La Vuelta 2020 - Stage 13: Muros > Mirador de Ézaro - 33,7 km ITT *Spoilers*
blazing_saddles
Posts: 20,520
Stage 13: Muros > Mirador de Ézaro - 33,7 km
Tuesday 3 November, 12.33 GMT.
The 13th stage is perfect for time trialists with puncher's legs. Until stage 20 of the Tour, the nme that would immediately spring to mind would be Primoz Roglic. Following 31.9 kilometres on the flat the finish climb kicks in hard.
It will be pretty because the road follows the Gallacian coast which is always beautiful even if it is supposed to be raining. So, pretty but hard.
The Vuelta visited the Mirador de Ézaro in 2016, when Alexandre Geniez brought the early break home, but a real clash of titans took place eight years ago. Joaquim Rodríguez, Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde battled it out on the insane ramps and crossed the line in that order.
The 2020 Vuelta will see the riders tackle the Mirador de Ézaro one at a time. The ascent is only 1.8 kilometres long with an average gradient of 14.6% and ramps up to 29% the hill is sure to cause damage.
The riders roll down the starting ramp in Muros and enter 31.9 kilometres of flat terrain. Perfect roads for guys who can push a big gear. They may be further aided by the weather with predicts a headwind.
The Mirador de Ézaro may be short, but incredibly steep. Anybody who has gone too deep on the long flat section, could pay a huge price in the final 2kms.
Although the steepest ramp (29%) appears in the first half, the second half is toughest with an average gradient of 15.8%.
The time check is located at the base of the finish climb, after 31.9 kilometres.
Muros
Unprecedented departure
8.695 inhabitants
Muros is one of those small hidden jewels found along the winding roads of Galicia. The municipality is one of the northernmost municipalities found in the Rias Baixas area, a true example with regards to the preservation of the customs and traditions of A Coruña’s coastal fishing villages. This charming village has a very special character that will delights visitors with its culture, gastronomy and landscapes.
Abalon
Abalon or Abalone, belonging to a gasteropod mollusk family is highly valued for its meat.
Abalone is one of the most expensive seafoods in the world. Through a combination of location, a talented team and state of the art technology, GMA is able to produce Abalone all yerar round. From the seeding process to the end abalone.
Galician Marine Aquaculture’s farm is located on the estuary of Muros-Noia.
Galician Lobster
Also known as bogavante, Galician lobster is blueish in colour (when it’s alive) and is extremely tender and meaty. Look for bogavante con arroz as this is one of the most traditional Galician seafood dishes.
bogavante con arroz
Rias Baixas
Rías Baixas is a Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) for wines located in the province of Pontevedra and the south of the province of Corunna in the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. It is renowned for its white wines made from the Albariño grape variety.
Mirador de Ézaro
2 stages of La Vuelta have had finales in the Mirador de Ézaro. Dumbría.
3.040 inhabitants
We have to go back to the Puerto de Navacerrada, in 2008, to see a time-trial ending in a mountain pass in La Vuelta. But the Mirador de Ézaro is not just any mountain pass. Explosive, tough, short, demanding and with unbeatable views, this A Coruña peak represents exactly what La Vuelta has been searching for this past decade. In 2020, a new rider’s name will feature alongside that of Joaquim ‘Purito’ Rodríguez and Alexandre Geniez who have already had victories in this impressive climb.
Tuesday 3 November, 12.33 GMT.
The 13th stage is perfect for time trialists with puncher's legs. Until stage 20 of the Tour, the nme that would immediately spring to mind would be Primoz Roglic. Following 31.9 kilometres on the flat the finish climb kicks in hard.
It will be pretty because the road follows the Gallacian coast which is always beautiful even if it is supposed to be raining. So, pretty but hard.
The Vuelta visited the Mirador de Ézaro in 2016, when Alexandre Geniez brought the early break home, but a real clash of titans took place eight years ago. Joaquim Rodríguez, Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde battled it out on the insane ramps and crossed the line in that order.
The 2020 Vuelta will see the riders tackle the Mirador de Ézaro one at a time. The ascent is only 1.8 kilometres long with an average gradient of 14.6% and ramps up to 29% the hill is sure to cause damage.
The riders roll down the starting ramp in Muros and enter 31.9 kilometres of flat terrain. Perfect roads for guys who can push a big gear. They may be further aided by the weather with predicts a headwind.
The Mirador de Ézaro may be short, but incredibly steep. Anybody who has gone too deep on the long flat section, could pay a huge price in the final 2kms.
Although the steepest ramp (29%) appears in the first half, the second half is toughest with an average gradient of 15.8%.
The time check is located at the base of the finish climb, after 31.9 kilometres.
Muros
Unprecedented departure
8.695 inhabitants
Muros is one of those small hidden jewels found along the winding roads of Galicia. The municipality is one of the northernmost municipalities found in the Rias Baixas area, a true example with regards to the preservation of the customs and traditions of A Coruña’s coastal fishing villages. This charming village has a very special character that will delights visitors with its culture, gastronomy and landscapes.
Abalon
Abalon or Abalone, belonging to a gasteropod mollusk family is highly valued for its meat.
Abalone is one of the most expensive seafoods in the world. Through a combination of location, a talented team and state of the art technology, GMA is able to produce Abalone all yerar round. From the seeding process to the end abalone.
Galician Marine Aquaculture’s farm is located on the estuary of Muros-Noia.
Galician Lobster
Also known as bogavante, Galician lobster is blueish in colour (when it’s alive) and is extremely tender and meaty. Look for bogavante con arroz as this is one of the most traditional Galician seafood dishes.
bogavante con arroz
Rias Baixas
Rías Baixas is a Spanish Denominación de Origen (DO) for wines located in the province of Pontevedra and the south of the province of Corunna in the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain. It is renowned for its white wines made from the Albariño grape variety.
Mirador de Ézaro
2 stages of La Vuelta have had finales in the Mirador de Ézaro. Dumbría.
3.040 inhabitants
We have to go back to the Puerto de Navacerrada, in 2008, to see a time-trial ending in a mountain pass in La Vuelta. But the Mirador de Ézaro is not just any mountain pass. Explosive, tough, short, demanding and with unbeatable views, this A Coruña peak represents exactly what La Vuelta has been searching for this past decade. In 2020, a new rider’s name will feature alongside that of Joaquim ‘Purito’ Rodríguez and Alexandre Geniez who have already had victories in this impressive climb.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Bike changes at the bottom again?
16:00:00 SOLER Marc MOV ESP
16:02:00 CATTANEO Mattia DQS ITA
16:04:00 IZAGIRRE Gorka AST ESP
16:06:00 MARTIN Guillaume COF FRA
16:08:00 HENAO Sergio Luis UAD COL
16:10:00 KUSS Sepp TJV USA
16:12:00 DE LA CRUZ David UAD ESP
16:14:00 GAUDU David GFC FRA
16:16:00 BENNETT George TJV NZL
16:18:00 NIEVE Mikel MTS ESP
16:20:00 VLASOV Aleksandr AST RUS
16:22:00 VALVERDE Alejandro MOV ESP
16:24:00 GROßSCHARTNER Felix BOH AUT
16:26:00 POELS Wout TBM NED
16:28:00 MAS Enric MOV ESP
16:30:00 MARTIN Daniel ISN IRL
16:32:00 CARTHY Hugh John EF1 GBR
16:34:00 ROGLIC Primož TJV SLO
16:36:00 CARAPAZ Richard IGD ECU
It was awful in the Tour.
I am not sure. You have no chance.
la Planche is 16 minute. ClimbThis won’t be, but I’m not sure you’d get up it on TT bike that you would use for the first 30km. It’ll be more about changing gears than bikes.
Te other interesting thing about it is that the bikes and helpers can be positioned there waiting, instead of taking a bike from the car roof.
@DrHeadgear
The Vikings are coming!
Vaughters thinks Carthy is underrated as a TTer...
Part of the planning / skill should be optimising bike type (TT, aero road, lightweight road etc) and gearing to best approach the whole course - the interesting part would be different riders making different choices based on their own strength / physiology or plans for the day - as they do at the moment on road stages with some guys on light climbing bikes and others on aero etc.. Time taken to swap a bike shouldn't really be a key factor - this isn't F1.
Alternatively do normal 'rolling' or pan flat TTs to test those particular strengths.
IF true I hope there are some paramedics standing by for the mechanics who have to give a push start!
https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/giro-d-italia/2019/stage-9
https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vuelta-a-espana-still-covid-free-fourth-round-of-mass-tests-all-negative/
I'd argue the choice of whether or not to do a bike change adds an extra dimension to the whole thing, it doesn't take it away - is the time lost in the change worth doing it etc. - maybe not so much on this course as the bike change seems to be more or less essential, but when it is borderline it's an interesting extra. You have one more choice:
- Whole thing on TT bike
- Whole thing on climbing bike (maybe with clip ons)
- Whole thing on aero road bike (presumably with clip ons)
- Do a bike change, risk losing more time by messing it up
Surely that's more interesting, not less?
In this case I think a TT bike is critical on the flat (Xavier Disley suggests as much above due to the headwind), and the weight is critical on the climb (easily worth more than the time for a bike change in both cases).
If you remember the Bergen Worlds TT some riders did a change and some didn't, choosing to do the climb on the TT bike.
Meanwhile, Remi Cavanga is 5 minutes into his effort.
Times and splits, as they happen, can be viewed here:
https://www.tissottiming.com/2020/vue/en-gb/default/Stage/13/Live
He takes 28 seconds off Tanfield's time (currently leads with 48:24).