Stage 21: Leganes to Madrid, 109.6km, flat

Like the Tour de France’s procession into Paris and onto the Champs Elysees, the Vuelta finishes with circuits around the Spanish capital of Madrid. It’s short and it’s flat so any sprinter who has made it through the mountains will be gunning to be first over the line today.

The peloton has been thinned out from the full roster at the start of this Vuelta. Crashes, hypothermia and torturous climbs have made a good number of riders to climb off their bikes before Madrid, so raise a glass of Cava to each and every rider who makes it across the finish line today. It’s been one of the most unpredictable and exciting Grand Tours in years – those who’ve made it on to the podium have surely worked hard for their place.

Bit of trivia: Orange, white, back to orange, then white with a horizontal red stripe, yellow, orange, yellow again, then gold – it’s only been since 2010 that the leader’s jersey has been red.

Links: Official site

Header image: Madrid tiles