Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2021: Stage 20 (Sanxenxo - Castro de Herville, 202.2 km)

[Devil's Elbow]

It's the final mountain. Will the GC be the same again?

The first half of the stage is rolling, with the main climb out of Pontevedra averaging 3.9% over 7.8 kilometres - great terrain for one last furious battle to make the breakaway. The second half is full of climbing and descending, the first climb, Alto de Vilachán, is the easiest.

This is immediately followed by the significantly steeper Alto de Mabia.

[edit: the image won't load, I'm kind of tired of every third site causing server errors with the forum software, click the text to open the profile]

The briefest of flat sections gives way to the final cat.1 of the race, Alto de Mougás, otherwise known as Monte da Groba.

There's a slightly longer flat stretch before the road starts to rise again, easily and uncategorised at first, but eventually ramping up to 20% at one point as per this APM user (they climb via Murxido). It's also the only climb of the day of which I can't find a better profile than the PCS one.

The descent is irregular, and is interrupted by a climb of 1.7 kilometres at 5.8% close to Mos, the town of shock Tour de France winner Óscar Pereiro. There's a brief flat through this town, then the final climb of the race starts. The final kilometres are not suitable for opening up gaps, but I'm not sure anyone will be willing and able to go long on this stage...

 

[ice&fire]

Get a preview of what's coming:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHi8XabUJMQ

 

[Red Rick]

Timetable?

It is this profile and not the easier one?

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Timetable?

It is this profile and not the easier one?

This profile is the one on the official site and in the roadbook, pretty sure it is.

The timetable is also in both, right? The median speed they're working with is 37 km/h if that's what you're interested in.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

There are three scenarios possible:

1. Stage for a breakaway
2. Bernal goes thermonuclear on Mougas.
3. Roglic stomps his rivals at the finish to win the stage.

Possible combinations 1) + 2) or 2) + 3)

 

[Red Rick]

This profile is the one on the official site and in the roadbook, pretty sure it is.

The timetable is also in both, right? The median speed they're working with is 37 km/h if that's what you're interested in.

Mainly interested in the timetable cause it means they're gonna go 42kph average at the every least and the time limit will be long enough for me to finish my degree probably

 

[Rackham]

There are three scenarios possible:

1. Stage for a breakaway
2. Bernal goes thermonuclear on Mougas.
3. Roglic stomps his rivals at the finish to win the stage.

Possible combinations 1) + 2) or 2) + 3)

I think Bernal might be cooked:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1433811288216547331

View: https://twitter.com/lavuelta/status/1433811288216547331

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Can Bizkarra finally do it?

 

[ice&fire]

Most of the roads in the last 100km are between narrow and single track. If anyone has a mechanical there he might see the gruppetto coming before his team car.

 

[topcat]

Mainly interested in the timetable cause it means they're gonna go 42kph average at the every least and the time limit will be long enough for me to finish my degree probably

Students-the scourge of the nation.

 

[Red Rick]

Honestly if Roglic attacks on Mougas who's realistically gonna chase him?

 

[topcat]

Honestly if Roglic attacks on Mougas who's realistically gonna chase him?

Bernal - so they can share the work.
Everyone will chase him cause they don't love him like you do Rick.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Are they not doing the San Cosme side of Mirador de Herbille? That's what it originally seemed to be, although it looks similar to that on the profile above in shape, the Altimetrias profile suggests a 16% max ramp and a kilometre at 12% which exceeds anything in the profile given. There are a few narrow roads and parallel routes up, so it's hard to say definitively. You can see all the junction markers between kilometres 2 and 5 on the profile below so it's possible they're doing parts of this but not all given the gradients on the profile above.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Honestly if Roglic attacks on Mougas who's realistically gonna chase him?

Ha, good question! The correct answer is: nobody. Primoz doesn't threaten anybody in the GC.

 

[hfer07]

A leg breaker stage -Not an easy one if it's raced properly. If anyone in the top 3 -including Roglic- gets dropped or is gapped in between the climbs prior to the finish one- then we're talking about losing serious time.
looking forward to it.

 

[Bonimenier]

Last chance for Spain to take their first victory this Vuelta.

 

[Forever The Best]

I like this stage as stage 20. Shame it is before an ITT, but I like it regardless.

 

[SHAD0W93]

TJV to set a blistering pace for Roglic to get the sprint and KoM point.s, Lopez to crack, Bernal to attack with Roglic, Roglic to win, Bernal on the podium.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Are they not doing the San Cosme side of Mirador de Herbille? That's what it originally seemed to be, although it looks similar to that on the profile above in shape, the Altimetrias profile suggests a 16% max ramp and a kilometre at 12% which exceeds anything in the profile given. There are a few narrow roads and parallel routes up, so it's hard to say definitively. You can see all the junction markers between kilometres 2 and 5 on the profile below so it's possible they're doing parts of this but not all given the gradients on the profile above.

Here's the map for the final kilometres:

As you can see, they descend the PO-331 which makes up the first 2.6k of the San Cosme side, then don't pass through Arufe which is where the steep part is. Surprisingly, even Plataforma Recorridos Ciclistas appear to have it wrong. The profiles match from Cela onwards, 4.1k into the Altimetrias profile and 5.5k into the Gregarios de Lujo profile.

 

[Rackham]

TJV to set a blistering pace for Roglic to get the sprint and KoM point.s, Lopez to crack, Bernal to attack with Roglic, Roglic to win, Bernal on the podium.

I definitely agree about TJV controlling this one. It's their last battle & his teammates will want to leave everything out there on the road for him. The way they controlled the first part of stage 17 on Wednesday makes me think they're capable of the same here.

 

[Orbit501]

Last chance for Spain to take their first victory this Vuelta.

Last chance for Spain to take their first victory in any of the GT's this season. If they fail, that's an historic first.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

As you can see, they descend the PO-331 which makes up the first 2.6k of the San Cosme side, then don't pass through Arufe which is where the steep part is. Surprisingly, even Plataforma Recorridos Ciclistas appear to have it wrong. The profiles match from Cela onwards, 4.1k into the Altimetrias profile and 5.5k into the Gregarios de Lujo profile.

 

[tobydawq]

I have a(n important) question: Why is it that so many Vuelta locations have such annoying names, including a dot. I mean, Mos. Castro de Herville... What is the meaning of that? This year has been tolerable as this is the only finish with such a ridiculous name but historically, they have had a ton of those. What's the deal? The name of a place can't surely have a dot in it!

Okay, the last couple of years haven't been too bad in that regard, but my eyes bleed when I look at the start and finishing cities of the 2018 editions.
Stage 10: Salamanca. VIII Centenario Universidad de Salamanc - Fermoselle. Bermillo de Sayago

 

[sir fly]

I have a(n important) question: Why is it that so many Vuelta locations have such annoying names, including a dot. I mean, Mos. Castro de Herville... What is the meaning of that? This year has been tolerable as this is the only finish with such a ridiculous name but historically, they have had a ton of those. What's the deal? The name of a place can't surely have a dot in it!

Okay, the last couple of years haven't been too bad in that regard, but my eyes bleed when I look at the start and finishing cities of the 2018 editions.
Stage 10: Salamanca. VIII Centenario Universidad de Salamanc - Fermoselle. Bermillo de Sayago

You just can't get over it, can you?
Go leave a comment.

 

[Netserk]

I have a(n important) question: Why is it that so many Vuelta locations have such annoying names, including a dot. I mean, Mos. Castro de Herville... What is the meaning of that? This year has been tolerable as this is the only finish with such a ridiculous name but historically, they have had a ton of those. What's the deal? The name of a place can't surely have a dot in it!

Okay, the last couple of years haven't been too bad in that regard, but my eyes bleed when I look at the start and finishing cities of the 2018 editions.
Stage 10: Salamanca. VIII Centenario Universidad de Salamanc - Fermoselle. Bermillo de Sayago

It's the separation of two different names. Would you prefer a slash? (EDIT: Or like in the Tour this year for Portet to have both names in one go)

I think the first name pays and the second is the actual location.