Vilagarcía de Arousa – Dumbría
Distance:184.6km
Highest point: 270m
Category: Flat
Flat until the finish
Similar to stage 6, today’s parcours has no complications until the very final few kilometres, where the riders face the precipitous climb to the Mirador del Ezaro. Rated by Vuelta stage winner Gustavo César Veloso as "tougher than the climb in Valdepeñas de Jaén", where Joaquim Rodríguez put his rivals to the sword last year, the 1.8km ramp averages 13.5 per cent. Veloso believes that riders will opt for gearing similar to a stage up the Alto del Angliru. One stretch rears up to 30 per cent near the bottom, which is sure to blow the fast-moving bunch apart. Incredibly, this stage is categorised as flat…
Markel Irizar: "The roads in Galicia are super bumpy and super difficult. This is a new climb and it looks perfect for Joaquim Rodríguez. Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck are better on the longer climbs but "Purito" is a master on climbs like this.
-
WADA moves to ban carbon monoxide rebreathers as a performance-enhancing method
Diagnostic use of gas employed by top teams is still allowed -
'The title was lost there' - Marlen Reusser's mechanical costs Switzerland a third TTT mixed relay world title at Kigali
Mid-race mishap costly for the Swiss team who miss gold by 10 seconds -
Road World Championships - Riders to watch in the elite women's road race
From Ferrand-Prévot and Vollering to Le Court, who to watch on Saturday -
Road World Championships - Riders to watch in the men's under-23 road race
Belgium's Jarno Widar heads up the favourites list for Friday's 164.6km race
