After yesterday's shock, with Tadej Pogacar's crash and the consequent withdrawal of the man in the red jersey, the first long week of the Vuelta España concludes on the shores of the Mediterranean with an authentic mountain stage: the Vila Joiosa/Villajoyos - Alto de Aitana. Costa Blanca measures 187 km and presents as many as 4,940 metres of elevation gain.

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There are six climbs to tackle today: we start with the Puerto de Tarbena, category 2, 7.2 km at 5.4% with the summit at km 36.7; at km 73.9 comes the Miserat, category 1, 5.2 km at 10%, then at km 90.7 it will be the turn of Tollos, category 3, 4.1 km at 5.8%.

After passing the halfway point of the stage, at km 121.8 comes the Puerto de Tudons, category 2, 7 km at 5.3%, followed by the Puerto de Benufallin, category 2, 4.8 km at 5.8% with the summit at km 139.9 and finally the Alto de Aitana, category 1, 22 km at 5.8%: the final climb is long, long, long.

The key points are El Miserat and the Alto de Aitana, namely the two category 1 climbs: on the first one the battle will probably break out, on the second one the fate of the stage will most likely be decided.