We already knew the Vuelta would start in the Galicia region, and it stays there throughout the first week. For the seventh year in a row, the Vuelta starts with a team time trial, this time in Ourense, and hopefully not a repeat of the near-farcical scenes in Marbella in 2015.
Despite being classified by the organisers as having two flat stages, the entire first week has at least one category 2 climb on each stage. Stage 3 could shake up the order somewhat, with two category 2 climbs almost certain to create splits in the peloton before a category 3 summit finish to Mirador de Ézaro.
Stage 5 will be the first not to feature a summit finish, a reasonably flat last 70km giving the sprinters their first chance to shine, assuming they can get past the two climbs in the middle of the stage. 6 and 7 will provide some more moderate climbs, but it's stage 8 where the Vuelta will really start to bite.
The first 160km of stage 8 see the riders steadily climb just 200m, before La Camperona returns to the Vuelta after its 2014 debut. It cracked Rigoberto Uran then, costing him a minute that began his slide out of contention, but this year it's more likely to catapult someone into la roja, as the Vuelta's first category 1 climb.
Stage 10, the last before the first rest day, finishes at the Lagos de Covadonga, a 10km Especial climb which is sure to leave the riders glad of the day off, as well as being one to watch for the GC candidates.
Those who aren't fans of terrible puns should probably give the start of stage 11 a miss, as the peloton will depart from the Jurassic Museum of Asturias. Hopefully after the rest day their bones won't be as stiff as the fossils, the contenders will look to roar on the stage, et cetera, et cetera. As a guide to how hilly this Vuelta is, as with stage 8 this 'flat' stage ends with a sharp category 1 climb, some 168km away from Juan Hammond and his dinosaurs.
Stage 13 looks like it'll be unlucky for several of the riders, as no fewer than seven categorised climbs are dotted along 212km, the longest stage of the race, and one which dips into France for the first time in the race. It's a punishing, almost malicious, stage, which will chip away at even the strongest riders' stamina before the decisive week of the Vuelta begins.
After the previous day's sojourn across the border, stage 14 is run almost entirely in France, save for the start in Urdax-Dantxarinea. Three category 1 climbs are spaced evenly across the middle of the stage, including the 2015 Tour's decisive Col de La Pierre Saint-Martin, before the finish atop the Col d'Aubisque, This is a stage for the all-out GC contenders, with each of the four climbs offering an opportunity to drop rivals and gain handfuls of time.
Barely a flat bit of tarmac in sight the next day, you'd fancy that the short (120km) stage 15 will be one for a breakaway and perhaps a new face to grab the headlines. A rest day follows stage 16, which features a totally flat last 17km after a steady 50km descent.
Stage 17 is the least threatening-looking of the mountain stages, and an unremarkable stage 18 will lead into the two days that will decide the fate of la rosa. A 39km time trial could see some big chunks of time being exchanged so late in a gruelling Vuelta, but stage 20 is of course where it will be all but decided, with three cat. 2 climbs and a cat. 3 scattered before a final slog up Alto de Aitana.
At a an average, and pretty consistent, gradient of 5.72%, it doesn't seem like a challenge, but it's a punishing 22km slog after three weeks of climbing. They'll finish 1280m higher than at the foot of the climb, and with such a steady climb, there will be plenty of time for an attack to be made, and equally enough for a gap to open up.
The final stage into Madrid should be a formality, the transfer from Alicante to Madrid probably providing the riders more problems than the stage itself.
So what have we got overall? Climbs, and lots of them. Discounting the two time trials and the ceremonial final stage, every single stage contains a categorised climb. Because of that lack of classic sprint stages, and the Olympics falling only a couple of weeks before the Vuelta on the other side of the globe, I'd be surprised to see many, if any true specialist sprinters making the trip to Spain.
I can't mention this Vuelta without also considering Alberto Contador. It's no secret that Contador has his eyes on a fairytale victory in his final Grand Tour, and entirely possibly his final race as a professional cyclist.
The organisers have put together a really energy-sapping race for this Vuelta, however, and coming at the end of the season will only add to the fatigue factor. If Contador still has the legs to get round and win, will it cross his mind that he's got enough left for another season or two?
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