Vuelta a España: Stage 16
Parcours preview
Distance: 147.7km
Category: High mountains
Highest point: 1,795m
The third Pyrenean stage may be the easiest of the trio but it still packs quite a finishing punch on the long climb up to the resort of Formigal. Given what's gone just before, the GC contenders are likely hold back until the final climb and may not concern themselves with chasing down the break of the day, which will give an opportunity to those teams that have hitherto missed out. None of the day's climbs are especially testing, although Formigal is significant as it was the location of the Vuelta's first road stage summit finish back in 1972, when José Manuel Fuente's triumph put him on the way to overall victory. The race has been back twice since, Spaniards winning again on both occasions.Last year's Vuelta also featured a stage on the plains of Aragón to Jaca, where Joaquim Rodríguez led up the final steep ramp.
Yvon Ledanois: "We'll have a team with a lot of strong riders like Pinotti, Gilbert, Santaromita, Kohler and Eijssen and, although this stage doesn't suit them entirely, one of these stages will go to a breakaway. Will this be our day? Those teams without a GC rider will hope so."
Don't forget to download the Cyclingnews Tour Tracker mobile app for live coverage of the Vuelta!
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Peter Cossins has written about professional cycling since 1993 and is a contributing editor to Procycling. He is the author of The Monuments: The Grit and the Glory of Cycling's Greatest One-Day Races (Bloomsbury, March 2014) and has translated Christophe Bassons' autobiography, A Clean Break (Bloomsbury, July 2014).
Most Popular
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
‘This is Team UAE Emirates, not Team Pogi’ - Behind the scenes of Tadej Pogačar's Giro-Tour double bid
A look inside the relationship between the Slovenian and his team -
'I surprised myself' - Luke Plapp grasps GC advantage ahead of Tour de Romandie TT
Australian jumps over to break on final climb of stage 2, gains valuable seconds on other overall contenders as he takes third -
Tour of the Gila: Marlies Mejias Garcia wins stage 2 as Stephens retains race lead
Repeat victory for Cuban, who out-sprinted Kuskova on stage to Fort Bayard -
Tour of the Gila: Scott McGill wins men's stage 2 Inner Loop Road Race
Stites moves into race lead with third at Fort Bayard