Vladimir Efimkin (Caisse d'Epargne) charged up the Lagos de Covadonga at 1600 per hour according to La Gazzetta dello Sport. The speed of 1600 VAM (Velocity Ascended, Metres per hour Vm/h), over approximately 800 metres of climbing at 19.5km/h, was enough to hold of the likes of Piepoli, Menchov and Sastre.
For comparison, Gilberto Simoni recorded 1850 VAM when he won on the 10.1-kilometre Monte Zoncolan in this year's Giro d'Italia (1203 metres of climbing). That was faster than that of Ivan Basso on the Maielletta Passo Lanciano in 2006, 1805 VAM. Marco Pantani blasted up the Alpe d'Huez in 1997 with a 1791 VAM and Danilo Di Luca did the final four kilometres of the 2007 Giro's Tre Cime di Lavaredo with a 1750 VAM.
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