La Vuelta 2021 - Stage 6: Requena > Alto de la Montaña de Cullera - 158,3 km **Spoilers**

blazing_saddles

Stage 6: Requena > Alto de la Montaña de Cullera - 158,3 km

19-08-2021
Start time 12-55pm

Ah, only in La Vuelta!
At the end of a mostly flat or downhill 158.3 kilometres, the riders face a punchy finish climb with double digit ramps. The stage starts at Requena, towards the edge of Spain’s high central plateau, located at an elevation of almost 700 metres. The Vuelta a España reaches the Mediterranean Sea at the resort of Cullera, just south of Valencia, where the finish line is perched adjacent to the castle that overlooks the town.



The first half of the route goes predominantly downhill, although the riders tackle some minor climbs along the way, though and no KOM points are available.
The route reaches sea level after 75kms, continues into the city of Valencia and then to the intermediate sprint at Pinedo. The first passage through Cullera comes with 30km remaining, then continues on the flat circuit, back towards the finish climb.



The Montaña de Cullera, known locally as “la subida de la Bola” for the spherical meteorological station at its summit, extends for 3 kilometres, although the riders will only be tackling the first two-thirds of it. Averaging 9.4 per cent with a brief section at twice that.





This is ideal breakaway country, especially as the final climb is too hard for most of the sprinters to have a chance of success and not hard enough to split the GC contenders by more than a few seconds.

Favourites 6th stage 2021 Vuelta a España

*** Primoz Roglic, Alejandro Valverde, Adam Yates
** Richard Carapaz, Egan Bernal, Giulio Ciccone, Andrea Bagioli, Tom Pidcock
* Romain Bardet, Mauri Vansevenant, Clément Champoussin

Requena

1 stage of La Vuelta
20.405 inhabitants
It has been almost five years since Danish rider Magnus Cort Nielsen gained his first victory in a three-week race. That stage of La Vuelta 16 also left from Requena, headed towards Gandía. In 2021, the Valencian fortress, walled enclosure and defensive bastions of the Christian and Arab kingdoms that date back as far as the 12th century, will once again watch the Spanish tour’s peloton ride past, this time headed to Cullera.



Alto de la Montaña de Cullera

1 stage of La Vuelta
22.521 inhabitants
Cullera is part of La Vuelta’s most recent memories, having provided the setting for a stage departure in 2019. However, the one and only stage finale ever to be held there took place as far back as 1980. That day’s big winner was a history-making Sean Kelly, who obtained the fourth of his 16 La Vuelta stage victories. The illustrious winner crossed the finish-line at the Cullera Castle that watches over everything taking place in the Cullera territory from its privileged position.



Arroz Valenciana
Arroz Valenciana is a hearty and tasty Filipino dish made of glutinous rice, coconut milk, chicken, Chorizo de Bilbao, and saffron. Colorful and festive, it’s perfect for holidays and special occasions



Valencian wines tend to be intense, with body, structure and a relatively high alcohol content. Within the general region, one can distinguish seven or eight main wine producing areas, each with its own specific topography, climate, and very often its own dominant grape variety, resulting in an array of very different wines.

Mad_Malx

I'll comment anyway so you know your efforts are appreciated.
Arroz Valencia and a glass of white, with a nice view of the castle, would be a nice evening.

exlaser

Great background info , as always . Many thanks 😀

RichN95.

I'd rate Valencia as one of the top five cities I've been to. Probably top three and a challenger for the top spot.

bobmcstuff

Strong.

kingstongraham

Could be a chance of echelons on the circuit they do twice. Worth concentrating for the 50km.

No_Ta_Doctor

"Hey, Primoz, come to the Vuelta again - we've made a stage that looks like a ski jump for you!"

rick_chasey

Added complication that he might not want to take the lead so early

mididoctors

I think roglic may have it thrust on him

kingstongraham

Would be a good day to have had coverage from the start. No break formed yet by the sounds.

kingstongraham

The irony is that everybody wanting to get in the break will mean the break doesn't get far enough clear before the peloton gets nervous and speeds up with 50km to go.

kingstongraham

And we have live coverage starting just at the point that nothing happens.

mididoctors

This the same climb Tom D did well on?

gsk82

mididoctors said:

This the same climb Tom D did well on?

I think you're thinking of cumbre del sol

kingstongraham

Doomed break has 3:20 with 38km to go, pace about to go up in the peloton.

kingstongraham

Here. We. Go.

No_Ta_Doctor

ECHELONS KLAXON!

webboo

Klaxon time.

kingstongraham

If you want an idea where they are rather than where Carlton thinks they are, go here: https://racecenter.lavuelta.es/en/livetracking/6

Pross

Blowing apart. Yates has lost the first group.

Pross

Narrow roads might put an end to this though. Leader caught in second group.

kingstongraham

They do this bit all over again, it's going to be even more stressful second time round.

poweredbyidris

when do movistar start pushing each other into the gutter?

kingstongraham

poweredbyidris said:

when do movistar start pushing each other into the gutter?

Once they've dropped Carapaz.

kingstongraham

Hugh Carthy in big trouble here, I think.

bobmcstuff

kingstongraham said:

Hugh Carthy in big trouble here, I think.

Just tuned in - looks like he's being brought back by the rest of EF?

kingstongraham

bobmcstuff said:

kingstongraham said:

Hugh Carthy in big trouble here, I think.

Just tuned in - looks like he's being brought back by the rest of EF?

He got lucky by the peloton knocking it back a bit. And his team did a great job.

No_Ta_Doctor

Rolf Sørensen is getting over excited with Magnus Cort in the break.

dish_dash

Don't think the breakaway will stay away...

bobmcstuff

Ineos drilling it

kingstongraham

This is a really good stage. Still think the break is doomed.