133.1km
Stage 5 - La Cabrera to Mirador de Peñas Llanas, Riaza, 129.2km
Stage 6 - Castro-Urdiales to Laredo, 106.7km
Stage 7 - Pola de Siero to Lagos de Covadonga, 93.5km
La Vuelta Femenina by Carrefour.es has expanded to a seven-day stage race for 2023, taking place May 1-7. For the past eight editions the race was known as Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta, last crowning Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) as a champion last September after five days of racing.
Now expanded by two additional days, the 2023 La Vuelta Femenina will cover 730.3km across a full week, including a high mountain grand finale on stage 7 to Lagos de Covadonga.
Stage 1 - Torrevieja TTT, 14.5km
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Stage 1 profile of. 2023 La Vuelta Femenina(Image credit: Unipublic)
La Vuelta Femenina opens May 1 with a 14.5-kilometre team time trial on stage 1 that will test the riders’ techniques within a urban setting. Almost entirely flat and of unknown level of technicality as the route has yet to be published, the stage may not be where the race is won but a major mishap could cost the entire race for any of the favourites. With two summit finishes in the race, most teams will be going in with their top climbers making for a difficult to predict outcome.
Stage 2 - Orihuela-Pilar de la Horadada, 105.8km
Stage 2 profile of 2023 La Vuelta Femenina (Image credit: Unipublic)
Stage 2 to Pilar de la Horadada has one small climb 20km from the finish, where contenders for the mountains classification will vie for the first polka dot jersey.
The category 4 ascent shouldn't be too much for the sprinters who will also be fighting for the green jersey of the points classification.
Stage 3 - Elche de la Sierra-La Roda, 158km
Stage 3 profile of 2023 La Vuelta (Image credit: Unipublic)
A pan-flat stage 3 to La Roda is even better suited to the sprinters. The stage is the longest of the race at 148.2 kilometres and could be subject to strong crosswinds in the Province of Albacete that could catch some contenders unaware.
Stage 4 - Cuenca-Guadalajara, 133.1km
Stage 4 profile of 2023 La Vuelta (Image credit: Unipublic)
The halfway point of the Grand Tour serves as a warmup for the big mountains, with rolling terrain on stage 4 that has a third-category Alto de Horche as a launching pad 12km to the finish in Guadalajara.
It's likely another day for the sprinters with the climb only rising 200 metres before the fast plunge into the finishing straight.
Stage 5 - La Cabrera - Mirador de Peñas Llanas. Riaza, 129.5
Stage 5 profile of 2023 La Vuelta (Image credit: Unipublic)
The climbers come to the front and centre on stage 5, with the first of two major summit showdowns.
Before riders get there, they'll have to get over the category 1 Puerto de Navafría which could isolate some contenders from their teammates.
This stage finishes on the on the Mirador de Peñas Llanas at 1483 metres in altitude. The Peñas Llanas Viewpoint features a new avant garde overlook that, since its construction in 2021, has been widely panned in nearby Riaza as a cultural, aesthetic, and ecological nightmare.
Riders won't have much breath left with which to offer an opinion of the structure, however, after 5 kilometres of climbing.
Stage 6 - Castro-Urdiales - Laredo, 106.1km
Stage 6 profile of 2023 La Vuelta (Image credit: Unipublic)
The penultimate stage is just 106.7 kilometres long with two category 2 climbs, the Alto de Fuente de las Baras and Puerto de Campo el Hayal. The climbs won't be a place for the overall contenders to attack but could be a chance for a late breakaway to clip away and spoil the fun for any sprinters left in the bunch.
Stage 7 - Pola de Siero - Lagos de Covadonga, 93.7km
Stage 7 profile of 2023 La Vuelta (Image credit: Unipublic)
Stage 7 is a 93.7km route with the category 2 Collado Moandi mid-stage and the summit finale on the Lagos de Covadonga.
The 16-kilometre finale averages a gradient of 7.4%, and has been used 22 times in the Vuelta a España, conquered most recently by climbers Primož Roglič, Thibaut Pinot, and Nairo Quintana.
This iconic ascent will crown the champion of La Vuelta Femenina.
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Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast). Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France), and some mtb rides in Park City, Utah (USA).
