La Vuelta 2021 - Stage 17: Unquera > Lagos de Covadonga 185,8 km **Spoilers**
blazing_saddles
Posts: 22,730
Stage 17: Unquera > Lagos de Covadonga 185,8 km
01-09-2021Start time: 11-10am
The first of consecutive days that could be described as a “queen stage. The infamous and often used climb to the Lagos de Covadonga serves as the finale of a race with three intermediate ascents. The ascent that precedes it, the Collado Llomena, which is extremely steep in parts and is tackled twice.
From the start, just inside Cantabria at Unquera, the route quickly heads into the rugged interior of neighbouring Asturias, running westwards along the northern edge of the Picos de Europa mountain range.
There are four climbs and they are evenly distributed over the course. First is the third-category Alto de Ortiguero, then a double ascent of the Collada Llomena and the final haul up to the lakes to round things out.
The Climbs:
Just beyond Cenaya, the stage’s serious climbing begins with the first ascent of the Collado Llomena, which averages a fearsome 9.3 per cent for its 7.6km. The toughest section – 2 kilometres at over 11% – lies at the heart of the ascent.
Having descended back to Parcia, the route heads north to return to Cangas de Onís and then picks up the road to the village of Covadonga and the famous lakes that lie high above it.
This famous special-category ascent extends to 12.5km. Its average of 6.9 per cent. However that percentage is misleading as the first 7 kilometres rise at approximately 10% before the profile changes and short drops start playing leapfrog with 20% ramps.
Favourites 17th stage 2021 Vuelta a España
Other than reading the race threads and looking at the result, I am a bit in the dark here.
Reckon it will probably end with breakaway/KOM win, but if it doesn't then the result becomes more predictable.
*** Primoz Roglic, Enric Mas, Romain Bardet
** Adam Yates, Miguel Ángel López, Rafal Majka, Sepp Kuss
* Damiano Caruso, Egan Bernal, Wout Poels, Michael Storer
Unquera
Unprecedented departure
2.758 inhabitants
Cantabria
Unquera will host a La Vuelta departure for the first time, and will do so in the most spectacular way. Marked by its beautiful natural surroundings, located where the Deva and Nansa rivers flow out into the sea. This privileged location will host what promises to be one of the most important stages of La Vuelta’s 76th edition.
Corbatas de Unquera
One of the typical products of Cantabria pastry, it is produced mainly in Unquera. It is a puff pastry made with butter, sugar, eggs, flour and almond-shaped or bow tie.
Rabas or fried squid is the quintessential seafood tapa of the Cantabrian coast. Made with sliced squid strips or rings that are lightly battered or breaded before they are fried to crispy perfection, this dish is best savored when lightly seasoned with salt and with an optional drizzle of fresh lemon juice.
Cocido lebaniego is a traditional Spanish dish originating from the Liébana area in Cantabria. The stew consists of local chickpeas, potatoes, and cabbage with meat from the pig slaughter such as chorizo, bacon, and morcilla. Breadcrumbs, parsley, and cecina dried meat is often added to the stew as well.
Lagos de Covadonga
21 stages of La Vuelta have had finales in Lagos de Covadonga.
6.209 inhabitants (Cangas de Onís)
Principality of Asturias
The climb up to the Lagos de Covadonga, one of the Spanish tour’s most emblematic climbs, will make its 22nd appearance in the race. Little remains unknown about this mountain pass: 12 km with inclinations of around 8% and sections that are part of cycling history, such as La Huesera, that have witnessed the victories of such illustrious riders as Marino Lejarreta, Perico Delgado, Laurent Jalabert, Lucho Herrera, Nairo Quintana or Thibaut Pinot.
Structures of the day:
The hump-backed "Roman Bridge" on the Sella River in the parish of Cangas de Onís was built in the 14th or 15th century.
The Sanctuary of Covadonga is a monument dedicated to Our Lady of Covadonga that commemorates the Battle of Covadonga.
The Battle of Covadonga of c. 722 was the first Christian victory in the Iberian Peninsula over the Arabs and Berbers invading from north Africa under the Umayyad banner, and is often considered to be the start of the 770-year effort to expel Muslim rulers governing the Iberia during the Reconquista. Our Lady of Covadonga is a significant Marian shrine.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments
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thats more like it"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm1
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Roglic surely...0
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Someone in Kom will take a break down the road. I think jumbo are vulnerable to a early attack on the 1st 1st cat they just are not that strong ."If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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Welcome back!
You've always provided more/better info on the climbs than I could be bothered with (I didn't even include stage profiles in my recent prefaces – mididoctors did that, provided stage profiles but not climb details), and you've also always provided more cycling history than I knew or where/how to find (e.g. in tomorrow's case, how many times Lagos de Covadonga has been used in the Vuelta, and who were some of the winners there), but nonetheless I enjoyed giving 'preparing a stage preface' a go.
I also introduced my own extra feature – Structure of the Day: an interesting structure along or very near the stage route. Some may disagree but I thought it perhaps more interesting than pictures of cows or horses.1 -
Full TV coverage for this one and Thursday's stage.0
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Well I liked the structure of the day feature thank you. But I love the cows of Asturias.
Just wish I had been there to see them and the race.0 -
I read your excellent posts with interest and was impressed with your structure of the day idea.jimmyjams said:Welcome back!
You've always provided more/better info on the climbs than I could be bothered with (I didn't even include stage profiles in my recent prefaces – mididoctors did that, provided stage profiles but not climb details), and you've also always provided more cycling history than I knew or where/how to find (e.g. in tomorrow's case, how many times Lagos de Covadonga has been used in the Vuelta, and who were some of the winners there), but nonetheless I enjoyed giving 'preparing a stage preface' a go.
I also introduced my own extra feature – Structure of the Day: an interesting structure along or very near the stage route. Some may disagree but I thought it perhaps more interesting than pictures of cows or horses.
Also you are way better with the local foods to try. (had my mouth watering there a few times!)
Think I will add a suitable structure as one readily springs to mind for this stage finish."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Here we go, km0.
I have high hopes for these days.0 -
Thanks for your comments on my efforts. I see you've edited your original post for this stage to now include structures – good choices too.blazing_saddles said:
I read your excellent posts with interest and was impressed with your structure of the day idea.jimmyjams said:Welcome back!
You've always provided more/better info on the climbs than I could be bothered with (I didn't even include stage profiles in my recent prefaces – mididoctors did that, provided stage profiles but not climb details), and you've also always provided more cycling history than I knew or where/how to find (e.g. in tomorrow's case, how many times Lagos de Covadonga has been used in the Vuelta, and who were some of the winners there), but nonetheless I enjoyed giving 'preparing a stage preface' a go.
I also introduced my own extra feature – Structure of the Day: an interesting structure along or very near the stage route. Some may disagree but I thought it perhaps more interesting than pictures of cows or horses.
Also you are way better with the local foods to try. (had my mouth watering there a few times!)
Think I will add a suitable structure as one readily springs to mind for this stage finish.
To your favourites I would definitely add Haig; I still don't rule him off from a podium place.
If a break succeeds to the end I'd be more inclined to list the likes of Kron, Mäder or Craddock; Bardet doesn't need to go to the finish to hold on to his jersey.
Eitherway I'm hoping for a turbulent race, which turns out to be more decisive on the GC than 'experts' predict for this stage.0 -
Since the preface doesn't cover food & drink in Asturias (the region where the stage finishes) …..
The most famous Asturian dish is Fabada Asturiana, and which one often finds on menus elsewhere in Spain. It is a bean stew, traditionally using alubias, a type of white bean grown only in Asturias (replica versions use haricot beans). Apart from onion, garlic and chilli pepper, the rest of the main ingredients are meat – belly pork, stewing beef, a ham bone, chorizo, and morcilla (black pudding).
A good accompaniment to the stew, for dunking, is Boroña, the local corn bread (in Spain, bread made of maize flour is more or less only found in Asturias and Galicia). The bread is also eaten with the local cider and local blue cheese. Comparatively, a lot of corn/maize is grown and eaten in Asturias.
Unlike elsewhere in Spain, Asturias is a cider region, Sidra in Spanish. So like in Brittany, cider is as likely to be drank as much as (if not moreso) than wine. Asturian cider is on the sour side, so more in taste like the cider popular in central Germany than the cider in Brittany or the UK.
The cider supposedly goes well with the above Fabada Asturiana, and also with rice dishes and seafood, as well as with the local blue-veined cheese Queso de Cabrales.
(I'm not sure apple orchards will be visible along parts of today's stage route, the main apple-growing area is farther west than today's stage reaches).
This sculpture, a tower of cider bottles, is at Cimadevilla in Asturias, about 40 kms NW of today's stage finish.
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Would like to point out the cycling podcast lads were making the same complaints about veg as I make, so I am glad I am not alone.
"have you managed to eat any vegetables yet, Daniel?"
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Thought that looked like a good break now - 8 riders inc Kron, Storer, Dombrowski, Padun.
Not the one. Bardet might have to give it a go soon if Storer is caught.
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Still nothing, one hour in. Ave speed 51.2kmh.
This is good for tiring everyone out.0 -
A pity it's not doing it to Kirby.kingstongraham said:Still nothing, one hour in. Ave speed 51.2kmh.
This is good for tiring everyone out."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.2 -
Why does he think that climb is in Wales?blazing_saddles said:
A pity it's not doing it to Kirby.kingstongraham said:Still nothing, one hour in. Ave speed 51.2kmh.
This is good for tiring everyone out.0 -
Pretty spectacular helicopter shots0
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Race opening up on the first go of the LLomena"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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Ineos doing the pressure thing"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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Landa has finally arrived at the Vuelta."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0
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Landa knows this isn't the final climb, right?0
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Landa big gears bridging ..... Odd drifting out the back"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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Eiking losing contact already.0
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Odd man out.andyp said:Eiking losing contact already.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.1 -
I've never had German cider, will have to try and find some. The sidra isn't just a touch sour though, it'll take your tooth enamel off. If you're a fan of Belgian lambics, particularly the very dry gueuzes you'll probably like it (I am and I do)Warning No formatter is installed for the format0
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No_Ta_Doctor said:
I've never had German cider, will have to try and find some. The sidra isn't just a touch sour though, it'll take your tooth enamel off. If you're a fan of Belgian lambics, particularly the very dry gueuzes you'll probably like it (I am and I do)
The sidra and stew were on for tomorrow's stage menu.
I'll keep the sidra dish but ditch the stew as nobody wants two day old stew.
The Rabas I added this morning are much more my to my taste. Yum yum."Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Nooooooooo.blazing_saddles said:No_Ta_Doctor said:I've never had German cider, will have to try and find some. The sidra isn't just a touch sour though, it'll take your tooth enamel off. If you're a fan of Belgian lambics, particularly the very dry gueuzes you'll probably like it (I am and I do)
The sidra and stew were on for tomorrow's stage menu.
I'll keep the sidra dish but ditch the stew as nobody wants two day old stew.
The Rabas I added this morning are much more my to my taste. Yum yum.
Stew improves with a day or two.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.1 -
Gorgeous Gorge KLAXON!Warning No formatter is installed for the format0
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Ameteur hour on the feed . Production and camera direction has been woeful"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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Eiking back in, but Jumbo Visma look like they fancy breaking him again on the second climb.0
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Looks slippy"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
