Vuelta a España: Stage 8
Parcours preview
Distance: 170km
Category: Mountains
Highest point: 970m
Although there are plenty of well known climbs in Andalucia, the Vuelta organisers have turned up another new one to test out the riders. The climb to Peñas Blancas should be impressive, too, as it climbs up from the shores of the Mediterranean at Estepona into the Bermeja massif that runs just behind and parallel to the coast. The approach to the final climb is not too tough and it would be no surprise to see the break of the day make it to the final ascent, which rises to 1,000 metres over 16km, giving an average of seven per cent. Although there are one or two much steeper ramps, mostly in the opening 3km, the climb's difficulty stems mainly from its length.
Abraham Olano: "This is a difficult stage for the riders with GC ambitions. It starts of easily enough and
the middle section is fairly straightforward but the last climb rises for 11km right from the coast. The GC contenders will definitely need good climbing legs today."
Don't forget to download the Cyclingnews Tour Tracker mobile app for live coverage of the Vuelta!
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).
Latest on Cyclingnews
-
‘Pretty unfortunate but we are not done with this Paris-Nice’ – Ben O’Connor slips down GC after brutal conditions hit
'Yesterday was a great day for us, today not so good' says Jayco-AlUla DS Hayman after O'Connor tumbles to 20th overall on stage 4 -
'I just want to have a hot shower' - Tirreno-Adriatico peloton suffers for seven hours in cold and rain
Jonathan Milan crashes at speed just 24 hours after winning stage 2 -
'I found an opening, but I was a little far back' - Tom Pidcock impresses in sprint four days after Strade Bianche battle with Pogačar
Q36.5 rider survives seven hours in the rain to take second in Colfiorito sprint -
Former World Champion Romans Vainsteins faces four months in prison for defaulting on family support payments
Latvian arrested at Bergamo airport over €70,000 debt to ex-wife