Rate the "epic mediocrity" of the 2011 Vuelta a España route

[Skip Madness]

And before La Covatilla, although no pass is categorized, it is constantly up and down, not at all a just one last climb stage if cyclists want.

The up and down on that stage is nowhere near hard enough to be worth animating the stage before the Covatilla.

 

[Descender]

Even finishing in a big city, they could have finished in San Sebastián and used a circuit going up Monte Igueldo a few times or gone over Jaizkibel. They could have climbed the Alto de Aia on the way over there - it's about 15-16km outside of San Seb... they could have done that then a couple of laps over Monte Igueldo and had a really exciting last 30-40km with lots of short but steep climbs.

San Sebastian didn't ask for a stage and apparently wasn't too keen on having the Vuelta there. Guipuzcoa is the most nationalistic of the three provinces.