Vuelta 2014 Route stage 6: Benalmádena – La Zubia

The 1200 metres high closing climb is not a particularly long one, but what lacks in length is made up with the steepness. Joaquim Rodríguez will be pleased with the profile. The total length to La Zubia is only 4.6 kilometres from which the first 600 metres are partly flat. The following kilometres raise with 10 % , 10.4 %, 10 % and 8.9 % and the steepest part of the climb (12.8 %)  is at 3.5 kilometres before the top. The very last metres are no picnic either with gradients of 12% in the last hundred meters.

The starting 50 kilometres look actually quite innocent and are as flat as the Tour of Qatar. After an introductory climb, in order of appearance, Alto de Zaffarara (2nd category) and Alto de Bermejal (3rd) are desperate to claim the spotlights. The last summit is reached after 116.8 kilometres in the saddle. For the next 30 kilometres there is really nothing to worry about, until the riders arrive in La Zubia and the climb to Cumbres Verdes awaits them.

You can follow the race here.

The finish is expected around 17:40 (CET).

Vuelta 2014 stage 6: Images and more

Click on the images to zoom

All stages

All stages

Route stage 6

Profile stage 6

Finish 7th stage (video)

Climb details Alto Cumbres Verdes

Final kilometres

Climb details

Scheduled times

Vuelta Tweets

Start and finish at Google maps