Carrefour Granada > Granada 113km The final stage of the Vuelta and following the lead of the Tour de France, there’s no processional sprint stage. The final day is down in Granada and the lap circuit features a challenging climb. It looks a beautiful stage, but rumour is the riders are trying to get the GC times neutralised, which is a complete joke if you ask me. This is not a “dangerous” stage, they should be told it needs to be raced.

Montréal > Montréal 215km Evenepoel was brilliant on Friday night, but the others really shouldn’t have let him sneak away from the peloton on a downhill. Seixas looked decent, Del Toro had a bad day and Ayuso crashed, not the sort of day a few wanted with worlds just 2 weeks away. This race has always been the harder of the two, Côte de Camillien-Houde is usually the key point, it’s a very hard climb. This edition of the race is even more significant as the lap circuit will feature in the world road race, it can definitely be viewed...

La Calahorra > Collado del Alguacil 187km The Queen stage of the Vuelta and one of the hardest days for a few years. The riders spend the day in Sierra Nevada, a place many will know well from team camps. The organisers did have to adjust their plans as it wasn’t possible to climb Alto de Hazallanas due to a landslide, this has been replaced by the first ever ascent of Puerto de El Duque, which actually shares its final section with Hazallanas. The numbers make for terrifying reading, 187km and 4900m of climbing, add in the heat and fatigue...

Riccione > Cesenatico 192km The 23rd edition of the race, one that pays homage to one of the cycling greats. I grew up idolising Pantani, it was his climbing style which initially hooked me in, especially when compared to Armstrong. Yes, he doped, but that doesn’t stop me still calling him one of my cycling heroes, I simply loved the man. In a time where everything seems to be polarised as black or white, my love of Pantani lives in the grey zone. The route follows a similar path to previous years, punchy climbs in the middle, followed by a flat...

Vélez-Málaga > Peñas Blancas 211km Mas delivered a brilliant ITT and now has a lead of 1:37 over Roglič, the Spaniard seems to be in control of the red jersey. We now have two mountain stages on Friday and Saturday, we’ll see if Roglič can put Mas under any pressure.

Québec > Québec 206km Possibly my favourite weekend of the cycling year, Friday night racing is back on the TV. That means kicking back with beer and wine and watching my favourite riders tackling the tricky lap circuit in Québec. There’s been more changes to the route and with the worlds just 2 weeks away, the startlist is stellar.

Peccioli > Peccioli 198km A race that used to be one for punchy Italian sprinters, I remember waiting to watch the highlights on RAI TV when the race was won by Battaglin, Colbrelli and Pasqualon. Back in those days the race basically boiled down to multiple ascents of the climb up to the finish line, but since 2020 the race has been significantly harder. 

El Puerto de Santa María > Jerez de la Frontera 32km ITT A huge day in the fight for the red jersey, a 32km ITT awaits Enric Mas. All eyes will be on Primož Roglič, he starts 2:10 behind the Spaniard, just how much time can he make up?

Pontedera > Pontedera 190km The 98th edition of the race, getting close to the big 100. The route remains basically the same since 2021, with two ascents of Monte Serra, back in the day they used to do it three times. Sunday’s race gives an idea of form, some riders are well placed to have a good end to the season.

Dos Hermanas > Sevilla 185km Just 1064m of climbing makes this the easiest stage of the whole race. Sprinters will be looking forward to it, it’s going to be their last chance to take a win as the final stage in Granada is going to be too hard. Those who are not in the mix for the sprint jersey podium will probably end up going home after this and escaping the heat.