Vuelta 2014 Route stage 11: Pamplona - San Miguel de Aralar

Wednesday, September 3 – A typical Vuelta-stage, served in three courses and totalling 153.4 kilometers. The ride from Pamplona to Santuario de San Miguel de Aralar is hilly to start with and in the final two cols are welcoming the riders. The last one is the toughest and it’s a top finish.

Vuelta 2014 Route stage 11: Pamplona - San Miguel de Aralar

We are in Navarra. After yesterday’s time trial today is no picnic either. After a long and hilly run of about 100 kilometres the remainder means climbing, descending and climbing once again. In the final ascent are parts with a grade of up to 14%.

At about 50 kilometres from the finish line the Puerto de Lizarraga looms, a col in category 2. The climb starts at an altitude of 550 meter and riders crest the top at 1.030 meter. Over 18.3 kilometres the average gradient is 2.6%.

The finish is atop of Alto San Miguel de Aralar (1.210 altimeters). It’s located just outside of the Pyrenees. In 10 kilometres riders go up fairly gradually, but steep. The average grade is 7.6% and the steepest parts are 14%.