Cotobello climb to be included in Vuelta's final week
Image 1 of 3
The Asturia flag flies as the riders pass.(Image credit: Unipublic)
José Luis Rubiera (Astana) leads teammate Lance Armstrong(Image credit: Sirotti)
The Vuelta peloton(Image credit: Sirotti)
The Spanish press is reporting that the 2010 Vuelta a España will have a second summit finish in the northern province of Asturias, as was widely rumoured last week.
According to sports daily AS, in addition to the already announced return to the renowned Lagos de Covadonga climb, the 75th anniversary edition of the Vuelta will tackle the Cotobello climb for the first time.
Located in the south-east of the region, two years ago the Cotobello was named by the Cima Rubiera, in honour of local cycling hero José Luis ‘Chechu’ Rubiera. It measures 10.1 kilometres in length and climbs at an average of 8.4 per cent. Reports suggest that the finish on the new climb will take place after the finish at Lagos de Covadonga with just days left before the Vuelta heads into the final stage in Madrid.
Speaking about what will become the seventh mountain in Asturias to host a Vuelta stage finish, José Luis Rubiera commented: “It’s a very pretty climb, the gradient climbs at a steady rate of around 8 per cent without any sections where you can ease off, which will mean that there will be a great battle if the course leading up to it is hard.
"It’s a lovely spot with beautiful views and there are sections where fans will be able to see three or four kilometres down the climb.”
The full route for the 2010 Vuelta will be unveiled in Seville on December 16.
Follow Cyclingnews on Twitter for the very latest coverage of events taking place in the cycling world - twitter.com/cyclingnewsfeed
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Peter Cossins has written about professional cycling since 1993 and is a contributing editor to Procycling. He is the author of The Monuments: The Grit and the Glory of Cycling's Greatest One-Day Races (Bloomsbury, March 2014) and has translated Christophe Bassons' autobiography, A Clean Break (Bloomsbury, July 2014).
