Vuelta 2018, Stage 15: Ribera de Arriba > Lagos de Covadonga. Centenarios - 178,2 km *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
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Ribera de Arriba > Lagos de Covadonga. Centenarios 2018 09/09/2018 - Stage 15 - 178,2 km
The route of the 15th stage of La Vuelta travels from Ribera del Arriba to the iconic summit finish at Lagos de Covadonga. At 178.2 kilometres, the course is extremely hilly. It has one of the toughest profiles in the 2018 Vuelta with 4000 metres of climbing.
With 20 kilometres done the route crosses the Alto de Santo Emiliano after a 6.9 kilometres climb at 4.2%.
Following the descent the riders continue on a string of non-classified hills to the Mirador del Fito. This viewpoint is crested two times – first at kilometre 100.1 and again at kilometre 137.6. It is an irregular ascent with the last 4.4 kilometres averaging a whooping 9.3%. Mirador del Fito offers a wide view over both the Picos de Europa and the coastline of the Cantabrian Sea.
The second passage of the Mirador del Fito is with almost 41 kilometres remaining. The first 10 kilometres are on descent before a nasty unclassified climb appears. For 4.7 kilometres the route climbs to San Martín de Bada. The average slope is 4.3%, so it comes across as tolerable – yet, the climb is pepped up with ramps much harder than that. As if to prepare the riders for what’s in store…
A 5 kilometres drop leads to 10 kilometres on the flat before the riders tackle the final haul up to the line. Lagos de Covadonga did serve twenty times as a summit finish in the Vuelta a España. If you think of the first inclusion, in 1983, it’s clear that the ascent to the lakes has become one of the Spanish Grand Tour’s favourite climbs.
And rightly so. The scenery is spectacular and the same goes for the climb. The distance is 12.2 kilometres and the average gradient 7.2% – nothing special, one could argue. Yet, it is an average. Some 4 kilometres up the mountain the riders face a 800 metres stretch at 15% and along the way double digit sectors alternate with small drops. The last kilometre, for instance, starts on descent before the route ramps up to 7.5% in the last 200 metres.
There is only one side to ascend Lagos de Covadonga. Since the climb debuted in 1983 a string of renowned riders have won here, including Marino Lejaretta, Pedro Delgado, Laurent Jalabert and Luis Herrera. Two years ago Nairo Quintana climbed to victory on the beautiful slopes.
Video of the final 5kms.
https://youtu.be/v-x-pq9BrDs
Finish details.
Favourites 15th stage 2018 Vuelta a España
*** Nairo Quintana, Simon Yates, Miguel Ángel López
** Rigoberto Uran, Steven Kruijswijk, Thibaut Pinot
* Wilco Kelderman, Enric Mas, Rafal Majka, Fabio Aru and the random breakaway.
Team hotels for this stage.
Ribera de Arriba
Unprecedented departure
1,906 inhabitants
Asturias Province
A granary is a structure that is elevated above the ground and is used to protect food from humidity and animals. Some of the best-preserved examples of this traditional construction found in the peninsula's North, are located in Ribera de Arriba. This small Asturian municipality, near the capital, Oviedo, encompasses both the Principality's history and tradition in their purest states.
The Council of Ribera de Arriba, located in the central part of Asturias, has 1857 inhabitants and possesses exceptional connections to the region’s East and West. It is part of the Ruta de la Plata (Silver Route) and of the Way of Saint James, and is divided into five parishes: Ferreros, Palomar, Pereda, Soto Ribera (capital) and Tellego. In the Parish of Ferreros is Bueño, winner of the Prince of Asturias Award for Exemplary Town in 2012, the nucleus with the highest concentration of “hórreos” (raised granaries) per inhabitant that features an Hórreo Interpretation Centre where its traditions and ethnography are explained.
Summer is the busiest time in terms of cultural and sporting activities. Bueño hosts Cinema, Jazz and Fado festivals, as well as a Painting Competition, and Soto Rei has Bagpipe Reunions. The Council also holds the Vuelta Ciclista Asturias, a National Canoe Voyage and events on two tracks of the PUMP TRACK.
Besides culture and sports, it also has rivers, mountains, paths, flora and fauna… pure nature! But, what is described here, is only a very small part, which is why you must come and discover it for yourself.
Lagos de Covadonga. Centenarios 2018
20 La Vuelta stages have had finales in Lagos de Covadonga
6,368 inhabitants (Cangas)
Asturias Province
Marino Lejarreta, Perico Delgado, Lucho Herrera, Laurent Jalabert, Pavel Tonkov and Nairo Quintana… all of them have, at one point or another, climbed the windy, endless slopes of the Lagos de Covadonga and know just how it feels to win when you reach the top. The Asturian finish-line is synonymous with fighting, suffering and with cycling performance of the highest level.
Cangas de Onís, is a tourist destination that is full of history, culture and tradition, a territory that sits between valleys, rivers and mountains.
The natural entrance to the Picos de Europa National Park brings us closer to Los Lagos, an area that offers endless possibilities for enjoying nature, one of this municipality’s attractions being its wide range of sports events on offer. Cangas "Your Natural Stadium" is the slogan that defines the relief’s fabulous conditions, which allow for the ample calendar of sporting activities to be established.
Covadonga is possibly Asturias’ most emblematic location, where history and nature seem to have come together to create a poignant place. This year, three outstanding historical achievements are celebrated: “COVADONGA CENTENARIES 2018”.
XIII Centenary of the Proclamation of Don Pelayo: we celebrate 13 centuries since Pelayo’s rebellion in the year 718.
I Centenary of the Canonical Coronation of the Virgin of Covadonga, in 1918.
Centenary of the Creation of the Covadonga Mountain National Park, in 1918.
Cangas de Onís, is a modern and dynamic service centre, with an ample commercial, cultural and sporting offer. A truly outstanding tourist destination.
The route of the 15th stage of La Vuelta travels from Ribera del Arriba to the iconic summit finish at Lagos de Covadonga. At 178.2 kilometres, the course is extremely hilly. It has one of the toughest profiles in the 2018 Vuelta with 4000 metres of climbing.
With 20 kilometres done the route crosses the Alto de Santo Emiliano after a 6.9 kilometres climb at 4.2%.
Following the descent the riders continue on a string of non-classified hills to the Mirador del Fito. This viewpoint is crested two times – first at kilometre 100.1 and again at kilometre 137.6. It is an irregular ascent with the last 4.4 kilometres averaging a whooping 9.3%. Mirador del Fito offers a wide view over both the Picos de Europa and the coastline of the Cantabrian Sea.
The second passage of the Mirador del Fito is with almost 41 kilometres remaining. The first 10 kilometres are on descent before a nasty unclassified climb appears. For 4.7 kilometres the route climbs to San Martín de Bada. The average slope is 4.3%, so it comes across as tolerable – yet, the climb is pepped up with ramps much harder than that. As if to prepare the riders for what’s in store…
A 5 kilometres drop leads to 10 kilometres on the flat before the riders tackle the final haul up to the line. Lagos de Covadonga did serve twenty times as a summit finish in the Vuelta a España. If you think of the first inclusion, in 1983, it’s clear that the ascent to the lakes has become one of the Spanish Grand Tour’s favourite climbs.
And rightly so. The scenery is spectacular and the same goes for the climb. The distance is 12.2 kilometres and the average gradient 7.2% – nothing special, one could argue. Yet, it is an average. Some 4 kilometres up the mountain the riders face a 800 metres stretch at 15% and along the way double digit sectors alternate with small drops. The last kilometre, for instance, starts on descent before the route ramps up to 7.5% in the last 200 metres.
There is only one side to ascend Lagos de Covadonga. Since the climb debuted in 1983 a string of renowned riders have won here, including Marino Lejaretta, Pedro Delgado, Laurent Jalabert and Luis Herrera. Two years ago Nairo Quintana climbed to victory on the beautiful slopes.
Video of the final 5kms.
https://youtu.be/v-x-pq9BrDs
Finish details.
Favourites 15th stage 2018 Vuelta a España
*** Nairo Quintana, Simon Yates, Miguel Ángel López
** Rigoberto Uran, Steven Kruijswijk, Thibaut Pinot
* Wilco Kelderman, Enric Mas, Rafal Majka, Fabio Aru and the random breakaway.
Team hotels for this stage.
Ribera de Arriba
Unprecedented departure
1,906 inhabitants
Asturias Province
A granary is a structure that is elevated above the ground and is used to protect food from humidity and animals. Some of the best-preserved examples of this traditional construction found in the peninsula's North, are located in Ribera de Arriba. This small Asturian municipality, near the capital, Oviedo, encompasses both the Principality's history and tradition in their purest states.
The Council of Ribera de Arriba, located in the central part of Asturias, has 1857 inhabitants and possesses exceptional connections to the region’s East and West. It is part of the Ruta de la Plata (Silver Route) and of the Way of Saint James, and is divided into five parishes: Ferreros, Palomar, Pereda, Soto Ribera (capital) and Tellego. In the Parish of Ferreros is Bueño, winner of the Prince of Asturias Award for Exemplary Town in 2012, the nucleus with the highest concentration of “hórreos” (raised granaries) per inhabitant that features an Hórreo Interpretation Centre where its traditions and ethnography are explained.
Summer is the busiest time in terms of cultural and sporting activities. Bueño hosts Cinema, Jazz and Fado festivals, as well as a Painting Competition, and Soto Rei has Bagpipe Reunions. The Council also holds the Vuelta Ciclista Asturias, a National Canoe Voyage and events on two tracks of the PUMP TRACK.
Besides culture and sports, it also has rivers, mountains, paths, flora and fauna… pure nature! But, what is described here, is only a very small part, which is why you must come and discover it for yourself.
Lagos de Covadonga. Centenarios 2018
20 La Vuelta stages have had finales in Lagos de Covadonga
6,368 inhabitants (Cangas)
Asturias Province
Marino Lejarreta, Perico Delgado, Lucho Herrera, Laurent Jalabert, Pavel Tonkov and Nairo Quintana… all of them have, at one point or another, climbed the windy, endless slopes of the Lagos de Covadonga and know just how it feels to win when you reach the top. The Asturian finish-line is synonymous with fighting, suffering and with cycling performance of the highest level.
Cangas de Onís, is a tourist destination that is full of history, culture and tradition, a territory that sits between valleys, rivers and mountains.
The natural entrance to the Picos de Europa National Park brings us closer to Los Lagos, an area that offers endless possibilities for enjoying nature, one of this municipality’s attractions being its wide range of sports events on offer. Cangas "Your Natural Stadium" is the slogan that defines the relief’s fabulous conditions, which allow for the ample calendar of sporting activities to be established.
Covadonga is possibly Asturias’ most emblematic location, where history and nature seem to have come together to create a poignant place. This year, three outstanding historical achievements are celebrated: “COVADONGA CENTENARIES 2018”.
XIII Centenary of the Proclamation of Don Pelayo: we celebrate 13 centuries since Pelayo’s rebellion in the year 718.
I Centenary of the Canonical Coronation of the Virgin of Covadonga, in 1918.
Centenary of the Creation of the Covadonga Mountain National Park, in 1918.
Cangas de Onís, is a modern and dynamic service centre, with an ample commercial, cultural and sporting offer. A truly outstanding tourist destination.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments
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Thank you for posting this. I really appreciate the effort you put in.Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
^+1 and many others I hope0
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Yep, these intros really are much appreciated...0
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Thanks.
Yes Don Pelagius - start of the reconquest of Spain from the Muslims.
Also home of rare cows.BASI Nordic Ski Instructor
Instagramme0 -
Great intro post thanks very much.0
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Did the people picking Quintana for Covadonga actually watch today's stage?
If Nairo gets to the finish with the GC group he won't win. He'll do a rubbish attack and then give up.0 -
Heaven0
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"Qué es para la cena, mamá?"
(Fabada asturiana)0 -
Like he did two years ago on the same finish?bobmcstuff wrote:Did the people picking Quintana for Covadonga actually watch today's stage?
If Nairo gets to the finish with the GC group he won't win. He'll do a rubbish attack and then give up.Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
DeadCalm wrote:
Like he did two years ago on the same finish?bobmcstuff wrote:Did the people picking Quintana for Covadonga actually watch today's stage?
If Nairo gets to the finish with the GC group he won't win. He'll do a rubbish attack and then give up.
He'll probably go and win now I've been trash talking him.
But he hasn't looked very inspiring.0 -
TGH in the break of the day.Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
Bennett in the break.
What happened to him yesterday?
ps What everyone said about the superb intros.0 -
The break:
Ivan Garcia Cortina (Bahrain-Merida), Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Ben King (Dimension Data), Pierre Rolland (Education First-Drapac), George Bennett, Danny Van Poppel (LottoNL-Jumbo), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Team Sky), Bauke Mollema, Fabio Felline (Trek-Segafredo), Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates), Nick Schultz (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), and Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing Team).Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
DeadCalm wrote:The break:
Ivan Garcia Cortina (Bahrain-Merida), Imanol Erviti (Movistar), Ben King (Dimension Data), Pierre Rolland (Education First-Drapac), George Bennett, Danny Van Poppel (LottoNL-Jumbo), Tao Geoghegan Hart (Team Sky), Bauke Mollema, Fabio Felline (Trek-Segafredo), Valerio Conti (UAE Team Emirates), Nick Schultz (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), and Nicolas Roche (BMC Racing Team).
Some decent firepower there. Strong possibility it will go pear shaped as tactics come in.Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
PS - +1 on the keep up the good work, Blazing.
I'm lurking the treads and not posting as I'm not getting a chance to see much live.Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
The breaks lead is 4 minutes. There are 110kms to go and most of the climbing."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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Some potential helpers for GC attackers in that break.
Kruijswijk to go for a long one?Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
Echo the comments thanking Blazing for these threads.
I often watch the race on catch up and the OP of these threads is a brilliant source of info about the stage without seeing results.
Cheers0 -
Mate looks spent so the KoM battle is wide open. Mollema, King, Rolland and De Gendt all fancy it."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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Astana leading the peloton for MA Lopez.0
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Certainly looked in pain0
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Would he have been able to push himself up off the ground the way he did if he had?RichN95 wrote:Kwiatkowski crash - looks like he's broken his collarboneTeam My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
Looked more like his ribs (but Kirby agrees so probably not)0
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Mad_Malx wrote:Looked more like his ribs (but Kirby agrees so probably not)
Rolf Sørensen agreed as well, so this may just be a rare instance of Kirby getting it right.Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
Has anybody ever counted how many times Sean Kelly has said 'Push on' in a stage?
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Gallopin and Kelderman out the back already.Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
When I typed that he was still on the ground and holding his arm in the classic broken collarbone pose. Anyway, he's not broken it because he's apparently riding on.DeadCalm wrote:
Would he have been able to push himself up off the ground the way he did if he had?RichN95 wrote:Kwiatkowski crash - looks like he's broken his collarboneTwitter: @RichN950 -
That's good to hear. And yes, my initial thought was also collarbone until he pushed himself up. He certainly looked in some pain.RichN95 wrote:
When I typed that he was still on the ground and holding his arm in the classic broken collarbone pose. Anyway, he's not broken it because he's apparently riding on.DeadCalm wrote:
Would he have been able to push himself up off the ground the way he did if he had?RichN95 wrote:Kwiatkowski crash - looks like he's broken his collarboneTeam My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0 -
Lopez goes.Team My Man 2022:
Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet0
