Vuelta 2018, Puerto-Lumbreras > Pozo Alcón - Stage 7 - 185,7 km *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
Posts: 22,725
Puerto-Lumbreras > Pozo Alcón 31/08/2018 - Stage 7 - 185,7 km
La Vuelta a España's 7th stage commences in Puerto Lumbreras, not too far from the Mediterranean coast in Murcia. At 185.7 kilometres, the route sets sail to the blistering heat of inland Andalusia, where the race ends with a promising finale in Pozo Alcón.
Puerto Lumbreras lies some 50 kilometres from the coast and this leg only takes the riders further inland. Except the temperatures along the way to soar into the 40s.
Once the flag is dropped the road rises slightly, which is typical for what the day holds in store. A route that’s going up and down without ever getting steep. Two 3rd category climbs are the biggest hurdles – the first one at kilometre 117,
the second one opening up the finale with 12.7 kilometres left to race. After the top the route continues with short drops and ramps to a false flat to the line.
The 7th stage of La Vuelta ends on a local circuit of 50 kilometres, which features the above mentioned climb. The finale opens on a 4.5 kilometres slope at 5.4% before a 4.1 kilometres downhill leads to a 1.7 kilometres climb at 7.8%. Then the road continues as a false flat for 5.5 kilometres. A sharp left-hander appears 300 metres before the line.
Video of the last 5kms.
https://youtu.be/OOo2BDsDQpo
Arrival place Pozo Alcón is located near the Parque Natural Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas.. which is the largest protected area of Spain.
Final kms.
The team hotels.
Favourites 7th stage 2018 Vuelta a España
*** Peter Sagan, Michal Kwiatkowski, Matteo Trentin,
** Valerio Conti, Thomas De Gendt, Pierre Rolland, Michael Albasini, Stephen Cummings
* Danny van Poppel, Tosh Van der Sande, Max Walscheid, Elia Viviani, Ryan Gibbons
Puerto-Lumbreras
2 La Vuelta stages have departed from Puerto Lumbreras
15,000 inhabitants
Murcia Province
The municipality of Puerto Lumbreras has 15,000 inhabitants, spread out in four councils: Puerto Lumbreras, El Esparragal, Puerto Adentro and Cabezo de la Jara. In recent decades, Puerto Lumbreras has developed different recovery projects regarding its historical and archaeological heritage and has opted for quality tourism.
Places to visit include:
The Medina de Nogalte Patrimonial and Touristic Complex: Highlights include its 12th century Muslim Medieval fortress (Nogalte Castle) and the 9 cave houses carved into the mountain that surrounds the castle.
Casa de los Duendes: Built in the 19th century, located in the historical centre, it represents the typical home of a local Bourgeois family.
Church of Our Lady of the Rosary: Built in the 18th century. It consists of a Latin-cross layout and has undergone several renovations throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Cabezo de la Jara Astronomic Observatory: The observatory is located 7 km from Puerto Lumbreras (Region of Murcia). It is found in an emblematic natural area with unobstructed views of the night sky. It offers an adequate area for both professionals and astronomy lovers, while promoting and spreading interest in this science.
Pozo Alcón
Unprecedented Vuelta finale
5,497 habitantes
Jaén Province
Web sites :
www.pozoalcon.es
www.dipujaen.es
Pozo Alcón is a town that, due to its geographic location in the Province of Jaén, bordering the Province of Granada, and sitting at the feet of the Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Mountain Ranges Natural Park, possesses a rich natural wealth, full of extreme contrasts thanks to the passage of water. Pozo Alcón is within the Region of Alto Guadalquivir and the Guadiana Menor.
In its surroundings we can enjoy streams and numerous springs that result in highly varied landscapes, where we find the luxuriance of the Pozo Mountain Range as well as the semi-desert area of Guadiana Menor.
A countless list of outdoor nature activities can, therefore, be practiced there, such as canoeing, climbing, abseiling, archery, rafting, zip lining and mountain biking, all of which allow those who practice them to enjoy the purest nature. Pozo Alcón is a Natural Reserve that must be visited.
Time for some wine, I think.
With last nights menu.
La Vuelta a España's 7th stage commences in Puerto Lumbreras, not too far from the Mediterranean coast in Murcia. At 185.7 kilometres, the route sets sail to the blistering heat of inland Andalusia, where the race ends with a promising finale in Pozo Alcón.
Puerto Lumbreras lies some 50 kilometres from the coast and this leg only takes the riders further inland. Except the temperatures along the way to soar into the 40s.
Once the flag is dropped the road rises slightly, which is typical for what the day holds in store. A route that’s going up and down without ever getting steep. Two 3rd category climbs are the biggest hurdles – the first one at kilometre 117,
the second one opening up the finale with 12.7 kilometres left to race. After the top the route continues with short drops and ramps to a false flat to the line.
The 7th stage of La Vuelta ends on a local circuit of 50 kilometres, which features the above mentioned climb. The finale opens on a 4.5 kilometres slope at 5.4% before a 4.1 kilometres downhill leads to a 1.7 kilometres climb at 7.8%. Then the road continues as a false flat for 5.5 kilometres. A sharp left-hander appears 300 metres before the line.
Video of the last 5kms.
https://youtu.be/OOo2BDsDQpo
Arrival place Pozo Alcón is located near the Parque Natural Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y las Villas.. which is the largest protected area of Spain.
Final kms.
The team hotels.
Favourites 7th stage 2018 Vuelta a España
*** Peter Sagan, Michal Kwiatkowski, Matteo Trentin,
** Valerio Conti, Thomas De Gendt, Pierre Rolland, Michael Albasini, Stephen Cummings
* Danny van Poppel, Tosh Van der Sande, Max Walscheid, Elia Viviani, Ryan Gibbons
Puerto-Lumbreras
2 La Vuelta stages have departed from Puerto Lumbreras
15,000 inhabitants
Murcia Province
The municipality of Puerto Lumbreras has 15,000 inhabitants, spread out in four councils: Puerto Lumbreras, El Esparragal, Puerto Adentro and Cabezo de la Jara. In recent decades, Puerto Lumbreras has developed different recovery projects regarding its historical and archaeological heritage and has opted for quality tourism.
Places to visit include:
The Medina de Nogalte Patrimonial and Touristic Complex: Highlights include its 12th century Muslim Medieval fortress (Nogalte Castle) and the 9 cave houses carved into the mountain that surrounds the castle.
Casa de los Duendes: Built in the 19th century, located in the historical centre, it represents the typical home of a local Bourgeois family.
Church of Our Lady of the Rosary: Built in the 18th century. It consists of a Latin-cross layout and has undergone several renovations throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
Cabezo de la Jara Astronomic Observatory: The observatory is located 7 km from Puerto Lumbreras (Region of Murcia). It is found in an emblematic natural area with unobstructed views of the night sky. It offers an adequate area for both professionals and astronomy lovers, while promoting and spreading interest in this science.
Pozo Alcón
Unprecedented Vuelta finale
5,497 habitantes
Jaén Province
Web sites :
www.pozoalcon.es
www.dipujaen.es
Pozo Alcón is a town that, due to its geographic location in the Province of Jaén, bordering the Province of Granada, and sitting at the feet of the Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Mountain Ranges Natural Park, possesses a rich natural wealth, full of extreme contrasts thanks to the passage of water. Pozo Alcón is within the Region of Alto Guadalquivir and the Guadiana Menor.
In its surroundings we can enjoy streams and numerous springs that result in highly varied landscapes, where we find the luxuriance of the Pozo Mountain Range as well as the semi-desert area of Guadiana Menor.
A countless list of outdoor nature activities can, therefore, be practiced there, such as canoeing, climbing, abseiling, archery, rafting, zip lining and mountain biking, all of which allow those who practice them to enjoy the purest nature. Pozo Alcón is a Natural Reserve that must be visited.
Time for some wine, I think.
With last nights menu.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments
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You know you would do a roaring trade on Airbnb with a couple of apartments and your elequent wordsmith.Half man, Half bike0
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No stars for Valverde?0
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Bouhanni wrote a poem
Des chutes.
Des déceptions.
De la tristesse.
Du travail.
Du bonheur!!!!
C'est le sport.
Merci à tous ceux qui ont su me soutenir et m'encourager.
Merci à mes équipiers qui travaillent dans l'ombre.
Beaucoup de bonheur ce soir, mais la Vuelta n'est pas0 -
There is a huge disconnect between the odds and INRNGs picks for today.
Apparently the road book says the finish is way harder than it actually is, the bookies (like the PTPers) have gone for Valverde/Sagan etc. but INRNG says "the profile says it’s uphill to the line for 5km – there’s a theme here – but it’s barely a drag up, we’re talking 1-2% until the final corner when with 300m to go and it kicks up at 3% to the line."
He has it pegged for a sprinter.0 -
1-2% for 5k at speed can do some real damage........0
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bobmcstuff wrote:There is a huge disconnect between the odds and INRNGs picks for today.
Apparently the road book says the finish is way harder than it actually is, the bookies (like the PTPers) have gone for Valverde/Sagan etc. but INRNG says "the profile says it’s uphill to the line for 5km – there’s a theme here – but it’s barely a drag up, we’re talking 1-2% until the final corner when with 300m to go and it kicks up at 3% to the line."
He has it pegged for a sprinter.
Yeah. My understanding is that the final 20km is hard - some punchy ramps (7.5% for 2km) and narrow. Making it harder for a sprint train (if we have any at this race anyway) to control the front.
Much as I like INRNG, I don't think he's as familiar with Spanish roads and is more inclined to go for the easy option of listing the sprinters. See his stage 5 preview vs others.0 -
That's basically flat. I'd have thought, if the sprinters are to be dropped it will be on the final two climbs.Vino'sGhost wrote:1-2% for 5k at speed can do some real damage........0 -
DeadCalm wrote:
That's basically flat. I'd have thought, if the sprinters are to be dropped it will be on the final two climbs.Vino'sGhost wrote:1-2% for 5k at speed can do some real damage........
Looking at the video linked above, it looks straightforward until the very end when it is a bit uphill. Sprinters, but someone's got to leave it late to avoid dying before the line.
If Sagan was on form, it would be his.0 -
This from Cycling news;
Today's stage is an interesting one. There are just two third category climbs to conquer but the course is up and down all day and the final climb comes inside the last 20 kilometres. The last kilometre is also not straightforward with around 100m of elevation gain over the final 1,000 metres. There could be a few sprinters in the mix at the finish, but it's open for a puncheur to take the win either
they've either got it wrong or there's a 10% climb to the line....0 -
Deleted - must learn to read other posts thoroughly first...2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)0 -
They've got it wrong. It's about 100 metres in 5 kilometres.inseine wrote:This from Cycling news;
Today's stage is an interesting one. There are just two third category climbs to conquer but the course is up and down all day and the final climb comes inside the last 20 kilometres. The last kilometre is also not straightforward with around 100m of elevation gain over the final 1,000 metres. There could be a few sprinters in the mix at the finish, but it's open for a puncheur to take the win either
they've either got it wrong or there's a 10% climb to the line....0 -
Various DSs seem unsure as to whether it willl be a sprinter or a puncheur, so I'd say take your pick and argue about it later.
It's not as if the sprinters haven't been included at all."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
The feeling seems to be that it is not one for the sprinters but Trentin and Asgreen could be bluffing of course. Either way, Bora seem to think its worth their while doing a fair amount of work on the front of the bunch.
European champion Matteo Trentin (Mitchelton-Scott) is still looking for his opening at La Vuelta 18 after claiming 4 stage wins last year: “I don’t know. Actually, we already went too hard on stage 5. Today it looks the same: not a bit of flat, always up and down, left and right. For sure, it’s a stage for Valverde, Sagan or Kwiatkowski, but to control the race is going to be hard”
Kasper Asgreen explained this morning he wouldn’t be on duty to pull the pack for Quick-Step Floors today: “I don’t think you’ll see me so much at the front today. There’s some hard climbing in the finale so we’ll let the other teams do the work and see if Elia (Viviani) can survive or not. We don’t look at this as a sprinters stage.”0 -
Call me old fashioned but I think I would visit and check all the stage finishes if I had entered a team in the race...Half man, Half bike0
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Ridgerider wrote:Call me old fashioned but I think I would visit and check all the stage finishes if I had entered a team in the race...
Haha totally, especially if it were one of the few stages that your sprinter might win.............0 -
Bora/Sagan look up for it anyway0
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Well Viviani is on bottle duty so i guess my PTP is out the window.0
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chute!0
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Benoot down, plus an EF and one or two more. Caused a big split in the bunch, only 15ish riders were ahead of the crash
Caja Rural rider trying to drop the break, 16km to go0 -
I think that crash has handed a lifeline to the breakaway, they looked like they were going to be caught but the peloton is busy regrouping.
Mike Woods riding off up the climb.0 -
Woods now lone leader, 39s with 14.9km0
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Well that didn't last, he's about to be caught (8s gap).
Yates looking comfortable at the front. As is Valverde.0 -
Viviani is still hanging at the back of the peloton, but Trentin is dropped0
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A Caja Rural rider has attacked the peloton with 10.3km to go...0
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Puncture for Dan Martin, oh dear0
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This Caja Rural rider knows the descent well, he's flying.0
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Graphics reporting a Kwiato crash! No footage yet0
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Very reduced bunch now - Kwiato 38s down0
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Gallopin won.
Client called me with 2k to go, git!!0 -
Weird finish that, he just went and quickly seemed to get a big gap on the group. Guess they were all waiting for each other to react. Then a Sagan/Valverde finish, but for second.0
