Vuelta a España 2016 Rumours

[ice&fire]

It was about time:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/vuelta-a-espana-will-start-in-galicia-in-2016/

The Vuelta departure host town has been usually announced during the second rest day of the race in recent years. The change of plans this year after the bid from Porto was pulled out has delayed this a few days. So we are in for new start from Galicia as in 2013, although next year will be from the landlocked province of Ourense to visit the other three provinces in the first stages.

 

[BigMac]

Could it still go through Portugal? A stage on Gerês would be nice, though highly unlikely.

 

[DFA123]

Nice, so the race should be hilly from the start. I guess Cav won't be showing up.

 

[lemon cheese cake]

Re:

Could it still go through Portugal? A stage on Gerês would be nice, though highly unlikely.

No. I can't remember the precise reason but it was due to money I think.

 

[ice&fire]

I have been scouting Spanish forums and cycling sites in recent days, but I haven't found any reliable clue. Some people were suggesting that the last mountain block would be in the South but as of now it all looks like wishful thinking.

I can only have a guess about those rumours from unofficial sources of a visit to the Pyrenees. The Tour web site announced during the Tour second rest day the signature of an agreement between ASO and the Government of Andorra for a Tour stage finish, rest day and stage departure next year. So if the Vuelta goes to the Pyrenees next year, a visit to Andorra is not very likely.
http://www.letour.com/le-tour/2015/us/pre-race/news/ahc/tour-2016-to-visit-andorra.html

 

[jens_attacks]

Cerler!


....

 

[Valv.Piti]

He did confirm the Vuelta aims to stick to a similar overall structure to that of recent editions, with summit finishes coming as soon as the first week and probably just one individual time trial. “Television audience figures and the number of roadside viewers confirm this is the right strategy, despite some criticism,” Guillen said.

I think this is fine as long as the Tour steps up and includes some more ITT, as Guillen says that is what the audience generally wants.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Porto out?
There goes the reason for visiting the Vuelta next year.

 

[chartwatch]

Re:

Cerler!


....

Or another nice climb is Rasos de Pequere (Vuelta 99). If the Vuelta wants new summit finishes in the Pyrenees: Valter 2000, Port Aine, Boi Taull or Lac de St Maurici?

 

[ice&fire]

This is old news from a few days after the presentation of the 2015 course. Although race departure has been moved from Porto to Galicia, the return to la Camperona at the end of the first week still fits in.

http://www.diariodeleon.es/noticias/deportes/camperona-vuelta-2016_951300.html

Of course, we will not have to wait one week for the first murito. Ezaro is also on the cards, although that may just be because it's the only one that sticks in the mind of Galician journalists.

http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/ourense/2015/09/11/vuelta-espana-2016-saldra-ourense-suena-fuerza-nuevo-final-ezaro/00031441965015892161936.htm

 

[Red Rick]

I want less than 5 finishes with 20+% gradients.

 

[Max Rockatansky]

It looks like they paved the road up to IRAM. Something like that could lead to a nice twentieth stage.

And oh yes...this is a tough climb.

http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPerfilusu.asp?id=870

 

[ice&fire]

Can't find the link but Guillén said something like there won't be many stages South of Madrid or they won't go far from Madrid to the South.

 

[Billie]

i heard a rumour about a finish after a really steep final km.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re:

This is old news from a few days after the presentation of the 2015 course. Although race departure has been moved from Porto to Galicia, the return to la Camperona at the end of the first week still fits in.

http://www.diariodeleon.es/noticias/deportes/camperona-vuelta-2016_951300.html

Of course, we will not have to wait one week for the first murito. Ezaro is also on the cards, although that may just be because it's the only one that sticks in the mind of Galician journalists.

http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/ourense/2015/09/11/vuelta-espana-2016-saldra-ourense-suena-fuerza-nuevo-final-ezaro/00031441965015892161936.htm

If they're starting in Ourense province, there's always Costiña de Canedo, 2km @ 12% in an absolutely ramrod-straight line just outside Ourense. Descent finish from that (ha! ha! ha!) would make a perfect first road stage for a Vuelta...

 

[dpm1991]

Re: Re:

This is old news from a few days after the presentation of the 2015 course. Although race departure has been moved from Porto to Galicia, the return to la Camperona at the end of the first week still fits in.

http://www.diariodeleon.es/noticias/deportes/camperona-vuelta-2016_951300.html

Of course, we will not have to wait one week for the first murito. Ezaro is also on the cards, although that may just be because it's the only one that sticks in the mind of Galician journalists.

http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/ourense/2015/09/11/vuelta-espana-2016-saldra-ourense-suena-fuerza-nuevo-final-ezaro/00031441965015892161936.htm

If they're starting in Ourense province, there's always Costiña de Canedo, 2km @ 12% in an absolutely ramrod-straight line just outside Ourense. Descent finish from that (ha! ha! ha!) would make a perfect first road stage for a Vuelta...

Descend finishes in this year Vuelta ended up being quite succesful so i won't be shocked if in another editions there will be let's say one descend finish replacing eventual murito finish. There might be some propability of a descend finish similar to Navacerrada one close to or on 20th stage to try and reproduce this year stage.

 

[ice&fire]

Ezaro seems confirmed as stage finish, most probably of stage 4.
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/carballo/dumbria/2015/09/27/vuelta-espana-tendra-nuevo-final-etapa-ezaro-agosto/0003_201509C27C4994.htm

 

[Red Rick]

Surprise surprise.

Would be a great climb to have 10-15km from the finish

 

[Brullnux]

Re:

Ezaro seems confirmed as stage finish, most probably of stage 4.
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/carballo/dumbria/2015/09/27/vuelta-espana-tendra-nuevo-final-etapa-ezaro-agosto/0003_201509C27C4994.htm

Arredondo will be happy, Purito has that one in the bag (provided age doesn't destroy him between this and next year)

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Surprise surprise.

Would be a great climb to have 10-15km from the finish

I agree, but a finish 10-15km from Ézaro would be in the middle of nowhere. They'd need almost 20km to put the finish at one of the villages at the sea and 2013 already showed that the bunch may regroup in less than that. If they stretch that to 25km they might do a loop and climb it twice. But please, don't tell Unipublic

 

[ice&fire]

The town of Betanzos in Galicia expects confirmation from Unipublic to host a stage departure.
http://www.laopinioncoruna.es/deportes/2015/10/06/betanzos-espera-confirmacion-vuelta-acoger/1001288.html

The link mentions a possible stage finish in Serra da Capelada, somewhere between the villages of Cedeira and Ortigueira in the north of Galicia. There's a very scenic place known as Garita da Herbeira at nearly 600m above the sea level with views like this one. The profiles I've found don't show the ridiculous gradients of climbs like Ézaro or Cumbres del Sol.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It's about 8km at 7% iirc. PRC did a whole investigation into possibilities for using Las Rías Altas here including two suggested stages:

Trasmonte is short but steep, but the descent is very narrow, therefore the run-in from the second option may be a bit too difficult to incorporate.

 

[TromleTromle]

Two amazing potential profiles for a early first week "shake up the GC" stage

The Giro would be proud of it!

 

[ice&fire]

That climb is a good candidate for a double pass, either with the finish at the top (like Monte Castrove 2014 or Cumbre del Sol 2015) or after the descent (like Cresta del Gallo 2015)

 

[Red Rick]

Looks very good, but I'm a bit afraid that the Vuelta doesn't do good hilly stages in the first week