Vuelta 2016 Favourites stage 15: For GC-riders with an appetite for the red jersey

Esteban ChavesQuick and explosive, that's a proper way to describe stage 15 in the 2016 Vuelta a España. At merely 118.5 kilometres there is hardly a flat metre to be found, while the finish is uphill after an irregular ascent of 15.8 kilometres. (Slideshow route/profile)

In 2013, Warren Barguil climbed to victory in Formigal. With the road flattening out near the top he outsprinted his fellow-escapees Rigoberto Uran and Bartosz Huzarski. This edition he abandoned the Vuelta early on.

It remains to be seen whether we will see attackers battle for the stage win in 2016. Following the Formigal-finish the GC men have only three chances left to make a difference: stage 17, the ITT on September 9th, and stage 20, all in the final week.

Today’s closing climb is the last one in a incessant series of climbs. At 4.3%, the average gradient is nothing to be worried about, yet it is hard to find a rhythm as flat or even downhill sectors are followed by uphill sections at almost 10%.

Favourites 15th stage Vuelta a España

*** Chris Froome, Esteban Chaves, Nairo Quintana
** Tejay van Garderen, Alberto Contador
* Andrew Talansky, Simon Yates, Samuel Sánchez

Vuelta a España 2016 Stage 15: Route maps, height profiles, etc

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