Vuelta a España

Jersey winners from the 2020 Vuelta a España (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

When: August 14 – September 5 2021
Where: Spain
UCI category: WorldTour

Key links: Route | Start list | TV Guide

The Vuelta a España is the third and final Grand Tour of the season, and the Spanish race always provides an exciting finale to the year for GC specialists.

Renowned for its testing parcours and plethora of summit finishes, the Vuelta represents an immense challenge and several riders have tried and failed to win it in the same season as another Grand Tour.

The 2021 route is back to 21 stages after having to drop the three opening stages to the 2020 race due to Covid-19.

The race organisers, ASO, have thrown in some huge mountain stages with Lagos de Covadonga being the most famous.

Vuelta a España 2021 route

Stage Date Start/Finish Distance Profile
1 Sat, Aug 14 Burgos Catedral VIII Centenario – Catedral 8km ITT
2 Sun, Aug 15 Caleruega – Burgos 169.5km Flat
3 Mon, Aug 16 Santo Domingo de Silos – Picón Blanco 203km Hills
4 Tue, Aug 17 El Burgo de Osma – Molina de Aragón 163.6km Flat
5 Wed, Aug 18 Tarancón – Albacete 184.4km Flat
6 Thu, Aug 19 Requena – Alto de la Montaña de Cullera 159km Hills
7 Fri, Aug 20 Gandía – Balcón de Alicante 152km Mountains
8 Sat, Aug 21 Santa Pola – La Manga del Mar Menor 163.3km Flat
9 Sun, Aug 22 Puerto Lumbreras – Alto de Velifique 187.8km Mountain
Rest day Mon, Aug 23
10 Tue, Aug 24 Roquetas de Mar – Rincón de la Victoria 190.2km Flat
11 Wed, Aug 25 Antequera – Valdepeñas de Jaén 131.6km Mountains
12 Thu, Aug 26 Jaén – Córdoba 166.7km Hills
13 Fri, Aug 27 Belmez – Villanueva de la Serena 197.2km Flat
14 Sat, Aug 28 Don Benito – Pico Villuercas 159.7km Mountains
15 Sun, Aug 29 Navalmoral de la Mata – El Barraco 193.4km Mountains
Rest day Mon, Aug 30
16 Tue, Aug 31 Laredo – Santa Cruz de Bezana 170.8km Flat
17 Wed, Sep 1 Unquera – Lagos de Covadonga 181.6km Mountains
18 Thu, Sep 2 Salas – Altu d’El Gamoniteiru 159.2km Mountains
19 Fri, Sep 3 Tapia – Monforte de Lemus 187.8km Hills
20 Sat, Sep 4 Sanxenxo – Mos Castro de Herville 173.6km Mountains
21 Sun, Sep 5 Padrón – Santiago de Compostela 33.7km ITT

Vuelta a España: past winners

2000 Roberto Herasdagger (Esp) Kelme–Costa Blanca
2001 Ángel Casero (Esp) Festina
2002 Aitor González (Esp) Kelme–Costa Blanca
2003 Roberto Heras (Esp) U.S. Postal Service
2004 Roberto Heras (Esp) Liberty Seguros
2005 Roberto Heras (Esp) Liberty Seguros–Würth
2006 Alexander Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana
2007 Denis Menchov (Rus) Rabobank
2008 Alberto Contador (Esp) Astana
2009 Alejandro Valverde (Esp) Caisse d’Epargne
2010 Vincenzo Nibali (Ita) Liquigas–Doimo
2011 Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky
2012 Alberto Contador (Esp) Saxo Bank–Tinkoff Bank
2013 Chris Horner (USA) RadioShack–Leopard
2014 Alberto Contador (Esp) Tinkoff–Saxo
2015 Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana
2016 Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
2017 Chris Froome (GBR) Team Sky
2018 Simon Yates (GBR) Mitchelton–Scott
2019 Primož Roglič (SLO) Jumbo-Visma
2020 Primož Roglič (SLO) Jumbo-Visma