Vuelta 2018, Stage 12: Mondoñedo > Faro de Estaca de Bares. Mañón - 181,1 km *Spoilers*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 21,741
edited September 2018 in Pro race
Mondoñedo > Faro de Estaca de Bares. Mañón 06/09/2018 - Stage 12 - 181,1 km

At 181.1 kilometres, stage 12 in the Vuelta runs from Mondoñedo to Faro de Estaca de Bares, a lighthouse on the north edge of Spain, overlooking the Atlantic. The finale is pepped up by a string of short climbs and narrow roads. So, it is a deceiving stage, that while at first glance seems on for the sprinters, but the rugged Galician terrain will take it's toll and prove difficult for teams to control.

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Departure place Mondoñedo is situated in the northern outliers of the Cantabrian Mountains. In a valley to be precise, and shortly after the start the riders tackle the 3rd category ascent of the Alto de Cadeira – 5.8 kilometres at 6.5%. It’s a good spot to launch an attack. The summit peaks at merely 435 metres, yet this is the highest point of today’s route.
ollowing the descent the route continues on rolling roads along the Galician coast – as rugged as enchanting – to turn inland in Porto do Barqueiro. At kilometre 124 the Alto de San Pedro appears. The first 3 kilometres go up at 7% – and feature 300 metres with double digit gradients – before a short drop leads to the less steep second part. The Alto de San Pedro amounts to 7.4 kilometres, while its average gradient is 4.9%.
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Some 31 kilometres before the line a 2.9 kilometres hill at 6% sets the tone for the finale, as a string of short climbs mark the last 20 kilometres.
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Basically, the route heads from one hill to the next – 1 kilometre at 4.5% (with 18.4 kilometres left), 2.8 kilometres at 5% (14.2 kilometres left), 2.4 kilometres at 4.6% (9.2 kilometres left), 1.7 kilometres at 3.5% (5.2 kilometres left), and 1.2 kilometres at 2.6% (3.2 kilometres left).

La Vuelta once again moves through Porto do Barqueiro before the roads start to become more narrow in the last 7 kilometres and even tighter 1.5 kilometres before the line. Obviously, this is good news for attackers, as it will be hard to chase them down on alley-wide roads. The finish is at Faro de Estaca de Bares, the northernmost part of Spain.

The finale is further pepped up by a 1.2 kilometres drop with 2.6 kilometres to go before a 400 metres uphill kick at 2.8% runs to the last kilometre. These are slightly descending at 3%.

Video of the final 5kms.
https://youtu.be/DO8eRBnqPvg

Finish details.
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Favourites 12th stage 2018 Vuelta a España

*** Thomas De Gendt, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Mark Padun, Rohan Dennis
** Wilco Kelderman, Simon Yates, Vincenzo Nibali, Alejandro Valverde
* Peter Sagan, Iván García, Lukas Pöstlberger, Michal Kwiatkowski

Team hotels.
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Mondoñedo
Unprecedented departure

3,722 inhabitants

Lugo Province

Mondoñedo is an unprecedented La Vuelta departure. The Lugo municipality took on particular historical relevance in the late Middle Ages as it was the setting of the Galicia succession of power battle between Galicians and Castilians. An episode in which the marshal Pardo de Cela, a historical figure who died in the very Praza da Catedral that the peloton will pass through during La Vuelta, was the protagonist.
Mondoñedo is a universe full of valleys and mountains, located in A Mariña Lucense, where the Northern Way of Saint James passes through.
The city, episcopal see and ancient capital of one of Galicia’s historical provinces, reflects its importance in a small city with a lot of personality, with its epicentre in the Plaza de la Catedral.

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The Fuente Vieja (Old Fountain), the Saint Catherine Seminary, the Convent of the Conceptionists and the old Cemetery are some of the places that constitute this urban centre, declared a Historical Artistic Complex in 1985. Its streets feature recurring surprises such as Merlin the wizard strolling by, the sound of the horses in As San Lucas, the smell of recently baked bread and their famous cake.
Nearby is the Alameda de los Remedios, flanked by the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Remedies and the San Pablo (Saint Paul) Hospital, the district of San Lázaro, with valuable memories, and that of Os Muíños, with its artisan tradition.
The entire municipality has areas of unique beauty, including the Monastery of Os Picos, numerous settlements or natural spaces such as the Rei Cintolo Cave, Galicia’s largest cavity; the Fraga Vella, the Salto do Coro and La Fervenza.

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Faro de Estaca de Bares. Mañón
Unprecedented Vuelta finale

1,391 inhabitants

A Coruña Province
Estaca de Bares, in the municipality of Mañón, is the Northernmost point of the Iberian peninsula. The Coruña cape, the natural area where mountains, rivers and the sea come together, is an unprecedented La Vuelta finish-line. The waters of the Sor River converge with those of the Atlantic Ocean and of the Cantabrian Sea, which are separated by this natural setting where visitors can practice a multitude of water sports or walk along its numerous hiking trails.
The municipality of Mañón forms a long, narrow stretch of land that, harmoniously, combines mountains, river and sea. It is the sweet water of the Sor River that flows from South to North in this land, making it the connecting thread that links the Faladora Mountain Range with the sea, that join, at the Estaca de Bares Cape, the Cantabrian and Atlantic seas.

Nature in its purest state, to rest and to enjoy an extraordinary setting with offers and possibilities for every taste: the Sor River can be followed along its riverbank, rest areas in which to get your energy back, bridges with stories to tell, viewpoints, an estuary with an impressive sandbank, small marine ports, clean beaches, nautical sports, hiking trails, traditional festivities to take part in, a varied hotel offer and, above all, warm welcoming people that will make the visit more pleasant. Mañón is a combination of mountains, river and sea. And so much more. Discover its natural wonders!

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

  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,099
    I'd be thrilled if he won, but what has TGH done to deserve three star favourite status?
    Team My Man 2022:

    Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet
  • Today's "Flat stage" run in.

    finale-faro-estaca-de-bares-2.png

    The finish is into a stiff headwind and at the lighthouse shown in the OP.
    This is the road they will finish on.

    IMG_20180906_073707.jpg
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    The odds seem to be backing the sprinters, but Inrng and the PTPers are backing punchy finishers who can attack late from small groups.

    Popular pick seems to be Kwiato - you can get odds as low as 28/1 for him so may be worth an E/W punt.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    18 riders in the break (inc Nibali), which has a 3 mins lead after 20km. Many teams have someone there so this might go all the way. Herrada Lopez (COF) is the highest on GC in the group, 5'45" behind Simon Yates.
  • RonB
    RonB Posts: 3,984
    BORA, Quickstep and Sky have riders in there so they won't be chasing.
  • That is a strong break.

    Herrada, Brambilla, Formolo, Teuns, Nibali, Machado, De Gendt, Geniez, Campanaerts, Van Baaarle among others.
  • Some serious engines in that break.
  • Nibali lives! :)
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Picked Nibali at 100/1. Fingers crossed
    Blog on first season road racing http://www.twhatley.com/
  • DeadCalm wrote:
    I'd be thrilled if he won, but what has TGH done to deserve three star favourite status?

    Not sure why I didn't change him out, tbh. I did elsewhere.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Only watching the gaps on the website today, but this Vuelta is crazy. 47km to go, break has 11 minutes
  • Yates's water boys clearly aiming to dump the leader's jersey onto Herrada's shoulders before 3 consecutive mountian finishes have to be controlled.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,099
    Movistar blink. But way too late.
    Team My Man 2022:

    Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet
  • Formolo looking good.
    Nibali has tested his legs, while Padun is on policing duties for him.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 4,993
    Vuelta has good 'flat' stages
  • This looks like a really good race. 8 clear now, 5km to go, splits between them, but keep coming back together.
  • Now 6 - Teuns, Geniez, Formolo, Padun, Campanaerts and Van Baaarle
  • Won't be long before the leaders hit that splendid piece of finishing tarmac. :P
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 26,132
    edited September 2018
    Geniez takes the sprint from Van Baarle. Van Baarle caught out of position with 1km to go when the guy 5th in line had it, had to work extra hard to get back, made it to 2nd.

    Both the first two got dropped about 5km out and had to make up ground to the front 4. Good racing that.
  • Geniez pips Van Baarle.
    Kirby loses the plot again, as they crash after the finish.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    Crazy finish, imagine if it had stayed together for a bunch sprint! Initially thought Geniez might have closed the door, but it was just super narrow.
  • bigmat
    bigmat Posts: 5,134
    Finishes like that maybe David Millar can sort out! Anyway, who had money on Cofidis getting to the half way point of a grand tour with a comfortable GC lead - anyone?!
  • Official gets poleaxed by Geniez's elbow to the chin, but van Baarle goes straight over the top of the guy.
    Had to be helped away.

    Meanwhile, the peloton limp home almost 12 minutes down.
    Herrada leads the race by 3'-22"
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,196
    Herrada leads the race by 3'-22"
    Yates will be happy with that!
  • Did the peloton press on the pedals today??
    "A cyclist has nothing to lose but his chain"

    PTP Runner Up 2015
  • Not the best video of the crash after the finish, but it will do for now..

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvBSJN5 ... utu.be&t=8
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    I'd love it the GC contenders watch each other so much that they forget to drop Herrada. A dumber version of the 2017 Giro where Nibali and Quintana were so focused on each other they forgot to get rid of Dumoulin.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • Go Jesus!!
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,099
    RichN95 wrote:
    I'd love it the GC contenders watch each other so much that they forget to drop Herrada. A dumber version of the 2017 Giro where Nibali and Quintana were so focused on each other they forgot to get rid of Dumoulin.
    It is unlikely but not beyond the realms of possibility I'd have thought. Herrada's no mug. I can see him hanging onto red for a day or two at the very least. He's also got a better time trial than a lot of the pure climbers.
    Team My Man 2022:

    Antwan Tolhoek, Sam Oomen, Tom Dumoulin, Thymen Arensman, Remco Evenepoel, Benoît Cosnefroy, Tom Pidcock, Mark Cavendish, Romain Bardet
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    I've only managed to watch one stage this year but from the reports it feels like no-one can be bothered about winning. Are they all knackered or maybe keeping their powder dry for a Worlds course that could well suit most of the main contenders?