La Vuelta A Espana Highlights - Season 1 / Year 2016

La Vuelta takes off with a 29.4km team time trial that will serve to place all the riders in the general classification. The Vuelta's 22 teams will depart from the Laias Health Resort and will arrive at the Castrelo de Mino Nautical Park, in the province of Ourense, after almost 30 flat kilometres. It will be a favourable stage for the big teams who want to make an impression, and get ahead of their rivals. The first rider of the winning team to cross the finish-line will have the honour of wearing the first red jersey of 2016. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

The Vuelta returns to the city of Ourense in order to commence a 159-kilometre stage that will end, presumably, with a sprint to the finish-line in the locality of Bayonne. It will be one of the few opportunities for sprinters to make a difference, but energy levels will still be intact for the bravest riders to attempt to break away. The only difficulty of the day will be at the Alto de Fontefria, a third category climb. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

The Vuelta itinerary takes on the spectacular climb to the Mirador de Ezaro, one of the most beautiful places to feature in the Spanish tour in recent years. The first part of the stage will be flat and calm, later crossing into very windy terrain with two noteworthy peaks - the Alto de Lestaio and the Alto Das Paxareiras, third and second category climbs, respectively. The stage's outcome will be decided in a short but very tough climb. 170 kilometres will come to an end in a finale that will allow riders to make up for any possible differences established in the first day of the race. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

A beautiful and colourful 163.5km stage with a departure in Betanzos and a new high-altitude arrival, this time in the impressive and unprecedented Mirador Vixia de Herbeira, in San Andres de Teixido. The cliffs are the highest in in Europe. This 11.2km mountain pass, with an average inclination of 4.8 per cent, is not excessively tough, but it could potentially be dangerous to those who get distracted. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

A flat stage from Viveiro to Lugo. 171.3 kilometres of leg-breaking terrain that includes a circuit around the Lugo capital that will prove favourable for sprinters to show their skills, though they will have to face Marco de Alvare mid-route. This is an 11.8km mountain pass with an inclination of 3.6 per cent. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

A mid-mountain stage, between Monforte de Lemos and Luintra, in the Ribeira Sacra, crossing the spectacular canyons of the Sil River. The last 70 kilometres will be very windy, in a succession of climbs and descents all the way to the finish-line. In the final part of the stage, the peloton will come face to face with the Alto de Alenza, a second category climb, that will not necessarily make much of a difference to the general classification, but it may well break the group up, and prevent a mass arrival at the end. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

The first week of the Vuelta comes to an end and the peloton bids farewell to Galicia, arriving at Castilla y Leon through the Puebla de Sanabria, in the province of Zamora. The route is a windy one where the bravest riders will probably attempt to break away, which could result in them obtaining a stage victory. 158.5 kilometres in which the peloton will have to climb several mountain passes, such as Padornelo, 18.5km from the finish-line. This stage could be decided by a mass sprint to the end, or with the triumph of an early escape, and will serve as a preview to the start of the Leon-Asturian mountain that offers such good sporting results for the Vuelta year after year. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

A misleading stage with a 95 per cent of the route flat, until Cistierna. This is one of the slopes that has made the most impact in the entire history of the Vuelta. La Camperona was climbed for the first and only time in 2014. The route is difficult enough to make the favourites give it their all. Its purity, the suffering of the riders and the proximity of the fans all make the Camperona a special place. A truly spectacular stage which could be a deciding one. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

Stage nine will re-visit another old acquaintance of the Vuelta - the Alto del Naranco, and the beautiful city of Oviedo. The stage will not make much of a difference to the general classification, but it could be a barometer used to measure the riders' energy levels the day before returning to the Lagos de Covadonga. 164.5km of what promises to be both beautiful and exciting where the peloton will also have to complete four climbs. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

A return to one of the most legendary climbs of the Vuelta - the Lagos de Covadonga. The first part is a pleasant ride through the Asturian coast, departing from Lugones that will become much less relaxed at Fito Peak - a 6.2km climb with an inclination of 7.8 per cent 40 kilometres from the finish-line. After this, the main attraction will be the spectacular climb up the Lagos de Covadonga, with a route of 12.2km and an inclination of 7.2 per cent including the famous La Huesera stretch, with a slope of 13 per cent. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

Following a rest day, this is the fourth consecutive high-altitude finish in this year's Vuelta at Pena Cabarga, in Cantabria, after a departure from the Asturias Jurassic Museum. The final climb will be a short and severe one, almost 6km long with an inclination of 9.8 per cent, the final stretch being the toughest part - 1.9km with an 11.5 per cent inclination, including slopes of up to 19per cent. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

The Vuelta returns to the Basque Country for a long day, covering 193.2km between the Cantabrian locality of Los Corrales de Buelna and the city of Bilbao. Including four mountain passes, the most notable being Alisas and the double pass through El Vivero. The final part is a 4.2km climb and an 8.5 per cent inclination just 13km from the finale at the Biscayan capital. There may well be a possible sprint to the finish-line following some escapes as happened in 2011. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

The longest stage of the 2016 Vuelta, an exhausting leg breaker between Bilbao and the small Navarran locality of Urdax - 213.4km with four third category climbs that will break up the group. This will be an opportunity for the bravest riders in this edition of the Vuelta to grit their teeth and not waste too much energy as they will surely need it the following day. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

Except for the first few kilometres, today's entire route will take place on French soil. There are four mountain passes in the last 130km - the tough and unprecedented category one Col Inharpu, the Col de Soudet, the Marie Blanque with four final kilometres at an inclination of 11.5 per cent, and finally, the climb up the unprecedented Aubisque, a special category climb. This is a Tour classic that is almost 17km long with an average inclination of 7 per cent. In total, around 4800m of accumulated slopes, making this one of the most demanding stages of the Vuelta. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

Following the Aubisque, today's is the shortest linear stage of the 2016 Vuelta. 118.5 spectacular kilometres between Sabinanigo and the Aramon Formigal Ski Resort. It will be a very dangerous stage, with the mountain passes of Petralba and Cotefablo, third and second category climbs respectively, before the final climb of Los Sarrios, a first category climb. Attacks searching for the chance to break away will certainly begin quite early, and the nerves and exhaustion of the day before could take its toll on many of the riders. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

After a very mountainous weekend, the Vuelta comes down from the mountains of Aragon and heads to the Valencian coast in order to face the final and decisive week of competition. A flat stage, ideal for escapes, with one only point-incurring third category climb with a long slightly downhill descent to Vinaroz, before arriving at the Peniscola finish-line. It will be a favourable day for sprinters who, once again, will have the sea and the beach as the final backdrop of this sixteenth stage. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

Following on from yesterday's rest day, a 177.5-kilometre stage with another high-altitude finish in the unprecedented Mas de la Costa, in Llucena. It is a short mountain pass, just 4km long, with an average inclination of 13 per cent but with peaks of up to 22 per cent. The battle among the top classified riders will commence from the beginning of the climb and could put an end to the hopes and dreams of some of the favourites. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

A flat stage, between the Valencian localities of Requena and Gandia. If the teams control the escape, there will be a sprint to the finish-line. But if there is a long escape, it could end as a battle among the very few that break away in an attempt to cross the finish-line alone. This will be the second-last opportunity for sprinters. After today, there will only be three days left until the end, two of which will be decisive for the general classification. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

For the first time, the Vuelta will hold an individual time trial in the second-last stage along 37km between Javea and Calpe. It will be a very technical time trial, which will not make much of a difference to the general classification, keeping in mind that there is still another mountain stage ahead. The route will be favourable for rouleurs and time trial specialists, who will have the chance to obtain a stage victory. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

A decisive penultimate day, and final opportunity for those hoping to win the Vuelta to make their mark. A tough route, ideal for ambushes between Benidorm and the Alto de Aitana, that includes the mountain passes of Rates, Ebo, Tollos and Tudons, all of them second category climbs. The long descent previous to the final climb at Aitana is a special category climb, 21km long with almost 1300 metres of slopes that could be a decisive one. The rider who wears the red jersey at the Alto de Aitana will have obtained the final triumph. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.

The end of the race with a circuit-style stage through the streets of Madrid. The 20 days of hard work and suffering will be rewarded by this final Madrid stage that will bring the Vuelta a Espana's 71st edition to an end. It will be a good day for sprinters, and one that pays tribute to the peloton after completing three intense weeks of racing. Presented by Gary Imlach with commentary by Ned Boulting and David Millar, and Daniel Friebe the roving reporter.