La Vuelta 2024:- Stage 20: Villarcayo – Picón Blanco, 172km ***Spoilers***

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
in Pro race

Stage 20: Villarcayo – Picón Blanco, 172km

Saturday 7th September.

Start Time: 12-00BST.

Stage 20 of La Vuelta leads from Villarcayo to the summit of the Picón Blanco. The route takes in six intermediate climbs before the last ascent throws in 7.6 kilometres with an average gradient of 9.3%. Following the climb of the Estacas de Trueba Mountain Pass, the race will enter Cantabrian territory and overcome many climbs before returning to the Province of Burgos through the Portillo de Lunada. The route goes up and down from the start, although the first KOM climb – Las Estacas de Truebal – is crested relatively late, after 35 kilometres. The finish climb leads to an abandoned military base at 1,468 metres. The riders face an altitude gain of over 5,000 metres on the penultimate day of action.

Profile.

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Map.

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The Climbs.

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stage-20-tornos[1].jpg

Final Kilometres.

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What to Expect.

By this stage in the race, the riders will be exhausted and looking forward to Madrid. So, those GC riders with reserves still left, to fight out for victory, the rest to capitulate soon, rather than later.

Villarcayo

Villarcayo makes its debut hosting a La Vuelta stage departure.

3,942 inhabitants.

In the heart of the Las Merindades region, on the banks of the Nela River, stands the beautiful Burgos town of Villarcayo. Historical regional capital, its strategic location has helped it become an important hub of communication and trade between the plateau and the Cantabrian Mountains. Villarcayo will make its debut as a La Vuelta host in 2024. This Burgos locality, however, has ample cycling experience. During the past decade, it has been a regular part of La Vuelta a Burgos, both in the male and female editions of the race. In the last occasion, in 2023, the three-time champion of La Vuelta, Primoz Roglic, emerged victorious following the climb up the Picón Blanco and crossing the finish-line in the streets of Villarcayo in first place.

Leche frita

Leche frita is a delicious Spanish dessert consisting of a sweet, firm milk-pudding encased in a crunchy fried shell of eggs and flour. It is made with flour, cornstarch, sugar, milk, eggs, butter, and olive oil. The whole concoction is flavored with cinnamon. Leche frita, meaning fried milk, can be served cold, at room temperature, or hot, ideally with a scoop of ice cream on the side.

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Picón Blanco

Picón Blanco has already hosted a La Vuelta finish-line once before.

1,642 inhabitants

The climb of the Picón Blanco, which already hosted a finish-line in La Vuelta 21, will be the final great challenge for the men in the running to win the general classification and for the climbers who wish to fight for a stage victory before the final stage in Madrid. Just before the final time trial, the more than 7 km climb with an average inclination of over 9% will determine who follows in the footsteps of Primož Roglič, emerging as the champion of this Burgos summit.

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Torreznos

Torreznos are traditional Spanish tapas consisting of pork belly that's marinated, dried, cut into strips, then fried in olive oil.

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

  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726

    Unfortunately, I will be travelling home while this stage is shown live in it’s entirety. Should be a belter and no doubt make Sundays ITT a formality.

    You can guess what I will be doing on Sunday….

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Ineos pressure is shelling out bora riders ... Mas has riders up the road . 100k 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
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,164

    Fascinating day - hope someone decides to risk it all, maybe on the next climb.

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Second to last climb I think for mas .... Landa no idea seems highly unrealistic to me

    "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
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,164

    Am enjoying the commentators still trying to find logic in anything Soler does.

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    How much climbing is in this stage ?

    "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: 18,908

    5000 + according to Bs

    "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: 43,463
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21095289#Comment_21095289

    On a car journey so haven’t been watching. Why are Ineos applying pressure? Are they looking to get C Rod into 7th on the Stage instead of 8th? Taking the white jersey seriously?

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    The peloton is closing 2 mins 54k

    "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: 18,908

    Trex explode the race

    "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: 18,908
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21095296#Comment_21095296

    White jersey I think

    "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: 18,908

    Roglic hanging onto a small group ..hard to judge how he is going

    "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: 18,908

    C rod not panning out

    "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: 18,908

    Sivakov and Dunbar go for the stage

    "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
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655

    This is what I was worried about for Skjelmose this stage. He's been great at pacing back instead of cracking, but on a longer range attack there's that chance of missing the selection.

    Lipowitz ahead of him, but Rodriguez dropped. He needs to be back in the front group

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21095306#Comment_21095306

    He made 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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Landa looking a bit done ... everyone is pretty much done with racing on this climb ...

    "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: 18,908

    Last climb approaches ...Roglic does not look like cracking to me

    "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: 18,908

    Connor has a better tt than carapaz ...if he can keep.carapaz close podium should be on

    "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
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,601

    Was it really worth Ineos's effort to keep Rodriguez?

    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,164
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21095313#Comment_21095313

    Given he's looking to drop out of the top ten, it seems to have been a miscalculation. Had to try something I suppose.

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Carapaz has to attack

    "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: 18,908
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21095313#Comment_21095313

    No

    "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
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,164

    Mas lets O'connor get back

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Ben o Connor and gall riding well enough

    "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: 18,908

    For now

    "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: 18,908

    Mas

    "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: 18,908

    Carapaz desperation to hang on to Roglic and mas

    "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
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,164

    Roglic going to win this today, isn't he?

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    What a exposed road vista

    "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

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