The race debuts the ascent to the La Cruz de Linares pass, which will be climbed twice, the second time to become the goal of the day and perhaps also the judge of the general classification.
The eighteenth stage of the Vuelta a España, the second of the great Asturian events, is the last of the great mountain days included in the tour in this 2023 edition, in which The Port of La Cruz de Linares is one of the greatest novelties and its main attractions.
It will be a longer stage than usual this year in the Vuelta in the most important mountain stages (Tourmalet, Larra-Belagua, Angliru), which have generally been very short, and which will accumulate 4,100 meters of positive gradient. Much more than the day before towards Angliru.
This Thursday they will be almost 180 km dotted with ports until ending in the unprecedented La Cruz se Linaresan 8.3 km wall at 8.6 percent that will be climbed twice and that has a tremendous first half always above 10 percent and ramps up to 16. From there, it softens a little , another ramp arrives at 11, there is a false flat and it ends on a more bearable slope.
As if that double climb to La Cruz de Linares were not enough to select the peloton, the runners must first overcome the also very tough Port of San Lorenzo, another mass. In this case of 9.9 kilometers at 8.6 percent with two sections at the beginning of the rise and at the beginning of the second half always above 10 and with sections of up to 16 percent. Two false flats after these two sections will give some air to the cyclists, for whom a ramp that is also very hard with a peak at 13 awaits at the finish line.
All the hardness of the day does not stop there, since the other two peaks of the route, although of lesser importance, also have their own thing. Because the first, the Alto de Estacas (Segunda), is 5.1 kilometers at 7.1 percent; and the second, that of Tenebredo (Tercera), are 3.4 to 9.5 with one km at 13 percent, between 2 and 3, half a km at 16 and ramps of up to 22 percent.
A stage to start reveal which Jumbo runner will be the one to raise his arms in Madridsince Sepp Kuss left Angliru with just 8 seconds ahead of Jonas Vingegaard, who in turn has a minute over Primoz Roglic, winner in the Astuary colossus and perhaps the most discordant note in the happiness of the Dutch team.
Also a day to find out who is the strongest Spaniard. If Mikel Landa, as it seemed in the Angliru, or Juan Ayuso, who is still first after the Jumbo in the general classification, and Enric Mas, who had a really bad time on the wall of the Sierra de Áramo, recover.
Today’s stage of the Vuelta a España
18th stage. Pola de Allande-La Cruz de Linares. 178.9 km
- Ports: Km 48.8 Alto de las Estacas (2nd; 5.1 km at 7.1 percent gradient). Km 88.6 Puerto de San Lorenzo (1a; 9.9 km at 8.6 percent and ramps up to 16). Km 121.2 Alto de Tenebredo (3rd; 3.4 km at 9.5 percent). Km 153.9 Alto de La Cruz de Linares (1a; 8.3 km at 8.6 percent and ramps up to 16). Bonus (6, 4 and 2 seconds).
- Goal. Km 178.9 Alto de La Cruz de Linares (1a; 8.3 km at 8.6 percent and ramps up to 16)
- Intermediate sprint: Km 162.6. Proaza.
Schedule for stage 18 of the Vuelta a España 2023
Thursday September 14
- Departure time: 12.55
- Arrival time: 17:30
- Intermediate average: 39 km/h.