INTRO
Stage 12 delivers the Vuelta's second major mountain test, running 166.6 km from the coastal town of Vera into the Sierra de los Filabres to a summit finish atop Calar Alto. Four categorized climbs pave the way, building toward the Cat. 1 Alto de Velefique (13.1 km at 7.2%) roughly 30 km from the line, before the decisive final push — 16.9 km at 5.6% to the astronomical observatory perched at 2,168 meters. Expect the GC contenders to make their move well before the summit.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. The first two climbs, Alto del Cabecico (8.3 km at 3.3%) and Alto de Cóbdar (4.9 km at 4.5%), are gentle warmups. Collado García follows with a long but shallow 18.5 km at just 2.4% — deceptively tiring rather than steep. The real selection comes on Alto de Velefique, a genuine Cat. 1 test at 13.1 km averaging 7.2% with pitches well into double digits. After a technical descent, the final 16.9 km to Calar Alto average 5.6%, a sustained, grinding finish with no flat sections to recover on.
The route climbs through the arid, sparsely populated Sierra de los Filabres range, on narrow mountain roads connecting small villages like Albanchez, Cóbdar, and Bacares. Surfaces are generally sound but can narrow considerably in the higher, more remote sections, with limited services once past Velefique. The final approach to Calar Alto is a dead-end access road to the observatory — quiet, well-paved, but exposed to wind at altitude. Parking is easiest in Vera near the coast.
A wide-range cassette (11-32 or larger) paired with a compact crank is essential given Velefique's sustained 7.2% and the long, grinding 5.6% finish to Calar Alto after nearly 3,300 meters of total climbing. This is not a stage to be under-geared on — riders who show up light on climbing gear will pay for it dearly on the final 17 km.
Vera sits near Almería's coastal resorts, with the regional airport in Almería city offering the most convenient access. Calar Alto itself hosts a working astronomical observatory, one of Europe's largest, and the surrounding Sierra de los Filabres is a stark, remote landscape worth exploring by car if you have time before or after the stage. Lodging is best based in Almería city or the coastal towns, with limited options in the mountain villages along the route.
ROUTE MAP
