Climb to the 3395m/11,140 feet summit of Pico del Veleta in the Sierra Nevada; longer and higher than Alpe d'Huez, Tourmalet, or Ventoux. Pico del Veleta is the third highest peak in Spain, and the highest paved road in Europe. The surface deteriorates in the final 10Km, and you will be gasping for the increasingly thin air throughout the ride. Only the climb to the barrier at Hoya de la Moya has ever been used in the Vuelta. Here, the professionals turn round, but you will continue to the summit with a further 900m of climbing ahead of you.