La Vuelta 2022 - Stage 5:- Irun - Bilbao, 187.2km ***Spoilers***
blazing_saddles
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Stage 5:- Irun - Bilbao, 187.2km
August 24, 2022
Start Time: 12:45
The 187.2 kilometres of racing commence from Irun in Guipuzkoa, which last hosted a Vuelta start in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic ruled out the original start from Utrecht. It has been three years since the Vuelta last visited Bilbao. The mountain passes on stage 5 are plentiful, with five categorised climbs.
The course runs in a Westerly direction, mostly along the coast in the early stages, before heading inland, so as to head directly to Bilbao. A trio of third-category climbs lay mid-way through the stage, packed between kilometres 76 and 125.
The Climbs:
None of the climbs are particular long or steep, especially by Basque country standards.
Punctuating the day with 47.8km to ride is a double ascent of the second-category Alto del Vivero.
The climb is 4.6 kilometres long and averages almost 8%, while the middle section is especially trying with several double digit sectors. It evens out to 5% in the final 1.5 kilometres.
Final Kms.
After the second pass, the final opportunities to propel an attack will take place on the final 14.2km run-in, virtually all on descent, to the finish in Bilbao.
What to Expect.
Normally, this stage would be a golden opportunity for the break, given that it is too hard for the sprinters, but not hard enough to entice a GC battle. The only problem with this scenario is that the time gaps between riders at this stage of the race, will mostly be small. I guess we will see.
Irun
Population 62,910
Irun is one of the biggest towns in Gipuzkoa, its location on the border between Spain and France, across the Bidasoa river from Hendaye. During the Spanish Civil War, in 1936, the city was site of the Battle of Irun, which ended with a strategic victory for the nationalist forces. It's a regular departure point on the Northern Way to Santiago. One of its main festivals is the Alarde de San Marcial, a parade recreating an episode of the Peninsular War, held every year on 30 June.
There are hot mineral springs in the town.
In the Basque Country you can have an endless range of restaurants with Michelin stars, restaurants serving nouvelle cuisine, grill restaurants and traditional cider houses, or plentiful pintxos places.
Whatever your choice, always look for the Club Euskadi Gastronomika badge.
Bilbao
Population 350,184
Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the province of Biscay and in the Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the tenth largest city in Spain. Bilbao is located in the north-central part of Spain, some 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of the Bay of Biscay.
Traditional Bilbao dishes are centered around products from the sea and the estuary, such as eels and cod. For the most part Bilbao shares its original gastronomy with that of the province of Biscay, including dishes such as bacalao al pil pil (cod fish cooked with olive oil, garlic and guindilla peppers), bacalao a la vizcaína (salted cod with Biscayan sauce, mostly made of choricero peppers and onions), merluza en salsa verde (hake fish with green sauce), chipirones en su tinta (squid served with its own ink), morros a la vizcaína (beef snouts with Biscayan sauce), revuelto de perretxikos (scrambled eggs with mushrooms) and desserts such as canutillos de Bilbao (puff pastries filled with custard or chocolate), Pantxineta (puff pastries filled with custard and almonds), rice cakes and bollos de mantequilla (butter buns).
morros a la vizcaína
revuelto de perretxikos
canutillos de Bilbao
August 24, 2022
Start Time: 12:45
The 187.2 kilometres of racing commence from Irun in Guipuzkoa, which last hosted a Vuelta start in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic ruled out the original start from Utrecht. It has been three years since the Vuelta last visited Bilbao. The mountain passes on stage 5 are plentiful, with five categorised climbs.
The course runs in a Westerly direction, mostly along the coast in the early stages, before heading inland, so as to head directly to Bilbao. A trio of third-category climbs lay mid-way through the stage, packed between kilometres 76 and 125.
The Climbs:
None of the climbs are particular long or steep, especially by Basque country standards.
Punctuating the day with 47.8km to ride is a double ascent of the second-category Alto del Vivero.
The climb is 4.6 kilometres long and averages almost 8%, while the middle section is especially trying with several double digit sectors. It evens out to 5% in the final 1.5 kilometres.
Final Kms.
After the second pass, the final opportunities to propel an attack will take place on the final 14.2km run-in, virtually all on descent, to the finish in Bilbao.
What to Expect.
Normally, this stage would be a golden opportunity for the break, given that it is too hard for the sprinters, but not hard enough to entice a GC battle. The only problem with this scenario is that the time gaps between riders at this stage of the race, will mostly be small. I guess we will see.
Irun
Population 62,910
Irun is one of the biggest towns in Gipuzkoa, its location on the border between Spain and France, across the Bidasoa river from Hendaye. During the Spanish Civil War, in 1936, the city was site of the Battle of Irun, which ended with a strategic victory for the nationalist forces. It's a regular departure point on the Northern Way to Santiago. One of its main festivals is the Alarde de San Marcial, a parade recreating an episode of the Peninsular War, held every year on 30 June.
There are hot mineral springs in the town.
In the Basque Country you can have an endless range of restaurants with Michelin stars, restaurants serving nouvelle cuisine, grill restaurants and traditional cider houses, or plentiful pintxos places.
Whatever your choice, always look for the Club Euskadi Gastronomika badge.
Bilbao
Population 350,184
Bilbao is a city in northern Spain, the largest city in the province of Biscay and in the Basque Country as a whole. It is also the largest city proper in northern Spain. Bilbao is the tenth largest city in Spain. Bilbao is located in the north-central part of Spain, some 16 kilometres (10 mi) south of the Bay of Biscay.
Traditional Bilbao dishes are centered around products from the sea and the estuary, such as eels and cod. For the most part Bilbao shares its original gastronomy with that of the province of Biscay, including dishes such as bacalao al pil pil (cod fish cooked with olive oil, garlic and guindilla peppers), bacalao a la vizcaína (salted cod with Biscayan sauce, mostly made of choricero peppers and onions), merluza en salsa verde (hake fish with green sauce), chipirones en su tinta (squid served with its own ink), morros a la vizcaína (beef snouts with Biscayan sauce), revuelto de perretxikos (scrambled eggs with mushrooms) and desserts such as canutillos de Bilbao (puff pastries filled with custard or chocolate), Pantxineta (puff pastries filled with custard and almonds), rice cakes and bollos de mantequilla (butter buns).
morros a la vizcaína
revuelto de perretxikos
canutillos de Bilbao
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