La Vuelta 2021: Stage 2 - Caleruega > Burgos. Gamonal - 166,7kms **Spoilers**
blazing_saddles
Posts: 20,520
Stage 2 - Caleruega > Burgos. Gamonal - 166,7kms
15-08-2021Start time 12-32pm
The stage starts in Caleruega, where Santo Dominico de Guzmán, the founder of the Dominican order, was born in 1170, who gave his name to two countries, the Dominican Republic and Dominica.
Heading initially South West, the route then turns North to head back to Burgos, finishing in the most populated neighbourhood: Gamonal..
The stage starts in the shadow of the monastery erected in his memory in the heart of the small Castilian town of Caleruega.
It doesn't get much flatter than this in Spain and there are no categorised climbs along the route.
The wind can always be a factor on Castile’s high plateau, but the odds must favour a mass bunched sprint with the true specialists to the fore.
Final kms.
The finish line is located on broad expanse of Calle Vitoria, the road flat for the final 2.5km.
Last year, Pascal Ackermann powered to two stage wins, which made him the most successful sprinter of that edition. Two years ago, both Sam Bennett and Fabio Jakobsen took two wins.
The Quick Step rider looks to be once again finding his form, after suffering that horrific crash in Poland.
Favourites 2nd stage 2021 Vuelta a España
*** Fabio Jakobsen, Jasper Philipsen, Arnaud Démare
** Matteo Trentin, Michael Matthews, Alberto Dainese
* Alex Aranburu, Sebastián Molano, Jordi Meeus, Clément Venturini, Riccardo Minali, Jon Aberasturi, Juan José Lobato
Caleruega. VIII Centenario de Santo Domingo de Guzmán
Unprecedented departure
423 inhabitants
The Monastery of Santo Domingo de Guzmán, dates back to the 13th century.
Gamonal
17 stages of La Vuelta have finished in Burgos.
175.821 inhabitants
La Gamonal is one of Burgos’ most unique neighbourhoods. Currently, the municipality’s most highly-populated neighbourhood. However, this expansion has not resulted in the loss of its essence or its roots.
The Battle of Burgos, also known as Battle of Gamonal, was fought on November 10, 1808, during the Peninsular War in the village of Gamonal, near Burgos, Spain. A powerful French army under Marshal Bessières overwhelmed and destroyed the outnumbered Spanish troops under General Belveder, opening central Spain to invasion.
In 1812, the British under the then General Arthur Wellesley, laid siege to Burgos and it's castle. The French repulsed every attempt to seize the fortress, resulting in Wellington's withdrawal.
Tinto Pesquera’s top cuvée is only made in exceptional years and comes from Viña Alta, the first vineyards planted by Familia Fernández Rivera in the early 1970s – a single 900m high plot, the fruit of which then spends 30 months in French oak.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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I took him out of the favourites list but didn't proof read what I'd written.
It's probably going to get worse, as I won't be updating these prepared threads.
Maybe I should cut this favs bit from the rest.
Groupama are leading the peloton, which is why their 4 minute gap has been cut by 30 seconds.
IMO, they are often guilty of not giving the break a long enough leash.
Not even one man and his dog.
Then there's Kirby.
Think I'll give this a miss.
Bora look worse off but I expect somebody will take a hit for their GC hopes.
Haig, Carthy, Padun, Poels 38 seconds
Majka 1'11
Sivakov 1'15
Harm Vanhoucke lost a whopping 3'-10".
He was 2nd in last month's Tour de l'Ain.
Jakobsen was the fastest in the sprint but chose the longer route to the line.
Alpecin Fenix have to be team of the year - they've mixed it up with the WT teams all year and have won loads.
Muppet.
I am not sure. You have no chance.