Some suggestions of future pass through climbs for Vuelta

[Asturiano]

By Montero (in Spanish):
http://39x28altimetrias.com/lospuertosylavuelta.html

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I love this kind of stuff, you'll see much of this kind of thing in our Race Design Thread Vuelta designs. You could even create a good mountain stage leading into Lagos de Covadonga by doing Fito-Moandi-Llomena-Covadonga... but there are so many great passes going totally unused. Collado de las Sabinas, Puerto de la Cubilla (probably would have to be an MTF, was rumoured in initial talks for 2010 after San Lorenzo and Cobertoria, but Cotobello was the choice instead), La Marta, Llano de las Ovejas, Fonte da Cova, Coll de Pradell via Fumanya, Coll de Pal (again has to be MTF), Haza del Lino, San Miguel de Áralar, Picón Blanco, the list is practically endless.

The one I really want in the near future is Cuchu Puercu from the Cobertoria road. If they're going to insist on these tame Anglirú stages from the south then hooking back via Cordal, they could at least amp it up with Cuchu Puercu instead of Cordal.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

I love this kind of stuff, you'll see much of this kind of thing in our Race Design Thread Vuelta designs. You could even create a good mountain stage leading into Lagos de Covadonga by doing Fito-Moandi-Llomena-Covadonga... but there are so many great passes going totally unused. Collado de las Sabinas, Puerto de la Cubilla (probably would have to be an MTF, was rumoured in initial talks for 2010 after San Lorenzo and Cobertoria, but Cotobello was the choice instead), La Marta, Llano de las Ovejas, Fonte da Cova, Coll de Pradell via Fumanya, Coll de Pal (again has to be MTF), Haza del Lino, San Miguel de Áralar, Picón Blanco, the list is practically endless.

The one I really want in the near future is Cuchu Puercu from the Cobertoria road. If they're going to insist on these tame Anglirú stages from the south then hooking back via Cordal, they could at least amp it up with Cuchu Puercu instead of Cordal.

Not sure what the lead-in climbs to Angliru, but how would this stage look, for example? http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3279769

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Oviedo - Angliru:
Arnicio-Falla de los Lobos-Mozqueta-Cuchu Puercu-Angliru

Gijón - Lagos de Covadonga:
San Martín de Huerces-Mirador del Fito-Collado Moandi-Collado Llomena-Lagos de Covadonga

Cuchu Puercu is the first 2/3 of the harder eastern side of Cobertoria, then a short, steep ramp on bad roads, so it's 7,8km @ 9,6% from that side (as opposed to Cordal, which is 5,6km @ 8,9%). Its other side is Cordal plus some more gradual climbing. Because you can go direct from Cuchu Puercu to Cordal and join the normal descent, you could technically do Cobertoria West as a lead-in to Angliru, with the descent interrupted by a short steep ramp to the summit of Cuchu Puercu.

As for Covadonga, it's still not perfect, but there is no way to find a route into Covadonga without at least some flat before the final climb, however the Moandi-Llomena double in either direction gives us something a bit more substantial in the riders' legs before they arrive at the now traditional climb.