The queen stage of the first week, and the last day before the first rest day, which removes any incentive to hold back. It carries more than 4,200 metres of climbing and finishes on Alto de Aitana, the highest ground in Alicante province, by way of a final ascent of 22 km averaging 5.6%. That is a very long closing climb by the standards of a race that usually prefers them short and vicious, and it rewards sustained power rather than a single acceleration. The road is exposed and the heat on this coast in late August is severe. Riders in trouble will lose minutes here.