- Aug 16, 2013
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I know, there's still some four days left. And yes, Flanders is waiting. But already talking about it isn't a crime. On the 6th of april, one of the best races will start for it's 55th edition. Explosive climbs, action-packed stages and a really good line-up, in a beautiful scenery known as one of the best regions concerning cycling. I'm talking about the Vuelta al Pais Vasco!
There will be 6 stages this year. Five stages in line and a TT on the last day to decide who will be the winner. Last year Alberto Contador won, but this year he won't attend because he will focus on the Giro d'Italia. But there will be a lot of big names on the start line!
Stage 1 - Bilbao-Bilbao (162.7 km)
Great opening stage to start. This will surely not be a sprint finish of a big group, but likely a elite group of the best climbers who will decide who wears the jersey at the end of the day. The first 95 km are lumpy, before we arrive the Alto de Morga (3rd category). The key climb in this stage is however the Alto del Vivero (2nd category), which te riders have to tackle two times. When the riders reaching the top of the last time Alto del Vivero, there are 13, mostly downhill, kilometers left. I think the final is identical to the stage they did in the Vuelta of 2011, where Igor Anton won. If a guy like Quintana wants to create carnage, a first selection between the candidates for GC is possible.
First 4.7 kilometers of the climb:
Stage 2 - Bilbao-Vitoria Gasteiz (175.4 km)
Only stage in this Pais Vasco where a sprinter (who can climb well) really has a chance of victory. A lot of medium climbs during the stage, before the final climb of the Alto de Zaldiarán (3rd category). The Zaldiarán is 8.4 kilometers long, but only the last 2.4 km are (a bit) interesting at 5%. After the Zaldiarán, there are 9 kilometers left.
Profile Alto de Zaldiarán
Stage 3 - Vitoria Gasteiz - Zumarraga (170.7 km)
All the action will be on the last climb. But how spectaculair it will be! Super explosive riders like Purito and Dan Martin will look at this stage with interest, because the riders have to tackle the Alto de la Antigua. It's 2.5 kilometers long, but the last 800 meters are really hard with ramps of 20%. The last time the Antigua was part of the VPV, Purito Rodriguez crossed the top in first position, and eventually won the stage by outsprinting Sammy Sanchez.
Climb of the Alto de Antigua
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUAeoMmCi3A
Stage 4 - Zumarraga-Arrate/Eibar (162.2 km)
Normally, a stage to Eibar would be the queen stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. However, this year the hardest stage is one day later. But still, this stage is brutal and counts in terms of the GC. There are 7 classified climbs in total, including the hard climb of Alto de Ixua (1st category, 5.3 km at 8%). All the action will likely be on the Alto de Uzartza. It's 7 kilometers long at a roughly 7%, but there are some km's at more then 8%, with ramps of + 10%. The last km is downhill, and could be important if a sprint has to decide who is going to be the winner. Sammy Sanchez, who will be present this year, has won here 3 times.
Climb to Arrate
Stage 5 - Eibar-Aia (155.5 km)
The Vuelta al Pais Vasco always surprises. And this year, they have come with another great stage. For the first time in history (as far as i remember) they will finish on the brutal climb of the Alto de Aia. But first, the riders have to tackle some hard climbs where the legs will already be spinned. The first time the big names will have to climb the Alto de Aia, there are only 18 km's left. Ideal for a early attack or a GC rider in arrears who wants to turn this VPV upside down. In the last 5 km, the gaps will be even bigger. The first 4 km are about 7%, followed by 3 km downhill. But the last 1.8 km are absolutely brutal with a gradient of 12% and pitches up to 20%. There is even a short section of 28% (!) closely to the top. The last winner of a stage which included the Alto de Aia, was Purito Rodriguez in 2010.
Profile of the Alto de Aia
Video of the Alto de Aia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQJqybyI0hQ
Stage 6 - Aia-Aia (18.3 km)
If the GC isn't decided in the previous stages, it will be in this TT. It's really a time trail of two faces. The first 11 kilometer are dead flat, and mostly even downhill. There is only one goal for the climbers here: damage control. Because from kilometer 11, the climbers will have the opportunity to get back the time they lost on the better TT'ers in the first part. The double climb of the Alto de Aia can make some big differences, especially at the end of this race. The finish is again on the top of the 1.8 kilometer long wall, and it will give some spectaculair viewings. The big question is: will the riders change their bikes at the foot of the Aia?
The GC riders in this VPV:
Tinkoff-Saxo: Majka, Kiserlovski
BMC: Van Garderen, Atapuma
Team Sky: Nieve, Sergio Henao
Movistar: N. Quintana, Inxtausti
Team Giant: T. Dumoulin
AG2R: Peraud, Vuillermoz, Betancur
Orica GreenEDGE: Chaves, Adam Yates
IAM Cycling: Pantano
Team Lotto Jumbo: -
Astana: Scarponi
Lotto Soudal: Wellens
Etixx QS: Kwiatkowski
Katusha: Rodriguez, Spilak, Moreno
Lampre: Rui Costa
FDJ: Pinot
Cannondale: Talansky
Trek: Mollema, Arredondo
Caja: Pardilla
Cofidis: Navarro
My opinion
**** Quintana
*** Purito, Rui Costa
** Kwiatkowski, Mollema, Van Garderen
* Adam Yates, Spilak, Peraud, Pinot
There will be 6 stages this year. Five stages in line and a TT on the last day to decide who will be the winner. Last year Alberto Contador won, but this year he won't attend because he will focus on the Giro d'Italia. But there will be a lot of big names on the start line!
Stage 1 - Bilbao-Bilbao (162.7 km)
Great opening stage to start. This will surely not be a sprint finish of a big group, but likely a elite group of the best climbers who will decide who wears the jersey at the end of the day. The first 95 km are lumpy, before we arrive the Alto de Morga (3rd category). The key climb in this stage is however the Alto del Vivero (2nd category), which te riders have to tackle two times. When the riders reaching the top of the last time Alto del Vivero, there are 13, mostly downhill, kilometers left. I think the final is identical to the stage they did in the Vuelta of 2011, where Igor Anton won. If a guy like Quintana wants to create carnage, a first selection between the candidates for GC is possible.
First 4.7 kilometers of the climb:
Stage 2 - Bilbao-Vitoria Gasteiz (175.4 km)
Only stage in this Pais Vasco where a sprinter (who can climb well) really has a chance of victory. A lot of medium climbs during the stage, before the final climb of the Alto de Zaldiarán (3rd category). The Zaldiarán is 8.4 kilometers long, but only the last 2.4 km are (a bit) interesting at 5%. After the Zaldiarán, there are 9 kilometers left.
Profile Alto de Zaldiarán
Stage 3 - Vitoria Gasteiz - Zumarraga (170.7 km)
All the action will be on the last climb. But how spectaculair it will be! Super explosive riders like Purito and Dan Martin will look at this stage with interest, because the riders have to tackle the Alto de la Antigua. It's 2.5 kilometers long, but the last 800 meters are really hard with ramps of 20%. The last time the Antigua was part of the VPV, Purito Rodriguez crossed the top in first position, and eventually won the stage by outsprinting Sammy Sanchez.
Climb of the Alto de Antigua
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUAeoMmCi3A
Stage 4 - Zumarraga-Arrate/Eibar (162.2 km)
Normally, a stage to Eibar would be the queen stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco. However, this year the hardest stage is one day later. But still, this stage is brutal and counts in terms of the GC. There are 7 classified climbs in total, including the hard climb of Alto de Ixua (1st category, 5.3 km at 8%). All the action will likely be on the Alto de Uzartza. It's 7 kilometers long at a roughly 7%, but there are some km's at more then 8%, with ramps of + 10%. The last km is downhill, and could be important if a sprint has to decide who is going to be the winner. Sammy Sanchez, who will be present this year, has won here 3 times.
Climb to Arrate
Stage 5 - Eibar-Aia (155.5 km)
The Vuelta al Pais Vasco always surprises. And this year, they have come with another great stage. For the first time in history (as far as i remember) they will finish on the brutal climb of the Alto de Aia. But first, the riders have to tackle some hard climbs where the legs will already be spinned. The first time the big names will have to climb the Alto de Aia, there are only 18 km's left. Ideal for a early attack or a GC rider in arrears who wants to turn this VPV upside down. In the last 5 km, the gaps will be even bigger. The first 4 km are about 7%, followed by 3 km downhill. But the last 1.8 km are absolutely brutal with a gradient of 12% and pitches up to 20%. There is even a short section of 28% (!) closely to the top. The last winner of a stage which included the Alto de Aia, was Purito Rodriguez in 2010.
Profile of the Alto de Aia
Video of the Alto de Aia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQJqybyI0hQ
Stage 6 - Aia-Aia (18.3 km)
If the GC isn't decided in the previous stages, it will be in this TT. It's really a time trail of two faces. The first 11 kilometer are dead flat, and mostly even downhill. There is only one goal for the climbers here: damage control. Because from kilometer 11, the climbers will have the opportunity to get back the time they lost on the better TT'ers in the first part. The double climb of the Alto de Aia can make some big differences, especially at the end of this race. The finish is again on the top of the 1.8 kilometer long wall, and it will give some spectaculair viewings. The big question is: will the riders change their bikes at the foot of the Aia?
The GC riders in this VPV:
Tinkoff-Saxo: Majka, Kiserlovski
BMC: Van Garderen, Atapuma
Team Sky: Nieve, Sergio Henao
Movistar: N. Quintana, Inxtausti
Team Giant: T. Dumoulin
AG2R: Peraud, Vuillermoz, Betancur
Orica GreenEDGE: Chaves, Adam Yates
IAM Cycling: Pantano
Team Lotto Jumbo: -
Astana: Scarponi
Lotto Soudal: Wellens
Etixx QS: Kwiatkowski
Katusha: Rodriguez, Spilak, Moreno
Lampre: Rui Costa
FDJ: Pinot
Cannondale: Talansky
Trek: Mollema, Arredondo
Caja: Pardilla
Cofidis: Navarro
My opinion
**** Quintana
*** Purito, Rui Costa
** Kwiatkowski, Mollema, Van Garderen
* Adam Yates, Spilak, Peraud, Pinot
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