I have designed a complete Vuelta route and I have all the stages in GPX format. If any of the "maestros" are interested in making the stages for a Variant Vuelta just ask me.
This is the route:
1. La Manga del Mar Menor TTT (16 kms). Flat TTT in the Peninsule of La Manga, in Murcia's coast. Windy for sure. Very similar to the one that opened Giro 2009. 2. Murcia - Benidorm (171 kms) Flat, with a little KOM pass at the beginning. Probably of wind in the last kms. 3. Altea - Circuit de Valencia in Cheste (189 kms). Completely flat. Route by the coast in the first half. Arrival at the MotoGP Circuit of Cheste, Valencia. 4. Chiva - Ademuz (196 kms). Medium mountain stage with a 2nd category climb 30 kms to go. Long downhill to the arrival. 5. Teruel - Sant Carles de La Rápita (198 kms). Downhilling tendency stage to reach the coast again, next to Ebro river mouth. 6. Amposta - Cambrils (194 kms). Easy hilly stage next to the Mediterranean. Arrival at the tourist town of Cambrils, near Salou. 7. Sitges - Cornella (RCD Espanyol Stadium) ITT (46 kms). First long ITT just before the Pyrenees. Parallel to the coast the first 12 kms, completely flat in the rest. Arrival next to Espanyol's stadium. 8. Barcelona - Turo del' Home (160 kms). First high mountain stage. Arrival to one of the HC climbs in Catalunya after 2 previous mountain passes, Collformic (1st) and Santa Fe de Montseny (2nd). 9. Vic - Alp (176 kms). Queen stage of the Pyrenees and probably the hardest stage ever made by Vuelta in that zone. Collada Sant Isidre (2nd), Col de Pradell (one of the top five hardest climbs in Spain that remains "virgin" for pro cycling) and La Creueta (1st category) before the long downhill to the town of Alp, near French border. Rest day 10. Fraga - Calatayud (230 kms). Tracks4bikers only allow me to draw a route of 200 kms so there are 30 kms missing at the beginning. Long stage that sprinters should not let pass. 11. Calatayud - Numancia (150 kms). Short stage that ends with an uphill sprint to the archeological deposit of Numancia, near the city of Soria. 2nd categorie KOM climb at the middle of the stage. 12. Soria - Logroño (196 kms). Half mountain stage with some second and first categories to end at the city of Logroño after 50 easy last kms. Time for a breakaway. 13. Miranda de Ebro - Castro-Urdiales (180 kms). The route arrives to the North, by the Cantabrian sea, after funny last kms, with three 2nd categorie climbs before the end. 14. Laredo - Comillas (166 kms). Flat stage near the coast before high mountain arrives again. Two hills on the last kms could give options to Ardennes-type rideres. 15. San Vicente de la Barquera - Jitu de Escarandi (145 kms). First Cantabrian mountain stages and first top finish at the heart of Picos de Europa Natural Park. Jitu de Escarandi is another "virgin" climb for pro cycling and one of the most beautiful cols in the north of Spain. Just 2 little climbs before, so nothing should pass before final climb in this short stage. 16. Pola de Siero - Valle de Lago (173 kms). One of the hardest stages ever done in Spain, with an accumulated slope of 4696 metres. Cruz de Linares (1st), Puertos del Marabio (HC), San Lorenzo (HC) and final climb to Valle de Lago (1st) in a hell stage that would let the GC quite clear. Rest day 17. Cangas del Narcea - Ponferrada (210 kms). 10 kms missing at the beginning. If you think you've seen everything in this Vuelta, this stage comes to shock the cyclists again. 5000 accumulated slope in a stage that ends at the city that wants to organize 2013 World Championships, Ponferrada. Again one of the hardest "virgin" climbs in Spain, Ancares, with a hardness similar to Mortirolo will be the judge of the stage. Before it, Pozo de las Mujeres Muertas, El Acebo, Louxas and Sierra Morela and after its downhill, two 3rd category climbs before the arrival at Ponferrada. A stage for the brave and for those who want to recover time in the GC. 18. Ponferrada - Vino de Toro (195 kms). After the orgy of climbs, time to rest before the final battle with a stage designed to be last option for sprinters (if there are any stil resisting). Just one climb at the beginning and a huge amount of flat kms to the end at the city of Toro, known by his wine. 19. Tordesillas - Avila (189 kms). A classic stage just before the final battle. Flat until the first pass through the cobbles by the Walls of Avila, then 3 climbs, specially the hard Mediano, will be the judges fot the battle of those with nothing to do in GC who want to improve their record. 20. El Barraco - Plataforma de Gredos (169 kms). Last chance for climbers is here. Hard stage beginning in Carlos Sastre and Jose Maria Jimenez´s town and ended at Plataforma de Gredos, with a profile similar to Aprica. Peña Negra (1st category) should the point where to break the race, because last climb is not hard enough to make differences. After this battle only last time trial will remain. 21. Las Rozas - Madrid ITT (29 kms). Time to know the winner of this Vuelta with a time trial that goes through many popular places in the capital city: Royal Palace, Gran Via, Cibeles Square, la Castellana and Santiago Bernabeu.
Here you got the whole route and the profiles and if anyone wants to make the stages just tell and I will upload the GPX files.
It's an option, but the downhill from Rasos to Fumanya has 5 non-paved kms and then it would not be possible to climb Fumanya+Pradell for their hardest side. And also, Rasos would be so far away from the arrival and it wouldn't be as starring role.
