Vuelta a España: Stage 11
Parcours preview
Distance: 38km
Category: Individual time trial
Highest point: 1,100m
The Vuelta first visited Tarazona last year for the start of a stage that ended with a Joaquim Rodríguez victory at Jaca. This time around it returns for something quite different. Following the first rest day and a long transfer from the south to the north-east, the riders will tackle the only individual time trial of the race. Extending to 38km, it's not unlike last year's test in Pontevedra, won by Swede Fredrik Kessiakof. That result suggests the specialists should come out on top but the fact that Rodríguez managed to hang on to the leader's jersey that day gives the climbers some hope of defending any gains they've made. The third-cat climb of the Moncayo is steady, the descent of it fast.
Abraham Olano: "The time trial goes through a national park, where the third-category climb should count against the specialists. A profile like this will suit those guys with the strongest legs, although you wouldn't count out someone like Wiggins. But the strong riders should top the specialists."
Don't forget to download the Cyclingnews Tour Tracker mobile app for live coverage of the Vuelta!
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Peter Cossins has written about professional cycling since 1993 and is a contributing editor to Procycling. He is the author of The Monuments: The Grit and the Glory of Cycling's Greatest One-Day Races (Bloomsbury, March 2014) and has translated Christophe Bassons' autobiography, A Clean Break (Bloomsbury, July 2014).
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Baloise Ladies Tour: Zoe Bäckstedt smashes prologue to claim first leader's jersey
Ellen van Dijk second, Charlotte Kool third in Yerseke -
Political protestor tackled at Tour de France finish in Toulouse as Abrahamsen-Schmid duo sweep across the line to conclude stage 11
Tour staffer's swift maneuver drives individual away from threat to riders and French riot police take suspect away in handcuffs -
'That was Ben' - EF Education-EasyPost say decision to slow peloton after Tadej Pogačar crashed taken by Tour de France leader Ben Healy
Team manager Jonathan Vaughters praises Irishman for fair play decision -
'It was worrying, but he's OK' – Tadej Pogačar avoids serious injury in Tour de France crash as team praise rivals' sportsmanship
Tobias Halland Johannessen apologises for involvement as race favourite has 'a little bit of skin off' on eve of key stage