Stage 9 Alfaro - Estación de Esquí de Valdezcaray (195.5km)
The ninth stage of the Vuelta a España takes the riders from Alfaro (La Rioja) to the Valdezcaray ski resort, also located in the Spanish province of La Rioja. For those who have never skied there: you may still know the climb from earlier editions of the Vuelta. No fewer than seven stages have finished at this ski station before, although it should be noted that the most recent one was already thirteen years ago. The other six came at the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s, with iconic winners such as Fabio Parra (1991), Pedro Delgado (1989), and Sean Kelly (1988).
But before the riders reach the finish at the ski resort, they first have to complete a 195.5-kilometer stage. The route is largely flat by Spanish standards—or “WielerFlits-flat,” if you like. The only mountain points available today come at the top of Valdezcaray, though the amount of climbing is still considerable: nearly 3,400 meters in total. As for the final ascent itself, it is quite manageable. The climb to Valdezcaray (13.2 kilometers at 5.2%) is never really steep.
| Date | Sunday 31 August |
| Start |  Alfaro |
| Finish | Estación de Esquí de Valdezcaray |
| Distance | 195.5 km |
| Elevation gain | 3311 m |
| Start time | 12:20 |
| Expected finish | 17:16-17:45 |
Stage 9 Alfaro - Estación de Esquí de Valdezcaray (195.5km)
The ninth stage of the Vuelta a España takes the riders from Alfaro (La Rioja) to the Valdezcaray ski resort, also located in the Spanish province of La Rioja. For those who have never skied there: you may still know the climb from earlier editions of the Vuelta. No fewer than seven stages have finished at this ski station before, although it should be noted that the most recent one was already thirteen years ago. The other six came at the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s, with iconic winners such as Fabio Parra (1991), Pedro Delgado (1989), and Sean Kelly (1988).
But before the riders reach the finish at the ski resort, they first have to complete a 195.5-kilometer stage. The route is largely flat by Spanish standards—or “WielerFlits-flat,” if you like. The only mountain points available today come at the top of Valdezcaray, though the amount of climbing is still considerable: nearly 3,400 meters in total. As for the final ascent itself, it is quite manageable. The climb to Valdezcaray (13.2 kilometers at 5.2%) is never really steep.