One week earlier than in previous years and the incomparable backdrop of Benidorm's Playa de Poniente (West Beach in English) as the setting, 20 August 2011 will see the start the 66th edition of the Vuelta a España. A team time trial will be the first test for participants as the race returns to Spain's Manhattan after a 12-year absence.
This will be the third time that Benidorm hosts La Vuelta; the first was in 1964 and the second in 1987, which was also a time trial. On this occasion, a very technical 16 K circuit leaving from the beach will test the coordination of the teams.

The first few kilometres of the second stage, with a first-time start in La Nucia, gives us the first mountain pass of La Vuelta 2011. Alto de Relleu, a category 3 mountain pass, is the exception in this almost flat stage along the coast of Alicante.
After Alessandro Petacchi's victory last year in Orihuela, La Vuelta returns to this seaside town to finish in a clearly expected sprint in which all teams with specialists will seek their opportunity to stand out.

An unprecedented stage in the route of the Tour of Spain. Starting in the province of Alicante and finishing in Murcia, the third stage of the race will be one of the shortest this year.
This stage has a single category 3 mountain pass in the second half: Alto de la Santa. Located just over ten kilometres from the finish line, this looks like it could tempt the sprinters in the peloton in a stage that has all the marks of being conducive to a bunch finish.

La Vuelta leaves the coast and heads to the mountains of Granada. First mountain stage with a mountain top finish in this edition. Sierra Nevada will once again greet the cyclists as they complete in the dozen stages contested on its slopes. Its more than 2,100 metres in altitude once again makes this the Cima Alberto Fernández.
Before facing the well-known and demanding Sierra Nevada finish, the cyclists will have to climb Sierra de Filabres, an unprecedented category 1 mountain pass for La Vuelta, and Puerto de Blancares, a category 3.

Unprecedented start from Sierra Nevada to reach one of the discoveries of La Vuelta 2010. The town Valdepeñas de Jaén will welcome the peloton back with open arms as it did last year with the arrival of Igor Anton in front of the race.
The finish line may catch more than one cyclist by surprise if they are not well positioned at the start of the second climb to Alto de Valdepeñas de Jaén (category 2). The explosive end with a 27% "wall" at just 500 metres to a finish line that will once gain be truly epic for fans and participants.

Cordoba returns to La Vuelta after a two-year absence. The land between Úbeda, which debuts in the race, and the capital city of Cordoba seems conducive to a bunch finish as the sprinters in the peloton vie for the finish. The stage runs over 186 kilometres with a first passage through the city before the finish.
The climb to Alto de San Jerónimo at just over 10 kilometres from the finish, a mountain pass that has already proven that it is hardy enough to challenge the possibilities of sprinters, will force the sprinters to be careful not to be cut off given that later there will be no room to bridge with the leaders.

Another unprecedented start, this time in the Castilla-La Mancha town of Almadén, which will mark the first mountain weekend of the race in Spain's Sistema Central. The stage, which does not have a categorized climb but is still a real leg-breaker, will favour the rouleurs and the brave looking for a breakaway.
Talavera de la Reina will host a stage finish for the fifth time on a good day for living in this Toledo town, particularly if the teams with specialists decide to show off in a sprint finish.

Following completion of the first week of competition, the race features two mountain stages before the time trial. To start, the last Saturday in August, an explosive stage with four categorised climbs. Puerto de Mijares (first), Collado Mediano and Hoyo de Guija (second) and San Lorenzo de El Escorial (third) complicate the stage before reaching the Madrid suburb of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. Although La Vuelta has often passed through the town, this will be the time first that their streets will host the finish line.
The finish in San Lorenzo, with ramps of 27 and 28%, may mark some differences in the pack if they have not completed the previous climbs.

Villacastín debuts as a stage start in La Vuelta. The destination, the La Covatilla ski resort. Sierra de Bejar will host the finish in a 180-kilometre stage with a mountain top finish and a category 3 start.
After passing through Bejar, the course will begins the climb up to the 1,970 metre summit, location of the finish line. The demanding Salamanca mountain pass will lead to the first names being dropped from the list of favourites.
Since the discovery of La Covatilla in 2002 with the victory of Santi Blanco, La Vuelta has repeated the climb on two separate occasions: 2004 & 2006

First and only individual time trial stage in La Vuelta 2011. This test for specialists will start and finish in Salamanca, the third time that the city will host a stage of this type.
At the mid-point of La Vuelta, and before rest day, the time-trialists will have their only chance to shine in this edition. The stage, completely flat, will be slightly shorter than the Peñafiel stage in 2010 in which Peter Velits took the victory.

First unprecedented mountain top finish in La Vuelta 2011 and the first stage of three held in Galicia.
La Vuelta returns to Galicia for the first time since the Start in Vigo in 2007 with a highly selective three climb stage with three category 3 mountain passes distributed throughout the day. As in previous days, the first, Fumaces, is only ten kilometres from the rolling start.
The stage finish is at a hitherto unknown mountain pass for the race. La Manzaneda, with a 30 kilometre climb, can cause a shake-up in the general classifications with the emergence of new figures vying for the "Red Jersey."

Transition and "break" stage between the mountain stages of Galicia. The teams with sprinters will have to work during the whole stage to control breaks and have their own specialists contest the sprint on the streets of Pontevedra.
The two category 3 mountain passes, Moscoso and Ponte Caldeas, are the perfect setting for climbers looking to break in the first kilometres.
This is the second time for both cities, Pontevedra and Ponteareas, on the route of the Tour of Spain. The first included a stage start in 1987 and the second, in 1980, a finish.

La Vuelta 2011 enters the Los Ancares region for the first time in one of the most complicated stages of the whole edition.
With an unprecedented start in the town of Sarria and a finish in Ponferrada, this will be the sixth time that the capital of El Bierzo hosts the race. With only 150 km, this stage is sure to impress everyone.
Three category 3 mountain passes, two in the first thirty kilometres, will prepare the peloton for the two mammoth climbs of the day. Folgueriras of Aigas is shaping up as another of the great legends in the history of La Vuelta: the Puerto de Ancares mountain pass.
After the summit there is a fast decline with some climbs, including the last category 3 mountain pass, Ocero, already known in the race, levaing 20 km to the finish line.

Second unprecedented mountain top finish of the 66th edition of La Vuelta. After an easy first half of the stage, from the start in Astorga to the beginning of the first mountain climb, the second half looks very challenging with a category 2 mountain pass, la Ventana, and a category 1, San Lorenzo. Both are very tough, especially the decline, which will prepare the peloton for the climb to La Farrapona, this edition's first finish in Asturias.
The end of the stage is another long climb. The twenty kilometres of La Farrapona, although not very demanding except at the end, will make a dent in those still in the race. Another great opportunity for climbers.

La Vuelta and Angliru. The legendary colossus in Asturias returns to La Vuelta after a two-year hiatus. After being included only four climbs, Alto de Angliru has become part of the history and legend of the race.
The cyclists will arrive after two gruelling days on the mountain, which will make the ramps even harder. The stage is much shorter than in 2008 and will include climbs to Tenebrero (category 2) and Cordal (category 1). The twisting but not excessively tough climb up to the category 1 mountain pass with give second leaders a chance to be seen before beginning the ascent to Angliru.

After a well-deserved rest day and leaving the mountains of Asturias behind, a completely flat new transition day with favour the sprinters to move form the back of the pack to the front and contest for the finish line in Haro. This is the second time in the history of the race that this La Rioja town hosts a stage finish. This forst was in 1966 when Francisco Gabica took his first win.
Villa Romana La Olmeda, in Pedrosa de la Vega (Palencia), one of the most important archaeological sites from Roman times, will receive the cyclists who have endured two tough weeks of competition since the start in Benidorm.

Bodegas Faustino, in the Alava region of La Rioja, will mark the start of the stage that last year sealed the fate of Igor Anton in La Vuelta when a fall at the start of the climb to Cabarga Peña made him drop out of the race.
The winding route of the stage, with a single category 3 mountain pass in the first half, may lead to a dangerous breakaway that the teams that are already taking positions for the general classification will have to watch for. The second half is more complicated with two mountain passes, Sía and Alisa. In addition the Peña Cabarga finish will force cyclists to save some energy, since the final climb is about six kilometres and has an average gradient of nearly 10%, with ramps that reach as high as 18%.

Cantabria hosts the second mountain stage in the home stretch of La Vuelta 2011. The peloton will have to overcome up to four mountain passes in a very demanding stage bringing them to the town of Noja, included for the first time in the course of the race.
The mountain passes, already known among the peloton of La Vuelta, are distributed across almost 170 kilometres. These include the other side of Alisas which the cyclists already climbed in the previous stage before arriving at Cabarga Peña.

La Vuelta returns to the Basque Country after 33 years with a stage finish in Bilbao. With the start in Cantabria, Noja, which also debuts this year as stage start, the day with begin quieter than the previous ones, the sprinters will have suffer a little if they want to contest the impending arrival on the streets of Bilbao.
Fans awaiting the cyclists on the streets of Bilbao will be able to enjoy viewing the peloton twice before the finish line. Between one and other, Alto El Vivero will add a bit of spice to the race.

The penultimate day of La Vuelta a España 2011 may be decisive for the race if the times are tight in the general classifications.
On the day that will finally decide the winner of the 66th edition of the race, the streets of Bilbao will give the riders a hearty Agur for thirty-first time. While the last time in 1978 the stage route led to Amurrio, this time the peloton will head towards Vitoria. Before reaching the capital of Alava, riders will have to climb four mountain passes. The last, the Puerto de Urquiola, will offer the final judgement on La Vuelta 2011.

The stage that by tradition pays homage to the flamboyant winner of the La Vuelta will depart from Circuito del Jarama, which already lived a "short" experience of only four km in a team time trial in 1974.
On the streets of Madrid, the public will enjoy the switch backs that the cyclists will follow along Paseo de la Castellana, Gran Via and Paseo del Prado. As usual, the first lap will be led by the team leader, but once past the finish line the fight will start to mount the podium for the last time in the 66th edition of La Vuelta a España.

LIQUIGAS-CANNONDALE
1 - NIBALI Vincenzo (ITA19841114)
2 - CAPECCHI Eros (ITA19860613)
3 - CARUSO Damiano (ITA19871012)
4 - DA DALTO Mauro (ITA19810408)
5 - MARANGONI Alan (ITA19840716)
6 - NERZ Dominik (GER19890825)
7 - SAGAN Peter (SVK19900126)
8 - AGNOLI Valerio (ITA19850106)
9 - BELLOTTI Francesco (ITA19790806)

AG2R LA MONDIALE
11 - ROCHE Nicolas (IRL19840703)
12 - BONNAFOND Guillaume (FRA19870623)
13 - CHAMPION Dimitri (FRA19830906)
14 - DESSEL Cyril (FRA19741129)
15 - HOUANARD Steve (FRA19860402)
16 - LE LAY David (FRA19791230)
17 - MONDORY Lloyd (FRA19820426)
18 - MONTAGUTI Matteo (ITA19840106)
19 - PERGET Mathieu (FRA19840918)

ANDALUCIA CAJA GRANADA
21 - BERNABEU ARMENGOL Vicente David (ESP 19750109)
22 - BENITEZ ROMAN Jose Alberto (ESP 19811114)
23 - CABELLO BAENA Antonio (ESP 19900109)
24 - LOBATO DEL VALLE Juan Jose (ESP 19881229)
25 - PALOMARES VILLAPLANA Adrian (ESP 19760218)
26 - PIEDRA PEREZ Antonio (ESP 19851010)
27 - ROLDAN CARMONA Jose Luis (ESP 19851113)
28 - ROSENDO PRADO Jesus (ESP 19820316)
29 - TORIBIO ALCOLEA Jose Vicente (ESP 19851222)

BMC RACING TEAM
31 - FRANK Mathias (SUI19861209)
32 - KOHLER Martin (SUI19850717)
33 - PHINNEY Taylor (USA19900627)
34 - QUINZIATO Manuel (ITA19791030)
35 - SANTAMBROGIO Mauro (ITA19841007)
36 - SANTAROMITA Ivan (ITA19840430)
37 - TSCHOPP Johann (SUI19820701)
38 - VAN AVERMAET Greg (BEL19850517)
39 - KROON Karsten (NED19760129)

COFIDIS, LE CREDIT EN LIGNE
41 - BAGOT Yohan (FRA 19870906)
42 - EDET Nicolas (FRA 19871202)
43 - MATE MARDONES Luis Angel (ESP 19840323)
44 - MONCOUTIE David (FRA 19750430)
45 - SARAMOTINS Aleksejs (LAT 19820408)
46 - SIJMENS Nico (BEL 19780401)
47 - TAARAMAE Rein (EST 19870424)
48 - VOGONDY Nicolas (FRA 19770808)
49 - FOUCHARD Julien (FRA 19860820)

EUSKALTEL-EUSKADI
51 - ANTON HERNANDEZ Igor (ESP19830302)
52 - ISASI FLORES Inaki (ESP19770420)
53 - MARTINEZ DE ESTEBAN Egoi (ESP19780515)
54 - NIEVE ITURALDE Mikel (ESP19840526)
55 - OROZ UGALDE Juan Jose (ESP19800711)
56 - TXURRUKA Amets (ESP19821110)
57 - VERDUGO MARCOTEGUI Gorka (ESP19781104)
58 - AZANZA SOTO Jorge (ESP19820616)
59 - CAZAUX Pierre (FRA19840607)

GEOX-TMC
61 - COBO ACEBO Juan Jose (ESP 19810211)
62 - BLANCO RODRIGUEZ David (ESP 19750303)
63 - DE LA FUENTE RASILLA David (ESP 19810504)
64 - DUARTE AREVALO Fabio Andres (COL 19860611)
65 - MENCHOV Denis (RUS 19780125)
66 - SASTRE CANDIL Carlos (ESP 19750422)
67 - ARDILA CANO Mauricio (COL 19790521)
68 - BRANDLE Matthias (AUT 19891207)
69 - KOZONTCHUK Dmitry (RUS 19840405)

HTC-HIGHROAD
71 - ALBASINI Michael (SUI19801220)
72 - CAVENDISH Mark (GBR19850521)
73 - DEGENKOLB John (GER19890107)
74 - GOSS Matthew Harley (AUS19861105)
75 - GRABSCH Bert (GER19750619)
76 - HOWARD Leigh (AUS19891018)
77 - MARTIN Tony (GER19850423)
78 - SIVTSOV Kanstantsin (BLR19820809)
79 - VELITS Martin (SVK19850221)

KATUSHA TEAM
81 - RODRIGUEZ OLIVER Joaquin (ESP19790512)
82 - HORRACH RIPPOLL Juan (ESP19740327)
83 - KUSCHYNSKI Aliaksandr (BLR19791027)
84 - LOSADA ALGUACIL Alberto (ESP19820228)
85 - MORENO FERNANDEZ Daniel (ESP19810905)
86 - PAOLINI Luca (ITA19770117)
87 - KARPETS Vladimir (RUS19800920)
88 - TROFIMOV Yury (RUS19840126)
89 - VORGANOV Eduard (RUS19821207)

LAMPRE - ISD
91 - SCARPONI Michele (ITA19790925)
92 - MARZANO Marco (ITA19800610)
93 - MORI Manuele (ITA19800809)
94 - NIEMIEC Przemyslaw (POL19800411)
95 - PEREZ ARRIETA Aitor (ESP19770724)
96 - PETACCHI Alessandro (ITA19740103)
97 - RIGHI Daniele (ITA19760328)
98 - SPEZIALETTI Alessandro (ITA19750114)
99 - GAVAZZI Francesco (ITA19840801)

LEOPARD TREK
101 - BENNATI Daniele (ITA19800924)
102 - CANCELLARA Fabian (SUI19810318)
103 - FUGLSANG Jakob (DEN19850322)
104 - MONFORT Maxime (BEL19830114)
105 - O'GRADY Stuart (AUS19730806)
106 - VIGANO Davide (ITA19840612)
107 - WAGNER Robert (GER19830417)
108 - ZAUGG Oliver (SUI19810509)
109 - ROHREGGER Thomas (AUT19821223)

MOVISTAR TEAM
111 - ERVITI OLLO Imanol (ESP19831115)
112 - GARCIA ACOSTA José Vicente (ESP19720804)
113 - INTXAUSTI ELORRIAGA Benat (ESP19860320)
114 - KONOVALOVAS Ignatas (LTU19851208)
115 - LASTRAS GARCIA Pablo (ESP19760120)
116 - LOPEZ GARCIA David (ESP19810513)
117 - PARDILLA BELLON Sergio (ESP19840116)
118 - BRUSEGHIN Marzio (ITA19740615)
119 - MADRAZO RUIZ Angel (ESP19880730)

OMEGA PHARMA-LOTTO
121 - BAKELANDTS Jan (BEL19860214)
122 - DE GREEF Francis (BEL19850202)
123 - DOCKX Gert (BEL19880704)
124 - HANSEN Adam (AUS19811105)
125 - REYNES MIMO Vicente (ESP19810730)
126 - VAN DE WALLE Jurgen (BEL19770209)
127 - VAN DEN BROECK Jurgen (BEL19830201)
128 - KAISEN Olivier (BEL19830430)
129 - LANG Sebastian (GER19790915)

PRO TEAM ASTANA
131 - KESSIAKOFF Fredrik (SWE19800517)
132 - GASPAROTTO Enrico (ITA19820322)
133 - KANGERT Tanel (EST19870311)
134 - KASHECHKIN Andrey (KAZ19800321)
135 - KISERLOVSKI Robert (CRO19860809)
136 - MIZUROV Andrey (KAZ19730316)
137 - PETROV Evgeny (RUS19780525)
138 - DYACHENKO Alexsandr (KAZ19831017)
139 - JUFRE POU Josep (ESP19750805)

QUICKSTEP CYCLING TEAM
141 - BOONEN Tom (BEL19801015)
142 - CATALDO Dario (ITA19850317)
143 - CHAVANEL Sylvain (FRA19790630)
144 - DE MAAR Marc (AHO19840215)
145 - DE WEERT Kevin (BEL19820527)
146 - MAES Nikolas (BEL19860409)
147 - MALACARNE Davide (ITA19870711)
148 - SEELDRAEYERS Kevin (BEL19860912)
149 - VANDEWALLE Kristof (BEL19850405)

RABOBANK CYCLING TEAM
151 - BARREDO LLAMAZALES Carlos (ESP19810605)
152 - BRESCHEL Matti (DEN19840831)
153 - FREIRE GOMEZ Oscar (ESP19760215)
154 - GARATE Juan Manuel (ESP19760424)
155 - KRUIJSWIJK Steven (NED19870607)
156 - MARTENS Paul (GER19831026)
157 - MOLLEMA Bauke (NED19861126)
158 - SANCHEZ GIL Luis Leon (ESP19831124)
159 - SLAGTER Tom Jelte (NED19890701)

SAXO BANK SUNGARD
161 - SÖRENSEN Chris (DEN19840905)
162 - CHRISTENSEN Mads (DEN19840406)
163 - GUSTOV Volodymir (UKR19770215)
164 - HAEDO Juan José (ARG19810126)
165 - JÖRGENSEN Jonas Aaen (DEN19860420)
166 - MAJKA Rafal (POL19890912)
167 - MARYCZ Jaroslaw (POL19870417)
168 - NUYENS Nick (BEL19800505)
169 - SÖRENSEN Nicki (DEN19750514)

SKIL - SHIMANO
171 - GENIEZ Alexandre (FRA 19880416)
172 - DOI Yukihiro (JPN 19830918)
173 - FRÖHLINGER Johannes (GER 19850609)
174 - GESCHKE Simon (GER 19860313)
175 - KITTEL Marcel (GER 19880511)
176 - TIMMER Albert (NED 19850613)
177 - VEELERS Tom (NED 19840914)
178 - CURVERS Roy (NED 19791227)
179 - DE KORT Koen (NED 19820908)

SKY PROCYCLING
181 - ARVESEN Kurt-Asle (NOR19750209)
182 - CIONI Dario David (ITA19741202)
183 - FROOME Christopher (GBR19850520)
184 - LÖVKVIST Thomas (SWE19840404)
185 - POSSONI Morris (ITA19840701)
186 - STANNARD Ian (GBR19870525)
187 - SUTTON Christopher (AUS19840910)
188 - WIGGINS Bradley (GBR19800428)
189 - ZANDIO ECHAIDE Xabier (ESP19770317)

TEAM GARMIN-CERVELO
191 - FARRAR Tyler (USA19840602)
192 - FISCHER Murilo Antonio (BRA19790616)
193 - HAUSSLER Heinrich (AUS19840225)
194 - KLIER Andreas (GER19760115)
195 - LE MEVEL Christophe (FRA19800911)
196 - MARTIN Daniel (IRL19860820)
197 - TALANSKY Andrew (USA19881123)
198 - VAN SUMMEREN Johan (BEL19810204)
199 - VANMARCKE Sep (BEL19880728)

TEAM RADIOSHACK
201 - BRAJKOVIC Janez (SLO19831218)
202 - BUSCHE Matthew (USA19850509)
203 - IRIZAR ARANBURU Markel (ESP19800205)
204 - KLÖDEN Andreas (GER19750622)
205 - LEQUATRE Geoffroy (FRA19810630)
206 - MACHADO Tiago (POR19851018)
207 - OLIVIERA Nelson Filipe (ESP19890306)
208 - PAULINHO Sergio Miguel Moreira (POR19800326)
209 - ZUBELDIA AGIRRE Haimar (ESP19770401)

VACANSOLEIL-DCM PRO CYCLING TEAM
211 - CARRARA Matteo (ITA19790325)
212 - DEVOLDER Stijn (BEL19790829)
213 - GOLAS Michal (POL19840429)
214 - KEIZER Martijn (NED19880325)
215 - LAGUTIN Sergey (UZB19810114)
216 - LIGTHART Pim (NED19880616)
217 - POELS Wouter (NED19871001)
218 - ANZA Santo (ITA19801117)
219 - PYDGORNYY Ruslan (UKR19770725)