Vuelta 2015 Route stage 12: Escaldes/Engordany

Vuelta 2015 Route stage 12: Escaldes/Engordany - Lleida

Tuesday, September 3, 2015 - In the 12th Vuelta stage it’s ‘bye-bye Andorra’ as the riders are off for a 173 kilometres race to Lleida. After yesterday’s demolition-work it’s time to relax with a lot of downhill. Sprinters who are still fresh after the Andorra mountains are in bonus today.

Stage 12 starts at an elevation of 800 metres to finish at 159 metres. A well-deserved present for all weary Vuelta-riders.

Just two modest climbs today, which is peanuts after the demolition-session in stage 11. With 54 kilometres done riders crest Coll de Boixols, a 2nd category peak at 1,370 metres. Ten kilometres later the short climb up Col de Said Ella (elevation 1,250 meters) lays waiting. Next comes a lot of downhill, sometimes interspersed with some minor regurgitation uphill, but it’s really nothing.

The final 600 meters are false flat.

Going back to the Coll de Bóixolls in Northern Catalonia. That is another mountain scoop in this Vuelta. Looks like the organization has gone to great lengths to find unknown climbs. The Bóixolls goes up by an average grade of almost 4% with a steepest section of 8.4% at the end.

Results/race report stage 12, Vuelta 2015.