August 29, Stage 8: Puebla de Don Fabrique - Murcia 182.5 km
Two sharp climbs late on may well scupper the sprinters' chances
It may seem odd to describe a stage that descends most of the way to a shark-toothed finishing circuit as being hard for the sprinters, but Spain rarely offers anything that’s completely straightforward for the bunch finishers.
Many riders will know the finale from the Vuelta a Murcia, where the Cresta del Gallo’s appearance is almost de rigueur. Extending to 5.5km at an average of 6.8 per cent, it could be a launchpad for attacking climbers. But the 12 flat kilometres to the finish provide hope to those in pursuit. Norway’s Thor Hushovd won in Murcia in 2010 but that stage only crossed the Cresta del Gallo once. An intriguing contest is in store for us.
José Luis Arrieta (Movistar DS):
"Alejandro [Valverde] will be especially motivated for this stage into his home city. The Cresta del Gallo is not a hard climb but tackling it twice will be too hard for the sprinters. The descent is quite technical and could cause some splits. I’d expect a much-reduced group to contest the finish."
The text in this preview originally appeared in the September edition of Procycling magazine.
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Quiz! How many European Road Championships winners can you name?
We've put together a trivia challenge on Europe's continental champions -
CRO Race: Paul Magnier continues winning streak with victory on stage 1
Soudal-Quickstep rider takes first race lead -
An unlikely King of the Mountain – Sprinter Patrick Eddy goes from 'just trying to make the climb a bit tougher' to a climbers' jersey at Le Tour de Langkawi
Focus still on sprint stage win as 'I don't have a job for next year, so yeah, I'm here chasing some big results' -
Visma-Lease a Bike sign experienced Welshman Doull to bolster lead-out train for rising star Matthew Brennan
Former Olympic Gold medallist on the track to depart EF Education-EasyPost, join Dutch squad on two-year deal