I know I am prone to fatalism and hyperbole when it comes to Vuelta routes, but this is simply the worst route in recent decades
especially taking into account the potential it had without even changing any start and finish.
They literally
went out of their way to make bad stages.
The climbs were right there for the taking, but no.
Just put Cobertoria or before San Lorenzo (or before Angliru). or Cruz de Linares + Maravio + San Lorenzo + Farrapona.
Just climb one of the millions things you can climb in Andorra before Pal.
Just do Cantó + Bonaigua before Cerler.
Morredero is the worst of all... how could they start in O Barco and not climb anything before Morredero, I didn't even know that was possible. You're starting in Galicia, climb Ancares or
Fonte da Cova, that's two proper HC right there for the taking! Or climb Llano de las Ovejas, another hard 1st/HC that's right there.
Hell, they didn't even use all the climbs before Bola del Mundo!
And that's not talking about all the other mid-mountain stages, left meh for no particular reason.
I can only hope they're doing this in an effort to attract an post-Tour Pogacar.
I agree with Red Rick, I think I'm just going on another cycling hiatus for a couple of years, all GTs are becoming much worse than they were just 10-15 years ago, and they were worse then than they used to be before that... it's just all so discouraging.