La Vuelta 2020 - Stage 8 : Logroño > Alto de Moncalvillo - 164 km *Spoilers*

Stage 8 : Logroño > Alto de Moncalvillo - 164 km
Wednesday 28 October, 12.05 GMT.

The wine region La Rioja hosts a race from Logroño to an uphill finish at the Moncalvillo. Logroño was the finish of the ITT on the 2017 Vuelta a España. Chris Froome powered to victory, thus laying the groundwork for his only GC win in the Spanish grand tour until now.



La Vuelta serves a race on undulating roads with two ascents standing out on the eight day of action. The course is not very remarkable in the first 100 kilometres. Although being far from flat, the riders don’t face any serious uphill tests until the last 60kms.



After Ribafrecha the route ascends to a false flat plateau that leads onto the first proper climb. The Puerto de la Rasa is 9.8 kilometres long and the average gradient sits at 5.3%.



The riders fly down a long descent before getting ready for the grande finale. The finish climb is something else entirely. The Alto de Moncalvillo is 8.3 kilometres long and the average gradient sits at 9.2%, while the section in the middle rises in irregular but steep intervals, peaking out at 15% for almost 1 kilometre. It levels out a bit without dropping below 7% until the last 2 kilometres. Another kick up at 12% leads onto the final kilometre, which starts at 8% before continuing at 5% on the run-in to the line.
La Moncalvillo is an unprecedented climb in La Vuelta.



The intermediate sprint – situated at the base of the Puerto de la Rasa – comes with time bonuses of 3, 2 and 1 seconds, while the first three riders on the line gain 10, 6 and 4 seconds.



Logroño

17 stages of La Vuelta have departed from Logroño
151.113 inhabitants

La Vuelta returns to Logroño three years since its last visit. The Rioja capital has hosted the race on 35 occasions and is a favourite destination for the Spanish tour. It is also a touristic epicentre. The city of Logroño attracts visitors from all over the world, seduced by the territory’s culture, nature and gastronomy. Its culinary style is always accompanied by its wine, the most consumed Designation of Origin in Spain and one of the most famous in the world. Logroño was awarded the title 'Spanish Capital of Gastronomy 2012.

Rioja Alta
Rioja Alta is a Spanish designation located in the west of the renowned Rioja wine region, with a center of production in the city of Haro. Tempranillo and Mazuelo (Carignan) are the two most prominent grapes that are used in Rioja Alta.
The region is praised for their age-worthy red wines that are the best examples of traditional Rioja.



Chorizo Riojano
Chorizo Riojano is a cured pork sausage without any additives, produced in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja. What was once humble food of the native people is nowadays an exceptional delicacy enjoyed all over Spain. This hand-made sausage has an intense and balanced taste with pronounced flavors of only pepper and garlic.



Logroño Pintxos Crawl





Alto de Moncalvillo

La Vuelta is always looking for new mountain passes and icons to present to the world. In this case, La Rioja allows us to do just that without leaving its territory, by hosting a stage that will take place entirely within this autonomous community for the fourth time in La Vuelta’s history. The extremely tough 11 km of the Alto de Moncalvillo will put the peloton to the test right in the middle of the race. This mountain pass will serve as a milestone as it will be the second high-altitude finale in La Rioja’s history in La Vuelta, following the nine Valdezcaray climbs.





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

  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    The Logrono streets rarely look that clean especially after a weekend and there seems to be the resident beggars missing.
    The wine however manages to compensate for any short comings.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,217
    Hopefully the bunch of riders in this race will put pressure on Roglic early on the climb rather than tow him to the line and sprint for bonus seconds.
  • JimD666
    JimD666 Posts: 1,900
    Jumbo-Visma are down a rider as Dumoulin has abandoned.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,596
    JimD666 said:

    Jumbo-Visma are down a rider as Dumoulin has abandoned.

    His form has been very disappointing since racing resumed.
    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.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,137
    My PTP picks for the GTs: Quintana (17th!), Thomas, Dumoulin.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,579
    edited October 2020
    Tom said in winter he was closer to packing in racing than carrying on. I reckon that may continue?
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • ridgerider
    ridgerider Posts: 2,851
    JimD666 said:

    Jumbo-Visma are down a rider as Dumoulin has abandoned.

    Same here...I'm off for a week's break and to prepare for 2021.
    Half man, Half bike
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 16,646

    JimD666 said:

    Jumbo-Visma are down a rider as Dumoulin has abandoned.

    Same here...I'm off for a week's break and to prepare for 2021.
    LOL
    "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
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 20,511
    RichN95. said:

    My PTP picks for the GTs: Quintana (17th!), Thomas, Dumoulin.

    You can still hold your head up high as you didn't pick Pinot for the tour.
  • So Dom Dumoulin out of the Vuelta?
    He even gets beaten by Froome at fetching water.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • pblakeney said:

    JimD666 said:

    Jumbo-Visma are down a rider as Dumoulin has abandoned.

    His form has been very disappointing since racing resumed.
    I don't follow pro racing much, but didn't he mess up at least one knee towards the end of last year?
    ================
    2020 Voodoo Marasa
    2017 Cube Attain GTC Pro Disc 2016
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  • Kenny Elissonde (Trek-Segafredo) and Michal Golas (Ineos Grenadiers) also DNS
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,474

    Stage 8 : Logroño > Alto de Moncalvillo - 164 km
    Wednesday 28 October, 12.05 GMT.

    Logroño was the finish of the ITT on the 2017 Vuelta a España. Chris Froome powered to victory, thus laying the groundwork for his only GC win in the Spanish grand tour until now.

    Well, not strictly true...
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
    2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
    2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
    2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
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  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,596
    edited October 2020

    pblakeney said:

    JimD666 said:

    Jumbo-Visma are down a rider as Dumoulin has abandoned.

    His form has been very disappointing since racing resumed.
    I don't follow pro racing much, but didn't he mess up at least one knee towards the end of last year?
    I had higher hopes of recovery given the late start to the GT season.
    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.
  • Kauto5
    Kauto5 Posts: 71
    edited October 2020
    Sounds like the weather will be nice today, 18°C at the scheduled finish time
  • BOTD: Costa, Madrazo, Stannard, Dewulf, Cavagna, Simon

    Live in 5.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,596
    edited October 2020
    Anyone got any idea why Froome is working so hard at this stage?
    Let the breakaway go, concentrate on GC, no?
    Edit:- Posted before the climbing started.
    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.
  • Movistar have certainly upped the pace on the climb.
    Gap is rapidly coming down.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892

    BOTD: Costa, Madrazo, Stannard, Dewulf, Cavagna, Simon

    Live in 5.

    I'd forgotten Stannard was around. Just 18 days racing this year with a best finish of 49th.
  • I'd kind of forgotten about this rambling never shut up no matter what style of commentary.
  • jam1e
    jam1e Posts: 1,066

    I'd kind of forgotten about this rambling never shut up no matter what style of commentary.

    This x 1000

    I'd always thought the anti-Carlton comments were a bit excessive but when you're watching 2 GTs side-by-side you realise just how bad he is, with every 2nd sentence being some sort of little pun or joke or whatever.

    In some ways it's impressive, to be able to make a dad joke from nothing so unfailingly, but censored me, it gets annoying once you've tuned into it.
  • phreak said:

    BOTD: Costa, Madrazo, Stannard, Dewulf, Cavagna, Simon

    Live in 5.

    I'd forgotten Stannard was around. Just 18 days racing this year with a best finish of 49th.
    For anyone wondering, they're two different Stannards.

    (Robert) Stannard is the one in the break. (Ian) Stannard's season ended midway through the Tour de Pologne.
  • jam1e
    jam1e Posts: 1,066
    I did go back to check the breakaway and team list thinking "I'm sure he's not racing".
  • larkim
    larkim Posts: 2,474
    Just when you thought 2020 was bad enough, Kirby's book was shortlisted for an award! (But didn't win)

    https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/magic-spanner-9781472959867/#:~:text=About Magic Spanner&text=Witty, outrageous and often outspoken,Carlton has become globally famous.

    Anyone read it?
    2015 Canyon Nerve AL 6.0 (son #1's)
    2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport Disc (son #4s)
    2013 Decathlon Triban 3 (red) (mine)
    2019 Hoy Bonaly 26" Disc (son #2s)
    2018 Voodoo Bizango (mine)
    2018 Voodoo Maji (wife's)
  • jam1e
    jam1e Posts: 1,066
    That is begging for an audiobook version.
  • notquite6foot
    notquite6foot Posts: 248
    edited October 2020
    To this point, three WorldTour teams (Cofidis, Mitchelton-Scott, Trek-Segafredo) have yet to win a Grand Tour stage this season.
  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,892

    phreak said:

    BOTD: Costa, Madrazo, Stannard, Dewulf, Cavagna, Simon

    Live in 5.

    I'd forgotten Stannard was around. Just 18 days racing this year with a best finish of 49th.
    For anyone wondering, they're two different Stannards.

    (Robert) Stannard is the one in the break. (Ian) Stannard's season ended midway through the Tour de Pologne.
    Ah, I stand corrected.
  • notquite6foot
    notquite6foot Posts: 248
    edited October 2020
    Carthy the first GC man to make a move, with Kuss on his wheel (at 3.5km to go). Martin now trying to follow (dragging some of the other favourites as well).
  • Not many left at the front now
  • The favourites are either playing is cagey or they are struggling again.
    Hugh Carthy phenomenal so far.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.