Vuelta’s Velefique challenge

ALMERIA’S Alto de Velefique mountain pass will enter 154 million homes during the Vuelta a España on August 22.

This is one of the cycling world’s three Grand Tour races, together with Italy’s Giro and the Tour de France, and legendary cyclist Alberto Contador – who has won them all – explains in a video the secrets, attractions and challenges that await the cyclists on their 930-metre Velefique ascent.

The documentary is the outcome of an alliance between Contador, Eurosport and the provincial council’s Costa de Almeria holiday destination project.

It will air on the day of the Vuelta’s 188-kilometre ninth stage that sets out from Puerto Lumbreras (Murcia) and finishes with one of the 2021 race’s most demanding ascents.

Fernando Gimenez, who heads the Diputacion’s Tourism department, recently welcomed Madrid-born Contador to a province that he describes as “a second home” where he has lived through so many great sporting experiences and trained extensively.

Alto Velefique was very familiar to him as he had spent hours training on this road, said Contador.

“This stage is very hard and the way the riders handle the ascent will depend on the temperature,” he predicted.