Enric Mas, ready for the final battle in the queen stage of La Vuelta
The eve of the curtain’s lowering Lap The most anticipated day arrives in Granada, considered queen stagebetween La Calahorra and the unpublished Alguacil Hill, with a route of 186.8 km that includes four first-class climbs and an impressive finish of 8.3 km at 9.8 percent with 22 ramps.
A long day with chained passes that will feature the debut of a stop that can be incorporated into the mythical places of the round, the Collado del Alguacil, the end of the special category stage, but before the unprecedented pass, two steps The Purche (1a, 8.2 km to 8.2 and ramps of 18), and one per The Duke (1st, 7.4 km at 8.3 with maximums of 20).
On Saturday, September 12, La Vuelta climbs Collado del Alguacil for the first time in its history. It is the queen stage of the edition and the last high finish before the outcome in Grenade.
Are 186.8 kilometers starting in La Calahorra, in the Granada highlands, and arriving at a peak that does not appear in the history of any grand tour. The organization has reserved it for the penultimate day.
The route to the Granada mountain range starts in La Calahorra and passes through Guadix, Purullena and La Peza before turning south. The first kilometers are of accumulated wear, not of specific difficulty. It then crosses Quéntar, Dúdar, Cenes de la Vega, Huétor Vega and Monachil. In this section the peloton already enters the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, where the passes begin.
The final climb passes through Güéjar Sierra, a town that serves as the last reference before the summit. From there are the kilometers that decide the race.
The peloton will climb Purche, a classic Granada mountain pass, twice in a row, before facing El Duque Pass. This design arrived after being eliminated Hazels by the floods.
The Duke will arrive when the selection has already taken place in the favorites sector, and will be the last obstacle at Collado del Alguacil. This is another unprecedented port in the race with which the organization seeks to maintain the essence, hardness and demand of the penultimate stage with a profile almost identical to the original.
Great expectations with Collado del Alguacil
The Collado del Alguacil is the great novelty of the route, the last discovery of the Vuelta. Has an average of 8.3 percentbut more than half between 15 and 16 and sections that reach 20% slope, figures that place it among the most demanding in Spanish cycling.
A day for pure climbers, to attempt the last assault on the red by runners like Roglic either Felix Gall. The absence of precedents brings uncertainty, it has never been raised. It will only bring surprises.
Enric Ma will go out on the queen stage to keep the red jersey, and he will do so with an advantage of 1.37 minutes over the Slovenian Primoz Roglic and 3.01 with respect to the Austrian Felix Gall.
There will be no end of the process in Granada; wait the Alhambra Heights
The Collado del Alguacil will more than outline the final photo of the podium, but the Vuelta will not end until Sunday in Granada. Four climbs to the Alto de la Alhambra await on the Granada circuit, each 2.1 kilometers long and with 16% slopes. A mistake or a well-planned attack could surprise you at the last minute. Excitement until the end.
