Gijón – Valgrande-Pajares. Cuitu Negru
Distance: 185km
Highest point: 1,850m
Category: High mountains
Third consecutive summit finish
After one of the Vuelta’s classic climbs comes the race’s latest epic ascent, the Cuitu Negru. It’s been dubbed ‘the Asturian Bola del Mundo’ as, in common with that climb north of Madrid, it’s a short but very steep extension to a road accessing a ski station, in this case Valgrande Pajares. With the tough San Lorenzo and Cobertoria passes to soften up the riders beforehand, this is rightly seen as the race’s queen stage. The final ascent gets harder from Brañillin, 3km from the top. The road, which is being resurfaced, then rises at an average of 13.5 per cent with pitches of 25 per cent. It’s a gruelling test suited to pure climbers.
Igor Anton: "The queen stage. This is the third consecutive mountain stage with a summit finish. It’s the hardest of the race and the last 3km on the Cuitu Negru average 14 per cent, after climbing three cat 1 passes that are as tough as any in Asturias."
-
La Vuelta Femenina stage 2 LIVE: Messy sprint decides new leader
No categorised mountains on tap for stage 2, however, the 109km route profile is anything but flat. -
La Vuelta Femenina overall leader abandons after a crash in final kilometres of stage 2
Noemi Ruegg crashes out with best young rider Eleonora Ciabocco with 12km to go -
'We Ride In Peace' - EF Education-EasyPost unveil green extraterrestrial-themed kit for Giro d'Italia
'If we’re going to change kits, it should actually say something' says team manager Jonathan Vaughters -
Lidl-Trek chase sprints, stages and the GC at the Giro d'Italia
German team have Jonathan Milan, Giulio Ciccone and Derek Gee-West as team leader
