Although Friday 11th September represents one of the race’s most stages, no less important is the stage to be held on Saturday 12th, which starts off in the best way possible in the form of the Berja (3rd category) and La Ragua (1st category) climbs, located close to the start. The tough route, which is perfect for breakaways, will make it practically impossible for the leader’s team to control the race.
Following a stretch on easier roads, the “peloton” will head towards the third of the four Special category climbs included in the 2009 Vuelta. The final climb to Sierra Nevada (16.9 kilometres and 10% average gradient) will play a vital role in the development of the 13th stage.
Previous editions: The town of Berja in Almeria makes its debut as the host of a stage start. On the other hand, Sierra Nevada has hosted stage finishes on ten ocassions. The first of these took place in 1979 and was won by Felipe Yánez, whilst the most recent stage took place in 2004 and was won by Santi Pérez.
