2020 Vuelta rumors

[ice&fire]

A local radio announces two stages in Huesca. One of them may enter into France for a finish at Lourdes or Tarbes.

La Vuelta a España 2020 tendrá una etapa con salida en Huesca capital

Unipublic tiene apalabradas dos jornadas en las que la ronda ciclista española recorrerá zonas de la provincia altoaragonesa

www.radiohuesca.com

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Laguna Negra de Urbion also rumoured again, guess it will be either that climb or Moncalvillo then. I know which one I'd prefer...

 

[jfazendeiro]

A local radio announces two stages in Huesca. One of them may enter into France for a finish at Lourdes or Tarbes.

La Vuelta a España 2020 tendrá una etapa con salida en Huesca capital

Unipublic tiene apalabradas dos jornadas en las que la ronda ciclista española recorrerá zonas de la provincia altoaragonesa

www.radiohuesca.com

Portalet was rumoured last year.

 

[ice&fire]

Portalet was rumoured last year.

But only because Escartín posted a picture of the French side around the summit when he was probably on his way back home after a visit to Pau, where the ITT was hosted.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

La Depeche are saying the French stage will finish at Tourmalet, starting from Biescas or Sabiñanigo. That would mean Pourtalet and Aubisque, and given that it's supposed to be the queen stage, perhaps Gaborisse or Spandelles too. Much more surprisingly, it should be on Friday the 28th... which is stage 13. Not only does the Vuelta usually put its queen stage in the weekend, it also fits weirdly with the rest of the route. Without Andorra, it's difficult to see where the mountains in the next two stages would be, and it also fits poorly with a Vitoria-Valdegovia somewhere in the second week and Galicia anywhere in the route. Not sure what to make of it really.

 

[18-Valve. (pithy)]

Shame all the Tourmalet MTFs have been from the west. I much prefer the eastern ascent (as a climb, not talking scenery, obviously).

 

[Red Rick]

This is what happens when I give a kidney for a Tour without Tourmalet.

 

[ice&fire]

As @Devil's Elbow says, that Tourmalet stage date doesn't fit with anything we know.
After having seen As.com posting a fake Tour route copied from a French forum I don't know if that's becoming a trend.

 

[OlavEH]

If they move into France, it should be for French Basque Country, not freakin Tourmalet!

A stage finish at Pierre Saint Martin via Issarbe would also be great. This climb is a brute!

 

[tobydawq]

At least they should change the name to Vueltamalet.

 

[Red Rick]

At least they should change the name to Vueltamalet.

I was thinking the same yesterday and didn't wanna say it

 

[ice&fire]

The two stages in the Pyrenees will be scheduled on the weekend at the end of the first week (22-23 of August).
The day before there will be a flat stage finish at Ejea de los Caballeros

At least they should change the name to Vueltamalet.

For those non versed in Romance languages it just means 'bad trip'. In more than one sense.

 

[rick james]

The stage he got the red jersey for a day.

If I remember what Fernandez said correctly: Valverde told him to go try to get some glory for himself and not worry about him.

That doesn’t sound like something valverde would say at all....

 

[Blanco]

That doesn’t sound like something valverde would say at all....

No ***? And what would he say?

 

[Koronin]

That doesn’t sound like something valverde would say at all....

Why not? Valverde is known for releasing domestiques from their duties in the final few KMs of stages.

 

[tobydawq]

What? I don't think that's what he's known for, if I had to name one reason.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The two stages in the Pyrenees will be scheduled on the weekend at the end of the first week (22-23 of August).
The day before there will be a flat stage finish at Ejea de los Caballeros

The same article also mentions Logroño-Moncalvillo on stage 6. If true, that's the first week sorted, with 4 or 5 mountain stages out of 6 depending on where Stage 8 finishes. Also, with the Ejea stage starting from Soria with Moncalvillo the day before, it looks like Urbion is out.

 

[houtdffan]

Tourmalet finish?

Does ASO HAVE to include the Tourmalet in a grand tour every year?

 

[ice&fire]

Rumours from AS.com must be taken with a bit of caution. It's hard to know if their sources are reliable, but they 'confirm' Moncalvillo and Laguna Negra de Urbión as MTFs in the first week.

El Tourmalet y Ézaro brillarán en una Vuelta que mira al norte

La Vuelta 2020 desvela su recorrido el 17 de diciembre aunque ya se han conocido detalles como la presencia del Tourmalet o el Mirador de Ézaro

as.com

 

[Devil's Elbow]

That would mean Arrate, Lekunberri, Moncalvillo and Laguna Negra back-to-back in Week 1, seems weird. Also Stage 7 is strongly rumoured as Soria-Ejea, so it doesn't fit anyway. Still think the only way Moncalvillo and Laguna Negra are both in is if the former comes in week 2 as it seems either of the two will be on Stage 6 and Soria wouldn't be the start of Stage 7 if Laguna Negra is much later in the race.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Marca are now saying that Angliru will be in the route. If so, it will be either the first time in over a decade that Covadonga misses out two years in a row, or the second time ever (and the first since 2000) that both climbs feature in the race.

 

[Red Rick]

Want Angliru as early as possible

 

[jfazendeiro]

La Farrapona will also be in the route according with Radiotelevisión Astúrias. (via cronoescalada twitter account).

 

[tobydawq]

Want Angliru as early as possible

As in the neutralised start of stage one?

 

[Red Rick]

As in the neutralised start of stage one?

Okay maybe not that early. But I'd prefer it weren't the final mountain stage