Vuelta a España: Stage 19 preview

Peñafiel – La Lastrilla

Distance: 169km
Highest point: 1,245m
Category: Rolling

Last chance for a breakaway
With the final summit finish to come the next day and only the run-in to the sprinters’ haven of Madrid to follow after that, this looks to be the final opportunity for those riders whose best hope of success comes from getting into the right breakaway. It starts in Peñafiel, which hosted the 2010 time trial where Joaquim Rodríguez blew his chances of overall victory. Once again, the wind could be a factor as the race heads east to Segovia but the parcours is not overly complex. The final 2km rises steadily towards the line in La Lastrilla, on the outskirts of Segovia, which should make for an intriguing finale.

Markel Irizar: "This is the last chance for a breakaway as the GC contenders will want to take it easy before the Bola del Mundo. The sprinters’ teams may not have the power left to chase down a break so I’m sure lots of guys will go for it."