Vuelta 2020 Route stage 3: Lodosa - Laguna Negra
Thursday 22 October - The 3rd stage serves the second uphill finish on La Vuelta, although the final climb is not the hardest in the world. Yet, the last kilometre is brutal. The Vuelta a España never before finished near Laguna Negra, a black lake in the Urbion Peaks.
The riders kick into gear in Lodosa, an unremarkable village in Navarre, to head in southwesterly direction. Slowly but surely the route rises until the riders reach the summit of the Alto de Oncola after 79 kilometres.
The route descends to a section on a gently rolling plateau – 1,000 metres above sea level -, which last for some 60 kilometres until reaching Vinuesa. It is here that a sheer endless uphill appears.
The first 10 kilometer of the Laguna Negra climb run false flat uphill, after which the gradient kicks it up a notch to 6 or 7%. The steepest kilometre is the last one, as this slopes at almost 10%. Perfect for a puncher to have it his way.
Laguna Negra rises 1,753 metres above sea level and the lake is shrouded by legends. The most common one is that the lake is bottomless and meets the sea hundreds of miles away through caves and subterranean currents. In fact, the maximum depth is ten metres. A Nessie-like tale also resonates, saying that a creature lives in its depths, devouring anything that falls into the water and sinks.
The intermediate sprint – located in the approach to the finish climb – comes with time bonuses of 3, 2 and 1 seconds, while the first three riders on the line gain 10, 6 and 4 seconds.
Another interesting read: results 3rd stage 2020 Vuelta a España.
Vuelta a España 2020 stage 3: route, profiles, more
Click on the images to zoom
Watch the highlights of recent races here:
Related articles Riders - Vuelta 2020 Withdrawals - Vuelta 2020 Route and stages - Vuelta 2020 GC Favourites - Vuelta 2020 More articles Giro 2024: Pogacar cements lead in Queen Stage
Giro 2024 Route stage 16: Livigno - Monte Pana
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 16: Attackers over the Cima Coppi
Giro 2024: Withdrawals
Giro 2024: The Route
Giro 2024: Riders
Giro 2024 Route stage 17: Selva di Val Gardena – Passo Brocon
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 17: Double up on the Brocon
Giro 2024 Route stage 18: Fiera di Premiero - Padova
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 18: For fast finishers #6
Giro 2024 Route stage 19: Mortegliano - Sappada
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 19: High mountain breakaway
Giro 2024 Route stage 20: Alpago – Bassano del Grappa
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 20: Last chance for climbers
Giro 2024 Route stage 21: Rome - Rome
Giro 2024 Favourites stage 21: For fast finishers #7
Critérium du Dauphiné 2024 Route stage 3: Celles-sur-Durolle - Les Estables
Critérium du Dauphiné 2024: Riders
Critérium du Dauphiné 2024 Route stage 1: Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule - Saint-Pourçain-sur-Sioule
Critérium du Dauphiné 2024 Route stage 2: Gannat - Col de la Loge
Cycling Calendar 2024
Tour de France 2024: The Route
Tour de France 2024: Riders
Tour de France 2024 Route stage 1: Florence - Rimini
Tour de France 2024 Route stage 2: Cesenatico - Bologna
Tour de France 2024 Route stage 3: Piacenza - Turin
Tour de France 2024 Route stage 4: Pinerolo - Valloire
Tour de France 2024 Route stage 5: Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne - Saint-Vulbas
Vuelta 2024: The Route
Like our Facebook page and stay on top of all pro-race information!