September 2, Stage 11: Andorra - Els Cortals de Encamp 138 km

Movistar team manager Eusebio Unzué described this as the toughest Vuelta stage that he has seen in more than 30 years.

As the man behind this epic challenge, Andorra resident Joaquim Rodríguez’s popularity could take a serious hit as he and his peers take on six categorised climbs within the Pyrenean principality. Crammed into just 138km, the climbing begins immediately on the Beixalis. Of the next four passes, the most brutal is the Collada de la Gallina, which will be reached via a newly surfaced road that averages 8.5 per cent over 12km with ramps of up to 18 per cent.

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