La Vuelta 2019, Stage 16: Pravia > Alto de La Cubilla. Lena 09/09/2019 - 144,4 km *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,722
edited September 2019 in Pro race
La Vuelta 2019, Stage 16: Pravia > Alto de La Cubilla. Lena 09/09/2019 - 144,4 km

The 16th stage of La Vuelta a España precedes the second rest day. Two intermediate climbs and the long and unprecedented Alto de la Cubilla mark this 144.4 kilometres race. The stage is tailor-made for diesel-powered climbers. Men with stamina.

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The first 50 kilometres are perfect to stretch the legs. Or to battle your way into the breakaway. Following the start the 16th stage of La Vuelta serves a sheer endless false flat to the first proper uphill stretches and the three big climbs.

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The Puerto de San Lorenzo kicks in at kilometre 50. It is a grinding ascent of 10 kilometres with an average gradient of 8.5%.

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Up next is the Alto de la Cobertoria, which is another slow burner. Again a prolonged false flat before the actual ascent of 8.3 kilometres goes up with an average gradient of 8.2%. The Cobertoria is a regular in La Vuelta.

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A short and steep descent brings the riders to the foot of the last mountain. Alto de la Cubilla links Asturias with its neighbouring region León. A 16 kilometres false flat precedes the actual climb. The Cubilla is a 17.8 kilometres grind with an average gradient of 6.2%. Maybe this more traditional Grand Tour climb can break the familiar pattern we have seen established on the succession of ramps, but as things stand, the race leader looks untouchable.

Altimetria-Perfil-Puerto-Alto-de-La-Cubilla-1024x584.jpg

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Favourites 16th stage 2019 Vuelta a España

After today, the probability is that the winner will come from the breakaway, although due to the length of the final climb it will have to be established early, or they may not have the required time gap, to make it to the finish.

Favourites 16th stage 2019 Vuelta a España

*** Miguel Ángel López, Primoz Roglic
** Rafal Majka, Nairo Quintana, Alejandro Valverde
* Tadej Pogacar, Thomas De Gendt, Ben O’Connor, Wout Poels, the wildcards etc etc

Pravia
Unprecedented departure

8,384 inhabitants.
There have been settlements in Pravia since the Palaeolithic era, attracted by its fertile land. The town flourished from the eighth century onwards, when the capital of the Asturian Kingdom was moved to Pravia by King Silo. The well-known Church of Santianes dates from this era and is one of the best remaining examples of pre-Romanic construction and the oldest in the Kingdom of Asturias.

pravia-villa-senorial-en-asturias-2675-1.jpg

At least they won't be short of soap in the team hotels.

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Alto de La Cubilla. Lena
Unprecedented Vuelta finale.
Despite the numerous mountain passes La Vuelta has already visited in Asturias, year after year the Principality continues to discover heights the race has never scaled before. The pass Puerto de La Cubilla is on a par with its counterparts in the Pyrenees in terms of length, winding route, and the incomparable beauty of the climb. Over 20 kilometres of constant climbing with inclines of around 5%, and even some steeper stretches that run into double figures. This is a very popular and much-loved mountain pass among cycling tourists, and in La Vuelta 19 this high-flying stage is making its first ever appearance in the race.

Alto-de-La-Cubilla.jpg
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.

Comments

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,095
    48535

    That's a great picture, looks a great climb, love the way you can see the variations in gradient.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,722
    My nephew is off to ride up La Cubilla to find a good spot to watch.........................................having just has a bit of a leg warmer, climbing the Angliru. :)
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,461
    In my head this race ended yesterday. I've only been able to watch one stage and the spoiler threads haven't been great for keeping up to date but the race seems to have gone on forever. Other than Roglic leading I have no idea what is going on. I'm literally more up to date on Blazing's family's exploits in the Spanish mountains!
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,095
    Pross wrote:
    In my head this race ended yesterday. I've only been able to watch one stage and the spoiler threads haven't been great for keeping up to date but the race seems to have gone on forever. Other than Roglic leading I have no idea what is going on. I'm literally more up to date on Blazing's family's exploits in the Spanish mountains!

    Whenever there's a mountain, Quintana attacks, gets a few seconds, then watches as Roglic and either Pogacar or Valverde come past.
  • Lanterne_Rogue
    Lanterne_Rogue Posts: 4,330
    Quite a fun sprint on the first climb to produce a change in the KOM competition.

    Madrazo lurks behind Bouchard for about 400m looking fairly relaxed, suddenly bursts burst to attack with 500m or so to go, starts slowing, looks over his shoulder to see what he's achieved and Bouchard sneaks past on his blindside to nick the points whilst Madrazo is still trying to work out where he's gone.
    Twitter: @canocola @thedreadships
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    Taking excitement where one can find it, there's a race on for the mountain jersey.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,722
    DeadCalm wrote:
    Taking excitement where one can find it, there's a race on for the mountain jersey.

    Bouchard into the jersey. Madrazo's running out of steam the longer the race goes on.
    One hour and a half of chaos followed by one hour and a half of calm, followed by whatever the GC boys can manage in the finale.
    Standard GT mountain fare.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,095
    Jumbo Visma yellow really doesn't go with the Bianchi bike.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    Blazing Saddles wrote:
    DeadCalm wrote:
    Taking excitement where one can find it, there's a race on for the mountain jersey.

    Bouchard into the jersey. Madrazo's running out of steam the longer the race goes on.
    One hour and a half of chaos followed by one hour and a half of calm, followed by whatever the GC boys can manage in the finale.
    Standard GT mountain fare.
    I wouldn't count on much happening. Think the only one of the GC guys who wouldn't take what they already have, if offered, is Lopez. Quintana, as well, I suppose but he's become a bit irrelevant.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,596
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    Jumbo Visma yellow really doesn't go with the Bianchi bike.

    I don't mind it. The red bar tape however is totally classless
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,722
    There must be a sale on of white flags in Spain.....
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,722
    Gawd, what and awful two days in the mountains.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • philbar72
    philbar72 Posts: 2,229
    gsk82 wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    Jumbo Visma yellow really doesn't go with the Bianchi bike.

    I don't mind it. The red bar tape however is totally classless

    yep, this.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    Kirby bemused why Conti was working at the front of the group containing Conti's teammate Pogacar.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,722
    Can you still have two horse race when one is a tired old nag?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    As it's a spoiler thread:

    Stage result:

    1 Jakob Fuglsang (Den) Astana Pro Team 4:01:22
    2 Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Team Ineos 0:00:22
    3 Luis León Sanchez (Spa) Astana Pro Team 0:00:40
    4 James Knox (GBr) Deceuninck-QuickStep 0:00:42
    5 Gianluca Brambilla (Ita) Trek-Segafredo 0:01:12
    6 Thomas De Gendt (Bel) Lotto Soudal 0:02:09
    7 Mikel Bizkarra Etxegibel (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias 0:02:15
    8 Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eri) Dimension Data 0:02:21
    22:44:28 +07 - September 09, 2019

    Pogacar, Lopez and Roglič group were 5:58 down. Valverde and Majka were around 6:20 back and Quintana came in around 8:32 down.
  • mamil314
    mamil314 Posts: 1,103
    Roglic looked a bit feverish in the interview, I hope he holds up.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    Knox up to 11th on GC. Only 1.21 off tenth, but there's not a lot left in the last week, so might be too much.
    DeadCalm wrote:
    7 Mikel Bizkarra Etxegibel
    8 Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier
    These names make it look like a cat has sat on the Commissaire's keyboard
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,722
    RichN95 wrote:
    Knox up to 11th on GC. Only 1.21 off tenth, but there's not a lot left in the last week, so might be too much.

    Not to worry, there's an Austrian in that 10th spot.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    Jumbo Visma yellow really doesn't go with the Bianchi bike.
    How long has it taken you to realize that ? :)
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,544
    Good rides from both TGH and Knox today. Fuglsang and the Astana strength in depth were just a bit too much for them in the end.
  • Alejandrosdog
    Alejandrosdog Posts: 1,975
    Feck i thought it was a rest day
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    Alejandrosdog wrote:
    Feck i thought it was a rest day
    It was a Bank Holiday today in the Asturias, so they wanted some racing. Rest day tomorrow.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,095
    inseine wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    Jumbo Visma yellow really doesn't go with the Bianchi bike.
    How long has it taken you to realize that ? :)
    Been a busy year for me... it just shows I've not watched enough of the boring bits of pro cycling.
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    inseine wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    Jumbo Visma yellow really doesn't go with the Bianchi bike.
    How long has it taken you to realize that ? :)
    Been a busy year for me... it just shows I've not watched enough of the boring bits of pro cycling.
    They’re been like that for a couple of years at least though haven’t they?
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,852
    Two corporations who aren't going to change their branding colour.
    Half man, Half bike
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,095
    inseine wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    inseine wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    Jumbo Visma yellow really doesn't go with the Bianchi bike.
    How long has it taken you to realize that ? :)
    Been a busy year for me... it just shows I've not watched enough of the boring bits of pro cycling.
    They’re been like that for a couple of years at least though haven’t they?

    Since 2017 haha. Not strung out at the front of a GT so much last year though.
  • dish_dash
    dish_dash Posts: 5,647
    inseine wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    inseine wrote:
    KingstonGraham wrote:
    Jumbo Visma yellow really doesn't go with the Bianchi bike.
    How long has it taken you to realize that ? :)
    Been a busy year for me... it just shows I've not watched enough of the boring bits of pro cycling.
    They’re been like that for a couple of years at least though haven’t they?

    Makes the bikes stand out more tho...

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