La Vuelta 2022 - Stage 6: Bilbao - Ascensión al Pico Jano. San Miguel de Aguayo 181km ***Spoilers***

Stage 6: Bilbao - Ascensión al Pico Jano. San Miguel de Aguayo 181km

Thursday, August 25th
Start Time 12-20CET.

Stage 6 at La Vuelta is a test of 181.2 kilometres between Bilbao and the Pico del Jano and sees the first mountaintop finish of the Vuelta. The total elevation gain for the stage exceeds 4,000 metres and includes three uncatagorised climbs in the first 35kms. There is a further uncatagorised climb and three catagorised climbs along the route.



The race sets off from Bilbao and continues westward into Cantabria for an unprecedented visit to Pico Jano. In preparation for the Vuelta, the final 4km section above the Alsa reservoir was paved, as it used to be a dirt road.
Prior the final climb, any sprinters remaining can charge for intermediate points at Santa Cruz de Iguña.



The Climbs:

A valley ride of approximately 20km sets up the category 2 Puerto de Alisas.



Next up is the Alto de Hijas, which although uncatagorised is 3.9 kilometres at a 9% average and then the penultimate climb of the Collada de Brenes (6.8 kilometres at 8.2%)



Final Kms.

The Pico Jano begins in Bárcena de Pie de Concha and the first 7.6 kilometres to the reservoir go up at 7%. The ascent then levels out a little only to bounce back to an unforgiving 14.9% in the last 600 metres. From base to finish the climb adds up to 12.6 kilometres and averages 6.6%.



What to Expect:

Given the succession of early climbs, a strong breakaway should be able to form within the first hour of racing, although this is not a gimme. It's a chance for any GC rider who has already experienced unexpected time loss, to claw some back. Possibly the stage winner could come from a break.
Behind we will see the first proper exchanges for ultimate control of the Maillot Rojo.

Cantabria

Population: 581,641
Capital: Santander
Cantabria is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque autonomous community (province of Biscay), on the south by Castile and León (provinces of León, Palencia and Burgos), on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea (Bay of Biscay).
Cantabria belongs to Green Spain, the name given to the strip of land between the Bay of Biscay and the Cantabrian Mountains, so called because of its particularly lush vegetation, due to the wet and moderate oceanic climate.



Cantabria is a mountainous and coastal region, with important natural resources. Towards the south are higher mountains, the tops of which form the watershed between the drainage basins of the Rivers Ebro, Duero and the rivers that flow into the Bay of Biscay. These peaks generally exceed 1,500 m (4,900 ft) from the Pass of San Glorio in the west to the Pass of Los Tornos in the eastern part: Peña Labra, Castro Valnera and the mountain passes of Sejos, El Escudo and La Sía. The great limestone masses of Picos de Europa also stand out in the southwest of the region: most of their summits exceed 2,500 m (8,200 ft), and their topography is shaped by the former presence of glaciers.



Cantabrian cuisine includes seafood from the Cantabrian Sea, salmon and trout from the upper basins of the rivers, vegetables and dairy products from the valleys, and veal and game from the Cantabrian mountains.
Cocido montañés ('highlander stew' or 'mountain stew') is a rich hearty Spanish bean stew, originally from and most commonly found in Cantabria in northern Spain. Cocido montañés is made with two vegetable ingredients: dried large white beans (alubia blanca, soaked overnight before use) and collard greens (berza). The rest of the elements of this recipe are known as compangu which refers to the meat ingredients from the pig slaughter: bacon (tocino), pork ribs (costilla), black pudding (morcilla) and sausage (chorizo).



The albacore or bonito del norte is used in one of the most typical dishes of the region: marmita or sorropotún. Some of the most renowned Cantabrian dishes are hake in green sauce (merluza en salsa verde), squid with onions (maganos encebollados) and cuttlefish in its ink sauce (cachon en su tinta), and clam casserole.

maganos encebollados



Ascensión al Pico Jano. San Miguel de Aguayo

Population 145



Meanwhile.....
Cantabrian pastries include the traditional sobaos and quesada pasiega. Puff pastry is widely used, with different names in different regions: corbatas in Unquera and San Vicente de la Barquera, polkas in Torrelavega, and sacristanes in Liérganes. Other notables sweets are frisuelo [es]s and canónigos, both of Liébana; corazones of Liérganes, the palucos of Cabezón de la Sal; and the tortos and pantortillas of Reinosa. Other desserts not of Cantabrian origin are rice pudding, natillas, leche frita, and fruit jams.

Quesada pasiega is a dessert typical of the region of Cantabria, Spain. It is one of the best-known dishes of Cantabrian cuisine. It has the consistency of a dense pudding,[1] and is made from milk, sugar, butter, wheat flour, and egg, and flavored with lemon zest and cinnamon. It can be served hot or cold.



"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • bm5
    bm5 Posts: 559
    Wishing I was there for the next few stages. Thanks for these intros which bring me great memories.
  • Jan Hirt out, Covid.
  • At least Kirby has something to talk about that he has knowledge of: it’s raining.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Stage 6 already ...flying by .

    10 man break 4:40 on the bunch ... Fdj working away Controlling
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Ruben Fernandez (Cofidis), Mark Padun (EF Education-EasyPost), Jan Bakelants (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert), Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Fausto Masnada (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), Kaden Groves (BikeExchange-Jayco), Marco Brenner (Team DSM), Dario Cataldo (Trek-Segafredo), Xandro Meurisse (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Xabier Mikel Azparren (Euskaltel-Euskadi)
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Not hanging about 60k to go
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Rain is pretty hard
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Gap stable... Quick step helping the chase.

    Been a lot of talk this is remcos climb . I am less sure
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Ineos putting the hurt on. Gap 2:30
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Cofidis riders on the deck crash on wet surfaces
    "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 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,135
    ISN rider in pain following a crash of about 5 riders. Doesn't really need the cameras in his face.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    edited August 2022
    Hagen hurt bad ...moving his head
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Ineos driving
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Hagen collar bone 🦴 by the looks
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Shoulder maybe
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Bunch split by ineos not stopping
    "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 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,135
    Can't work out if Ineos were already driving the bunch before the crash or not but feels like the crash caused the split
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,135
    Very narrow and twisty through the village.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,135
    Looks like it is coming back together.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Pross said:

    Can't work out if Ineos were already driving the bunch before the crash or not but feels like the crash caused the split

    Think the crash split it after under pressure on the descent ...50/50

    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Remco taking up position...JA pacing .
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Padun from the break makes his move .looks unlikely...race is fast behind . At least he may get the kom
    "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 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,135
    The climbs in this part of the world always feel quite British, probably down to the green vegetation / bracken and poor road surface.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Peloton really whittled down
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Riders scattered every where
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Masnada use as a satellite rider in question looks like he grinding to a stop
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Visibility is bad
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Padun over the top ...quick gel 35 k to go 2 mins on the bunch
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Descent super dodge ... nervous corners
    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,790
    Padun ....taking it real careful
    "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 pm