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KyoGrey

KyoGrey

Jun 18, 2015
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As for Veleta South, fortunately the road across Veleta Pass was once paved/semi-paved and appears in maps and applications.

So it's just a matter of drawing it (easy peasy) from the crossroads at Órgiva up to the peak (the actual pass to the northern side is just 2 km less than the total climb):

52 km at 5,5% (50 km to the pass)
Around 2900 m of climbing.


d420d125c56c4429457e04007d26a31do.png


Note that the climb can be measured from other points, and it's quite easy to link it with other climbs in the area.
 
Red Rick

Red Rick

Feb 20, 2012
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KyoGrey said:
As for Veleta South, fortunately the road across Veleta Pass was once paved/semi-paved and appears in maps and applications.

So it's just a matter of drawing it (easy peasy) from the crossroads at Órgiva up to the peak (the actual pass to the northern side is just 2 km less than the total climb):

52 km at 5,5% (50 km to the pass)
Around 2900 m of climbing.


d420d125c56c4429457e04007d26a31do.png


Note that the climb can be measured from other points, and it's quite easy to link it with other climbs in the area.
Click to expand...
That looks perfect as a penultimate climb. Garuanteed to do damage. One reasonable climb before and after it, one 100km stage with "worthless climbs" the day after, a 50km flat tt before, and ding ding ding.
 
KyoGrey

KyoGrey

Jun 18, 2015
784
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If we analyse the nucleus of Veleta South (from the crossroads in Pampaneira to the final km's when it levels near the summit of the mountain), the data show practically 27 km of climbing at a very constant 6,8%.

It's a supermonster with Alpine type gradients plus the scorching sun of Southern Spain burning in the neck.

4e71af3aece9ec974799ce4f7c86d77fo.png
 
I

ice&fire

Jul 1, 2015
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Re: Re:

Gigs_98 said:
ice&fire said:
The profile of the IRAM full length going over Hazallana and Sabinas is here:
http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPerfilusu.asp?id=870
Click to expand...
I really don't like this climb. Ofc it's still brutal but with these last two steep kilometers I fear nothing would happen before that ramp.
Click to expand...
It's Guillén vs you. If Guillén wins, you promise you won't watch :D

Here is an example of what they could do just including a loop with Hazallana + Sabinas and down to climb again Sabinas and go up to IRAM.

https://plataformarecorridosciclistas.org/2014/08/27/el-iram-del-pico-veleta-un-hito-historico-para-la-vuelta/

Ragua + Blancares were in the 2009 stage to Sierra Nevada. The final two climbs are harder than the Monachil + Sierra Nevada they did then.
 
42x16ss

42x16ss

May 23, 2009
10,242
1,427
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Re: Re:

Gigs_98 said:
ice&fire said:
The profile of the IRAM full length going over Hazallana and Sabinas is here:
http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPerfilusu.asp?id=870
Click to expand...
I really don't like this climb. Ofc it's still brutal but with these last two steep kilometers I fear nothing would happen before that ramp.
Click to expand...
I don't think so, there will be a selection made between kms 9 and 15 on those 15-20% gradients. Then another 16kms at ~6.5-7% - a HC climb in itself - before the final ramp. IRAM would have to be raced similarly to the Angliru or Zoncolan, especially in the heat. This won't be raced like the Galibier or the classic side of the Stelvio, it's pretty brutal.
 
T

TromleTromle

Jun 11, 2014
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After studying the options... my preference would be: Ragua, Monachil and then the Haza Llana route and skipping IRAM but going to the 3000 m mark.
 
A

Ataraxus

Jul 12, 2013
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Re: Re:

42x16ss said:
TromleTromle said:
Pico Veleta full length (must be this one - http://www.climbbybike.com/profile.asp?Climbprofile=Pico-Veleta&MountainID=13726)
Click to expand...
Yes please! :eek:
Click to expand...


Please NO!

Instead of doing the full Veleta, they might offer us more spectacular profiles with Hazallanas being the penultimate climb.

..........- Guejar Sierra -> Hazallanas -> Monachil -> La Zubia -> Cumbres verdes(Finish)
or
...........-Guejar Sierra -> Hazallanas -> Canales -> Pinos Genil -> Guejar Sierra (Finish)

These would be much more action-promising than the whole Veleta.

Plus the wind on the altitude above Sierra Nevada might be a real problem me thinks.

Having a climb like Hazallanas (which is actually a pass) and using it as a MTF in a GT is a stupid decision IMO.
Especially in a GT where the last climb is almost always the hardest climb of the stage.
If it was in the Giro I'm confident they would have never used it as a MTF.
 
staubsauger

staubsauger

Jul 27, 2009
6,467
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One day they simply have to go up the Veleta in the Tour of Spain. No matter whether they're better options in the same area.

Simply make it a mountain time trial finishing at the peak or at least the final parking area close to the peak. So they're riding uphill each for each and they can bring down the riders to Hoya de la Mora with the chairlift.
 
T

TromleTromle

Jun 11, 2014
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Is the route completely independent (ASO ownership) of any decision/routes etc. done by the Tour - or is there some adjustments made to use the Vuelta to test some Tour features in the Pyrenees etc ?
 
KyoGrey

KyoGrey

Jun 18, 2015
784
17
10,010
Collado Espina will surely be used as a MTF, but properly speaking it is a pass (collado = col), although with a bad floor condition in some kms.

I just hope that someday they use all the Cantabrian mountains apropiately to make severe damage before the final effort, because that area it's like the paradise of medium climbs and they waste it every year.

For example, I wouldn't mind the repetitive Peña Cabarga stages if they had this type of profile:

2856baeea5ad8c29e94fa504bf749df9o.png


Or using that same route, passing though Collado Espina and Caracol to end in Torrelavega (hometown of Vicente Trueba, Manolo Saiz and Oscar Freire amongst others). It would be a stage for the ages with the peloton broken at 60 to go...

fd87c06053441168e130171f9374acfbo.png
 
I

ice&fire

Jul 1, 2015
5,709
4,770
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Got a link to the news:

http://www.eldiariomontanes.es/deportes/ciclismo/vuelta-espana/201609/16/machucos-final-para-vuelta-20160914221250.html

The regional goverment has made the proposal to Unipublic. Yes, Unipublic has managed to convince potential stage hosts to propose MTFs gallore.

They propose to start in the western side of Cantabria climbing Collada de la Hoz and Ozalba and go to the East to climb Alisas and Collado de la Espina. That would make no more than 3kms of flat between the descent of Alisas and the start of the last climb. Not a bad finish, but a meh course.

PIcs of the final climb:
http://recorridosciclistascantabria.blogspot.com.es/2011/09/los-machucos-por-arredondo.html
 
B

barmaher

Oct 2, 2011
2,121
38
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The Vuelta certainly looks like it has the potential to be a good route this year.

I have a suspicion it will end up being pretty crummy, but something makes me optimistic.

Please have more than 50km of ITT though.
 
B

Brullnux

Mar 31, 2015
9,208
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Re: Re:

ice&fire said:
Red Rick said:
La Vuelta has a strong tendency to try and copy paste a stage if it worked really well the year before. Expect a super short mountain stage somewhere.
Click to expand...
The downhill finish in Bilbao must have been the copy & paste of Cercedilla 2015. Can you follow the pattern? :p
Click to expand...
The downhill finish in Bilbao was the copy and paste of the downhill finish in Bilbao 2011. I might've missed a joke though.
 
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