Vuelta a España 2019, Stage 13: Bilbao - Los Machucos > 166.4 km

[Pantani_lives]

On Friday the thirteenth stage of this Vuelta might bring bad luck to some, or good luck to others. In the Cantabrian mountains the riders will face seven climbs. The brutal final climb of Los Machucos is only seven kilometers long, but very steep and irregular, with difficult bends. The top lies one kilometer before the finish.

Two years ago it was in the Vuelta for the first time. Stefan Denifl won from a breakaway. Alberto Contador attacked from the group of favourites to finish second.

Comment by Fernando Escartín: "An extremely challenging stage, dishing up seven mountain passes: four 3rd category climbs, two 2nd category, and an HC finale at the top of Los Machucos. The teams will find it hard to control the race, with its very demanding finish providing the first true test to reveal those riders with a real chance of becoming the overall winner of La Vuelta 19. "

Stage profile:

Los Machucos:

Final kilometers:

 

[SafeBet]

Last time they did Machucos in the Vuelta RoboDenifl happened and I almost cried.
Better times came just 3 days later though.

I think this will be great.

 

[Laplaz]

That section from ~4.9 to ~4.7 km to go looks nasty if you look at the last 5km profile

 

[Descender]

This is a nice stage.

This Vuelta route isn't actually that bad.

 

[Mayomaniac]

Los Machucos is a brutal, irregular climb, not just your typical short garage ramp. I suck at climbing irregular climbs, so for me it would be worse than the Zoncolan.

 

[Red Rick]

Los Machucos is a brutal, irregular climb, not just your typical short garage ramp. I suck at climbing irregular climbs, so for me it would be worse than the Zoncolan.

At least you make it to the top.

 

[Red Rick]

This is a nice stage.

This Vuelta route isn't actually that bad.

Never thought I'd see the day

 

[Descender]

Haha. I'm getting old. And years of putrid routes make you lower your expectations.

 

[rick james]

Downhill finish...Easy

 

[ice&fire]

Downhill finish...Easy

Yeah, like Angliru

 

[Lequack]

How the climb looks from a car

https://twitter.com/x/status/1169695634502410240

View: https://twitter.com/Peter_SagFan/status/1169695634502410240

 

[movingtarget]

Pretty nasty. Should be some good action on this one.

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

I'd be pretty shocked if they all roll in together on this one.

 

[DanielSong39]

Finally we get some GC action.
Roglic to lose time.

 

[Tigerion]

Chaves to attack from a select group with 3 km to go. The favourites to look at each other an let him ride away

 

[saneguy]

Los Machucos is really brutal. Some of the sections seem super steep. I think Quintana will be the first to attack on this one and probably will be given some freedom by both Lopez and Roglic. At some point Quintana's TDF fatigue should also kick in and probably he will crack - today or some other day I guess.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

I have an unrelated question. Since the redesign, whenever I view the forum on my phone, when I click on a thread, it takes me to the first post rather than the last page. Is there a way to click on it such that it takes me to the latest page?

 

[wheresmybrakes]

I have an unrelated question. Since the redesign, whenever I view the forum on my phone, when I click on a thread, it takes me to the first post rather than the last page. Is there a way to click on it such that it takes me to the latest page?

I know what you mean, I click on the time when the last post was sent i.e. "posted 15 mins ago" underneath the title of the thread and then scroll back to where I last read from.

 

[SafeBet]

I have an unrelated question. Since the redesign, whenever I view the forum on my phone, when I click on a thread, it takes me to the first post rather than the last page. Is there a way to click on it such that it takes me to the latest page?

You can find a specific thread addressing all the issues of the new forum here: https://forum.cyclingnews.com/threads/new-forum-feedback-thread.34734/

wheresmybrakes tip might work for you. I'll add that the second time you click on a thread title, it will directly take you to the first post you have not read.

 

[Pantani_lives]

If Roglic doesn't lose time today the Vuelta might be pretty much over. If he does lose time however it might be wide open.

 

[rick james]

Froome still has nightmares about today’s final climb

 

[Simurgh]

If someone wants a reminder of the full climb when they rode it in 2017 - Lopez to attack again this time?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMZfVwerQk0

 

[DJ Sprtsch]

I fully expect Lopez to attack, and if he does so at the right time he might easily get 30 seconds.

 

[Lequack]

Fabio Aru is rumored to abandon before the stage.

 

[Red Rick]

If someone wants a reminder of the full climb when they rode it in 2017 - Lopez to attack again this time?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMZfVwerQk0

Who can forget the 6 man train on a 25% gradient?