Alto de Velefique

Roughly two dozen hairpins climb from the semi-desert at Velefique to a bare 1791 m crest of the Sierra de los Filabres, a Vuelta summit finish with hardly any traffic.

The AL-3102 climbs the northern flank of the Sierra de los Filabres between the village of Velefique and Bacares, and it is widely called the Spanish Stelvio for good reason. From Velefique the road stacks roughly two dozen tight hairpins up an almost lunar, near-treeless slope, with the cyclist Miguel Indurain’s name painted on a rock face near the top. The surface is reportedly excellent and traffic is light, which is part of the appeal, and the Vuelta a Espana has used it repeatedly as an especial-category summit finish. The contrast of starting in semi-desert and finishing on an exposed 1791 m ridge is the signature. Mind the ramps that touch around 11 percent, the lack of barriers above the drops, and occasional winter closures up top.