Vuelta a España 2018 Rumours

[jfazendeiro]

A timely return to Lagos de Covadonga

http://amp.lne.es/deportes/2017/09/30/vuelta-regresar-ano-viene-lagos/2170889.html

Covadonga hopes to host a stage finish in the 2018 Vuelta Edition.
In 2018 will be made 100 years since the Picos de Europa's Natural Park creation, the same time as Santina, patron of Asturias, was inducted in the canons of the Roman Church and 1300 years since the battle of Covadonga, where had beginning the Christian reconquer of Iberian Peninsula.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

A descent into Ourense from Costiña de Canedo would be a great finale, possibly with the Ribeira Sacra de Luintra finish like in 2016 but from the other side, or doing that finale then descending into Ourense before a loop with the Costiña de Canedo.

As for Bizkaia, the most reasonable definition of a high mountain stage would indeed be Oiz - Urkiola - Pagomakurre. You can definitely finish at the latter two, but given that there would be a fair amount of descending on hormigón to get from Oiz-San Kristobal to Durango, unless the region wants to tarmac that section it may be unlikely - however it would be spectacular and is an absolute traceur favourite (I myself have used the Oiz-Urkiola combination at least once, and the Oiz-Urkiola-Pagomakurre combination once). If that's not possible, on the eastern shoulder of Monte Oiz there's Muniozguren although that's absurdly narrow and in a poor state of repair at time of writing - however the descent is very shallow until rejoining the main road back to Durango.

Worth mentioning that Urduña is a Bizkaian exclave in Araba, so Orduña is also a Bizkaian col over 700m, although difficult to foresee as an MTF and harder to link to other climbs. I suspect here it's meant that it would be a major mountain stage, not literally high as in altitude. There could be some other usefully difficult routes, such as a route around the west of the Nervión estuary with Peñas Negras/La Asturiana, La Reineta and Argalario, a medium mountain stage into the Valle de Karrantza finishing at Cuevas de la Pozalágua like in the 2007 País Vasco, maybe a stage finishing around the Puerto de Sollube or even the antennae there above the main road, potentially the 4km @ 9,5% Bermeo via Almike road, then the final 4km from the pass to the antennae.

Most realistically, however, I could see a very old school stage which includes Sollube as the riders loop around the Bizkaian coast, come up through the Urdaibai estuary and then over some of the Klasika Primavera climbs to Durango, then double Urkiola like in the old Subida a Urkiola.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

nuke pau plz

lol. Agreed though

 

[ice&fire]

@Libertine, the town of Orduña is in Bizkaia, most of the climb is through Araba (out of the Bizkaian exclave) and the summit is 1.5km after the limit between Araba and Burgos. That's why I didn't count it as a Bizkaian climb.

Regarding Covadonga, the historic ephemeris make it look almost unavoidable. It's a shame that good racing in that climb as we saw in 2016 is a rarity.

 

[Red Rick]

I'd say "nuke Covadonga plz", but then the Vuelta would still go back there and we'd have the literal mutant performances we're always talking about

 

[Forever The Best]

Covadonga and La Camperona in the same year?

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Well, also, even if the Puerto was in Bizkaia, Orduña is one of those common Basque climbs where the finish would actually be a little way after the summit, like Arrate, Bianditz and Peña Ranero/Cuevas de la Pozalágua - you'd probably have to finish at the parking lot for the Mirador del Salto del Nervión, which is another kilometre or so down the side into Burgos.

On Lagos, the anniversary and also that it tends to be like Alpe d'Huez and run every other year makes it a likelihood. Especially as both León and Asturias are promoting the Picos. If we're lucky that means we can approach it via the other Picos de Europa climbs and, while it's still not especially likely that we get racing before Covadonga itself owing to that frustrating valley road from Cangas de Onis to Covadonga, we could on the plus side see some really tired legs before the final climb to exploit using the Leonese Picos climbs like Pandetrave and Panderrueda and then approaching from the north via Llomena and Mohandi rather than the traditional route over Mirador del Fito.

Assuming from the route prospects that we would be travelling east to west at this point, and so the Puerto de San Glorio is not likely from its Cantabrian side (since most of the extant rumours for this section of the race focus on Galicia, León and then Bizkaia and the Pyrenean stages), something like this would probably be best case scenario - with La Camperona the day before, therefore riders would not be able to soft-pedal in preparation for the Lagos day as La Camperona is so steep there would be time gaps anyway:

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Re:

I'd say "nuke Covadonga plz", but then the Vuelta would still go back there and we'd have the literal mutant performances we're always talking about

Covadonga is a great climb. The hardest stuff is in the middle, you've got some horrible gradients at La Huesera, the undulating final section can create good chase scenarios, and the scenery is awesome. The problem is that since the Vuelta didn't have the infrastructure at mountaintops to count on in the early days of the race, they didn't establish mountaintop finishes until the 70s, and Covadonga's mythos is such that they depend on it quite heavily, so it's been massively overused (every year for the first 10-15 years, then every other year since save for 2009 when the southerly route precluded it) and now, all the riders have taken it on with some regularity and know how to dose their efforts in race situations on the climb, whereas if it had a sizable lay-off and then the race went back, a generation of younger riders who'd never taken on the climb may yield more interesting competition and more enthusiasm for the climb - just as the 2008 edition, when it had been off the menu for six years, saw some of the biggest enthusiasm for Angliru since its introduction. And that it is north-facing with the Picos rising up almost out of the sea at that point, and no comparable climbs that can be chained to it, meaning most Covadonga stages are inevitably Unipuerto, either literally or racing-wise.

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Covadonga and La Camperona in the same year?

It would only be the 3rd time it happens. Did you already throw two TVs to the trash can?

 

[julianper]

Hi! Earlier than press confirmation, this is what we currently know about Vuelta'18:

-Short prologue (ITT or TTT) in Malaga (6-11km)
-Uphill finish in Malaga's province, probably Caminito del Rey (used in 2015).
-MTF in La Covatilla (where Froome born) after a hard stage
-Another uphill finish on wonderful landscape "Arribes" (many options: Miranda do Douro, Saucelle, Fermoselle, Bemposta...)
-Luintra'16 stage remake, to can show beautiful "Cañón del Sil" on TV
-MTF triptych: Camperona, Praeres (an Asturian wall: http://desdemispedales.blogspot.com.es/2009/01/paredes-asturianas-les-praeres-de-nava.html) and Lagos de Covadonga.
-2018 big discovery by La Vuelta: Monte Oiz in Basque Country: http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPuerto.asp?id=671

This is just about first and half of the second weeks. There's a probably stage at Catalonia. I think Pyrénées-Atlantiques will have the queen stage and the last week will take place in Madrilenian or Valencian Communities. But this is just a assumption...

Regards

 

[Gigs_98]

Don't know what to think about a stage in Catalonia. I don't really like too many stages abroad

Generally this looks like a typical vuelta route, with a ridiculous number of mtf's and many of them ridiculously steep. About Monte Oiz, I really want to see that climb used in a race, but then again, there is probably no place in the universe where you can make a more brutal medium mountain stage than the Basque Country. Therefore I'd be happy if they stop making mtf's like everywhere else in spain and instead make stages like we sometimes see in the Vuelta al Pais Vasco with climbs like Arrate (preferably one of the steeper sides) or Aia.

 

[Red Rick]

Ok. I know enough......


Route's gonna be stupid. The the worlds being as they are, I would've gone down in stupendously steep Murito's and thrown in a large number of medium mountain stages along with the regular big mountain stages. Covadonga and especially La Camperona are very high on my list of places I'd want to nuke. I'm slowly starting to fear this is 2013 all over again.

 

[jfazendeiro]

Re:

Hi! Earlier than press confirmation, this is what we currently know about Vuelta'18:

-Short prologue (ITT or TTT) in Malaga (6-11km)
-Uphill finish in Malaga's province, probably Caminito del Rey (used in 2015).
-MTF in La Covatilla (where Froome born) after a hard stage
-Another uphill finish on wonderful landscape "Arribes" (many options: Miranda do Douro, Saucelle, Fermoselle, Bemposta...)
-Luintra'16 stage remake, to can show beautiful "Cañón del Sil" on TV
-MTF triptych: Camperona, Praeres (an Asturian wall: http://desdemispedales.blogspot.com.es/2009/01/paredes-asturianas-les-praeres-de-nava.html) and Lagos de Covadonga.
-2018 big discovery by La Vuelta: Monte Oiz in Basque Country: http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPuerto.asp?id=671

This is just about first and half of the second weeks. There's a probably stage at Catalonia. I think Pyrénées-Atlantiques will have the queen stage and the last week will take place in Madrilenian or Valencian Communities. But this is just a assumption...

Regards

 

[jfazendeiro]

Re:

Hi! Earlier than press confirmation, this is what we currently know about Vuelta'18:

-Short prologue (ITT or TTT) in Malaga (6-11km)
-Uphill finish in Malaga's province, probably Caminito del Rey (used in 2015).
-MTF in La Covatilla (where Froome born) after a hard stage
-Another uphill finish on wonderful landscape "Arribes" (many options: Miranda do Douro, Saucelle, Fermoselle, Bemposta...)
-Luintra'16 stage remake, to can show beautiful "Cañón del Sil" on TV
-MTF triptych: Camperona, Praeres (an Asturian wall: http://desdemispedales.blogspot.com.es/2009/01/paredes-asturianas-les-praeres-de-nava.html) and Lagos de Covadonga.
-2018 big discovery by La Vuelta: Monte Oiz in Basque Country: http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPuerto.asp?id=671

This is just about first and half of the second weeks. There's a probably stage at Catalonia. I think Pyrénées-Atlantiques will have the queen stage and the last week will take place in Madrilenian or Valencian Communities. But this is just a assumption...

Regards

What can you tell me about those?
There is any possibility of entering in Portugal?
I live in Portugal near the regions of Extremadura and Leon and I'm considering go see a stage. It would be my first time.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

If they just finish at the Praeres restaurant it won't be TOO stupid in that stage, but the problem is how to set it up; I expect them to be coming from the north, coming from San Isidro like in the Naranco stage a couple of years ago, then going over La Collaona and La Falla de los Lobos, which would give us a stage that's both short and not especially tough. I'd quite like them to actually go north of Siero towards Gijón and use some unused or long-forgotten climbs around there - maybe go from San Isidro all the way down the valley to Mieres and over La Colladiella or La Mozqueta, go to Siero via the Asturian La Camperona (only cat.3), then do La Fumarea (4,7km @ 6,8%, max 14%), Cruz del Peón (4,2km @ 8,4%), descend into Villaviciosa, before Collada Pandenes (6,7km @ 5,1%, but last 4km at around 7,5%) which descends directly into Nava and the Praeres climb.

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

Hi! Earlier than press confirmation, this is what we currently know about Vuelta'18:

-Short prologue (ITT or TTT) in Malaga (6-11km)
-Uphill finish in Malaga's province, probably Caminito del Rey (used in 2015).
-MTF in La Covatilla (where Froome born) after a hard stage
-Another uphill finish on wonderful landscape "Arribes" (many options: Miranda do Douro, Saucelle, Fermoselle, Bemposta...)
-Luintra'16 stage remake, to can show beautiful "Cañón del Sil" on TV
-MTF triptych: Camperona, Praeres (an Asturian wall: http://desdemispedales.blogspot.com.es/2009/01/paredes-asturianas-les-praeres-de-nava.html) and Lagos de Covadonga.
-2018 big discovery by La Vuelta: Monte Oiz in Basque Country: http://www.altimetrias.net/aspbk/verPuerto.asp?id=671

This is just about first and half of the second weeks. There's a probably stage at Catalonia. I think Pyrénées-Atlantiques will have the queen stage and the last week will take place in Madrilenian or Valencian Communities. But this is just a assumption...

Regards

Starting from Málaga I can't see the Asturian mountains in the weekend before the first rest day. I can't recall in recent times Asturian mountain stages in the middle of the week but always between Friday and Monday. In fact, the Regional Day of Asturias (the Virgen de Covadonga) is the 8th of September, Saturday at the end of the second week. If they're going to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park and the 1300th anniversary of the Battle of Covadonga, I'd mark that weekend. Basque Country, Pyrenees, Catalonia and Valencia/Madrid stages after the second rest day? I don't think it fits.

 

[julianper]

I made a La Flamme Rouge's tour that will be updated with the latest news: https://www.la-flamme-rouge.eu/maps/tours/view/7174

 

[ice&fire]

The opening stage will be an ITT and will showcase the Centre Pompidou at Málaga. There's no info on the distance.
http://www.diariosur.es/deportes/ciclismo/vuelta-espana/contrarreloj-individual-salida-20171021210942-nt.html

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

The opening stage will be an ITT and will showcase the Centre Pompidou at Málaga. There's no info on the distance.
http://www.diariosur.es/deportes/ciclismo/vuelta-espana/contrarreloj-individual-salida-20171021210942-nt.html

Opening ITT.

Best Vuelta start since at least 2009 by default.

I really do wonder what it means for the rest of the Vuelta though. If it's an excuse to have no normal ITT then it's terrible.

Have to say that everything I've heared about the 2018 Vuelta makes it seem incredibly anaemic.

 

[ice&fire]

2018 Worlds are for the climbers, so the rumour is that Guillén doesn't want to scare the cr∆p out of them with a hard course.

 

[Red Rick]

Re:

2018 Worlds are for the climbers, so the rumour is that Guillén doesn't want to scare the cr∆p out of them with a hard course.

Very inconsistent with the 2013 edition.

I dunno. The Vuelta has gotten a lot of flack for it's tendencies toward Unipuerto stages and stupendously steep 12 minute climbs, but over the last years they've always had at least had a good length time trial and some mountain stages that stood out, either because actually very good design (Andorra 2015, Farrapona 2014), or because sheer brutality on the MTF (Angliru, Hazallanas, Cuitu Negru). Now it feels like a huge big bag of nothing.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Re:

2018 Worlds are for the climbers, so the rumour is that Guillén doesn't want to scare the cr∆p out of them with a hard course.

Oh like 2016 as well due to the Olympics.

Its ***. I get why you would want the best riders at your race, but the Vuelta is an extremely important race in itself, especially lately when it has become even more prestigious. I feel like the Vuelta often is compromising itself that way and it really shouldn't. And wait, isn't the WCRR also a pretty hard course? I'd assume many Tour riders will use the first 2 weeks of the Vuelta to get into great shape again, so no problem making tough stages IMO.

 

[Red Rick]

Re: Re:

2018 Worlds are for the climbers, so the rumour is that Guillén doesn't want to scare the cr∆p out of them with a hard course.

Oh like 2016 as well due to the Olympics.

Its ******. I get why you would want the best riders at your race, but the Vuelta is an extremely important race in itself, especially lately when it has become even more prestigious. I feel like the Vuelta often is compromising itself that way and it really shouldn't. And wait, isn't the WCRR also a pretty hard course? I'd assume many Tour riders will use the first 2 weeks of the Vuelta to get into great shape again, so no problem making tough stages IMO.

A lot has been said about the Tour starting a week later than usual in regards to possible double attempts with the Giro or with build up being different with prep races having their usual dates. The Vuelta has it's usual slot, so there's less than 4 weeks between the end of the Tour and the start of the Vuelta. This will be very important as I think that those who do the Tour will have a weird time prepping for the rest of the season. Tour/Vuelta will be very hard regardless next year.

 

[hazaran]

I don't think the fact that they put a mountain in the UCIs yearly money grab has any bearing on the Vuelta. Worlds are "inside baseball", nobody cares that much except the diehard fans where it's importance is way overstated.

 

[ice&fire]

Re:

I don't think the fact that they put a mountain in the UCIs yearly money grab has any bearing on the Vuelta. Worlds are "inside baseball", nobody cares that much except the diehard fans where it's importance is way overstated.

It's not the fans, it's the riders.