Another breakaway day. As is often the case, this finish comes the day before the harder Sierra Nevada MTF, which historically hasn't helped the GC action even when there was a closer GC battle or a Contador desperate for a final taste of glory - I would suggest managing your expectations accordingly.
The first half of the stage is easy, then we reach the city of Jaén and with it, the foot of the mountains. The first climb is Puerto de Siete Pilillas, an endless drag that suddenly ramps up for a final kilometre averaging 9%.
After the descent, there's a short but steep uncategorised climb to La Guardia de Jaén. It's the first 2 kilometres of the profile below. From the start of this hill onwards, the route should be the same as the 2009 stage, save perhaps for the exact route through Jaén.
From here, the riders head back to Jaén, where the intermediate sprint is located partway up another uncategorised climb. The majority is identical to the profile below, only they take a different, 700 metres longer route from km 1.9 to km 4.2 to pass by the cathedral, bringing the overall stats to 9.7k at 3.7%.
A short descent takes us into the village of Los Villares. From here on out, the road is mostly uphill all the way to the finish line, but the section of downhill false flat midway through means the categorisation has been broken up into the Puerto de Los Villares and Sierra de la Pandera itself. It is the same combination that has been used on every stage to La Pandera except the most recent one (in 2017). The profile below shows both climbs.
The first half of the stage is easy, then we reach the city of Jaén and with it, the foot of the mountains. The first climb is Puerto de Siete Pilillas, an endless drag that suddenly ramps up for a final kilometre averaging 9%.
After the descent, there's a short but steep uncategorised climb to La Guardia de Jaén. It's the first 2 kilometres of the profile below. From the start of this hill onwards, the route should be the same as the 2009 stage, save perhaps for the exact route through Jaén.
From here, the riders head back to Jaén, where the intermediate sprint is located partway up another uncategorised climb. The majority is identical to the profile below, only they take a different, 700 metres longer route from km 1.9 to km 4.2 to pass by the cathedral, bringing the overall stats to 9.7k at 3.7%.
A short descent takes us into the village of Los Villares. From here on out, the road is mostly uphill all the way to the finish line, but the section of downhill false flat midway through means the categorisation has been broken up into the Puerto de Los Villares and Sierra de la Pandera itself. It is the same combination that has been used on every stage to La Pandera except the most recent one (in 2017). The profile below shows both climbs.
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