Vuelta a España: Stage 20
Parcours preview
Distance: 144.1km
Category: High mountains
Highest point: 1,565m
After so many tough uphill finishes, it is hard to believe that the battle for the red jersey will still be close by this point. However, if it is, what a stage this will be to finally decide it. Although this will only be the sixth finish on this infamous summit – which can be seen from the top of the Naranco, some 30km to the north – the Angliru is one of the sport's legendary climbs. The riders will approach it by the short but testing Tenebredo and Cordal passes. Its average of 10 per cent for its 12.5km suggests its difficulty but not the full extent of it. The final 6.5km average of a leg-breaking 13 per cent. It was that section that arguably cost an over-geared Bradley Wiggins the Vuelta title in 2011.
José Azevedo: "The Angliru is one of the most mythical climbs in cycling and it comes on the second to last day, when everyone is tired. If the leader has a bad day he could lose two or three minutes. Nothing will be decided until this stage as anyone within 90 seconds of the lead could still win."
Don't forget to download the Cyclingnews Tour Tracker mobile app for live coverage of the Vuelta!
Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*
Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets
After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59
Join now for unlimited access
Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
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).
Most Popular
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
UCI MTB World Cup Araxá - Haley Batten, Victor Koretzky victorious in short track openers
Series round two winners move into overall lead in respective men's and women's short track individual ranking -
The Monuments - Longo Borghini, Kopecky in contention to claim all three at Liège-Bastogne-Liège
Who will join Lizzie Deignan as the winner of all three - Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Liège-Bastogne-Liège? -
EPZ Omloop van Borsele: Sofie van Rooijen wins breakaway sprint
Daria Pikulik second, Elynor Bäckstedt third in s-Heerenhoek -
Lizzie Deignan 'unlikely' to start Vuelta Femenina as she recovers from broken arm
Lidl-Trek rider given greenlight to train indoor