2016 Vuelta a Espana to feature Pena Cabarga summit finish

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There are still a few weeks until the final route of the 2016 Vuelta a Espana will be officially unveiled but the pieces of the puzzle are increasing as we approach the date. Next year’s Vuelta a Espana is expected to feature 10 summit finishes and Cantabrian newspaper El Diario Montañes reports that the Peña Cabarga will be one of them.

The 2016 Vuelta a Espana is due to visit the Cantabria region in the north of Spain on August 31 for stage 11 before it moves into the Basque Country and the Pyrenees. The stage, which will take place just after the first rest day, will set off from the Asturian town of Lastres.

The Peña Cabarga climb last featured in the Vuelta a Espana in 2013, when Vasil Kiryienka won after a solo attack. Ángel López del Álamo was the winner when it made its first appearance in 1979. It would be over 30 years before it returned but it finally did in 2010 and that was quickly followed by its third appearance in 2011 with Chris Froome taking the stage win ahead of Juan José Cobo.

The early part of the 2016 Vuelta a Espana looks to be a very challenging one with summit finishes at La Camperona, el Naranco and Lagos de Covadonga all predicted for the three preceding stages. While there are more summit finishes than in the most recent edition, race director Javier Guillen has said the overall race will be much less mountainous.

Next year’s Vuelta a Espana will begin in the Galicia region on August 20 and finish in Madrid on September 11. The full race route is due to be announced January 9.