Vuelta a España 2020: Stage 15 preview
November 5: Mos to Puebla de Sanabria, 230.8km


Stage 15: Mos to Puebla de Sanabria
Date: November 5, 2020
Distance: 230.8km
Stage start: 10:51 am CEST
Stage finish: 4:55-5:40 pm
Stage type: Hilly
This was one of two stages that were pieced together in June when the Vuelta organisers opted not to take the race into Portugal as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Still starting in Mos, the hometown of 2006 Tour de France champion and Vuelta ambassador Oscar Pereiro, it now bumps west through the rugged terrain just on the Spanish side of the border to finish in Puebla de Sanabria, rather than in Porto as was originally planned.
At 230.8km, this is an extremely long stage for the modern-day Vuelta, which tends to favour shorter courses designed to encourage aggressive racing. Yet, this could very well turn out to be a very interesting day in the battle for the leader’s red jersey, as the almost-constant undulations combine to serve up 4,090 metres of vertical gain.
The initial 50km are flat as the race heads away from the Atlantic coast. The relentless rollercoaster then begins with the first of five third-category climbs, the Alto de San Amaro. The lumpiness continues with the Alto de Carcedo and the Alto de Furriolo, the hardest of this trio with 5km at 7 per cent.
There’s a lull beyond the Furriolo, from which the road only drops a short way before levelling out on a plateau that extends for the next 30 kilometres. This ends at the halfway point, where the rolling hills become significantly bigger than they were earlier in the stage.
The first of them is the Alto de Fumaces, which is close to 11km long. The course steps up even further, reaching the intermediate sprint at A Gudiña and then an uncategorised climb past O Pereiro. The final test is the Alto de Padornelo, from which 18 mainly downhill kilometres remain into the finish at Puebla de Sanabria, where Jonas van Genechten was the winner on the only previous visit in 2016.
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Cyclingnews is the world's leader in English-language coverage of professional cycling. Started in 1995 by University of Newcastle professor Bill Mitchell, the site was one of the first to provide breaking news and results over the internet in English. The site was purchased by Knapp Communications in 1999, and owner Gerard Knapp built it into the definitive voice of pro cycling. Since then, major publishing house Future PLC has owned the site and expanded it to include top features, news, results, photos and tech reporting. The site continues to be the most comprehensive and authoritative English voice in professional cycling.
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
Iconic ascents, unpredictability and 'a little bit of craziness' - Tales from the women's Giro d'Italia
From the very first winner in 1988, 'La Mamma Volante', to the latest 'amazing journey' that put Elisa Longo Borghini in the maglia rosa in her 13th participation -
Canyon overhauls the Grizl gravel bike and gives it a crazy new handlebar
Canyon has also released it's own range of carbon fibre wheels alongside the new Grizl gravel models -
On the road with Philippa York and David Walsh – 'The Escape: The Tour, the Cyclist and Me' book extract
York and Walsh discuss the Tour de France, gender in sport, doping, and much more in wide-ranging new book -
UCI Gravel World Series – Sophie Wright and Andreas Seewald win the climb heavy Gravel Suisse
Runner-up spots claimed by Axelle Dubau-Prévot and Eislek Gravel winner Mathijs Loman