Starting in Mijas Costa, the riders take the winding road to Mijas Pueblo in the mountains. A typical Andalucian village with tiny white houses smashed against the rocks. After 14 kilometres Alto de Mijas in reached, a 3rd category climb.
The riders cross the plain of the Rio Guadalhorce and enter the mountains north of Malaga. Puerto del Léon is a 16.3 kilometres climb at 5%. The peak is crested with 76 kilometres done. After the drop the rest of the route ia virtually flat.
At Torre del Mar the Mediterranean is reached and for the remainder of the day the westward route follows the coast. With 10 kilometres left a small climb should not worry the sprinters – that is, if they are still on board after the Puerto del Léon. If so, it’s off to Málaga for a show of power and strength on the boulevards of the largest city of Andalucia.
Compared to the last time the Vuelta visited Málaga, today’s finish is a difference of night and day. In 2010, the stage ended uphill at the Castle of Gibralfaro with Philippe Gilbert climbing to glory in the final kilometre. No climbing in 2015’s finale though, or it should be the climb to the highest step of the podium.
Results/stage report stage 3, Vuelta 2015.
Vuelta 2015 stage 3: Route maps, height profiles, and more
Click on the images to zoom
+ Click for more images (6)
Related articles Riders and teams - Vuelta 2015 Favourites - Vuelta 2015 Withdrawals - Vuelta 2015 Route and stages - Vuelta 2015 More articles Giro 2025 Route stage 4: Alberobello – Lecce
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 4: For fast men #1
Giro 2025: Withdrawals
Giro 2025: The Route
Giro 2025: Riders
Giro 2025: GC Favourites
Giro 2025 Route stage 5: Ceglie Messapica - Matera
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 5: For fast men #2
Giro 2025 Route stage 6: Potenza - Naples
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 6: Hilly race with flat finale
Giro 2025 Route stage 7: Castel di Sangro - Tagliacozzo
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 7: First mountain top finish
Giro 2025 Route stage 8: Giulianova – Castelraimondo
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 8: Attackers in the Apennines
Giro 2025 Route stage 9: Gubbio - Siena
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 9: Strade Bianche alla Giro
Giro 2025 Route stage 10: Lucca – Pisa
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 10: For pure time trialists
Giro 2025 Route stage 11: Viareggio – Castelnovo ne’ Mont
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 11: Attackers in promising finale
Giro 2025 Route stage 12: Modena – Viadana
Giro 2025 Favourites stage 12: For fast men #3
Cycling Calendar 2025
Tour de France 2025: The Route
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 1: Lille - Lille
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 2: Lauwin-Planque - Boulogne-sur-Mer
Tour de France 2025 Route stage 3: Valenciennes - Dunkirk
Vuelta Femenina 2025 Route stage 6: Becerril de Campos - Baltanás