The Vuelta on the Route des Grandes Alpes ® (Alps Road)

Today, the Vuelta, the cycling Tour of Spain, takes to the mythical Route des Grandes Alpes®, offering riders and spectators a stage that's as demanding as it is unprecedented. This French foray, between Susa (Italy) and Voiron (Isère), marks a first in the recent history of the Vuelta, which thus ventures onto roads usually reserved for the Tour de France.

An original route guided by logistics

Today's 206.7 km stage takes the peloton over two major climbs: the Col de Montgenèvre, where the riders leave Italy to enter France, and the Col du Lautaret, the first climb above 2,000 meters in this edition. These emblematic passes, usually associated with the Grande Boucle, offer a grandiose backdrop and a technical challenge for the riders, with more than 3,000 meters of cumulative vertical drop.

The finish in Voiron (Isère), on the P'tites Routes du Soleil ®, meanwhile, owes as much to the passion of local elected officials for cycling as to logistical needs, as described by the event's organizer in l'Equipe.

A geographical and sporting originality

This detour via the Route des Grandes Alpes®, a legendary French cycling route, is a first for the Vuelta. It underlines the organizers' desire to innovate and surprise, by blending the cycling heritage of the Alps with Spanish tradition. Riders will have to adapt to an atypical race profile for the Vuelta, with long, steady climbs followed by a more rolling second half of the course, leaving doubt as to which strategy to adopt.

A spectacle to watch

Broadcast live on Eurosport 1 and HBO Max from 2pm, this stage captivates cycling fans, eager to see how the favorites, like France's David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), winner yesterday, or sprinters like Mads Pedersen, tackle this mountainous terrain. The presence of these legendary passes also serves to highlight the beauty of the Alpine landscapes, while reminding us of the universality of cycling, capable of transcending borders.

A nod to history

This passage of the Vuelta on the Route des Grandes Alpes® reminds us that cycling is a sport without borders, where legends are created in the Pyrenees as well as in the Alps, and where races can invite each other to their preferred terrain. A stage that will undoubtedly be remembered for both its novelty and its sporting demands.

It remains to be seen whether this French foray will inspire further innovations in future Grand Tours, and whether the riders will be able to take advantage of this exceptional setting to write a new page in cycling history.