Another early 2010s first week throwback, in this case the Alto del Catorce por Ciento. The 2011 stage saw Liquigas stage an ambush with Sagan winning the stage and Nibali taking time, while Degenkolb won from a reduced bunch in 2014.
The stage is slightly different than either of those, though. Instead of climbing only to the usual summit of San Jeronimo, they continue along the ridge road, used in the opposite direction to descend from Catorce por Ciento previously, as in the profile below.
The climb to Catorce por Ciento is the same as always, but the different descent means the summit is closer to the finish: 18.8 kilometres instead of 27 in 2014 and 23 in 2011.
The finish drags slightly uphill, like in 2014.
The stage is slightly different than either of those, though. Instead of climbing only to the usual summit of San Jeronimo, they continue along the ridge road, used in the opposite direction to descend from Catorce por Ciento previously, as in the profile below.
The climb to Catorce por Ciento is the same as always, but the different descent means the summit is closer to the finish: 18.8 kilometres instead of 27 in 2014 and 23 in 2011.
The finish drags slightly uphill, like in 2014.