In stage 17 the riders face four categorised climbs and even more uncategorised yet harsh uphill toils. Alto de Desierto de las Palmas, Alto de la Sarratella and Puerto de Benasal are all in the first 110 kilometres and following the drop a demanding route on undulating roads leads to the foot of the steep Alto Más de la Costa. Just before that climb the riders have to drag themselves up to the enchating village of Llucena del Cid, which would have been a categorised climb in all Grand Tours. But no, not in La Vuelta a España.
Big question is whether the GC riders are going to put pressure on one another when approaching Alto Más de la Costa in order to attack on climb itself. Obviously, a lot will depend on the overall rankings.
Whatever the case, the route is an open invitation to attack. One name springs to mind: El Pistolero.
Favourites 17th stage Vuelta a España
*** Alberto Contador, Thomas De Gendt, Esteban Chaves
** Tejay van Garderen, Alejandro Valverde, Andrew Talansky, Darwin Atapuma
* Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana, Robert Gesink, Joe Dombrowski
Vuelta a España 2016 Stage 17: Route maps, height profiles, etc
Click on the images to zoom
Related articles Riders - Vuelta 2016 Favourites - Vuelta 2016 GC Favourites - Vuelta 2016 More articles Giro 2020: The Route
Giro 2020: Riders
Giro 2020: GC Favourites
Giro 2020 Route stage 1: Monreale - Palermo
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 1: First fight for pink
Giro 2020 Route stage 2: Alcamo - Agrigento
Giro 2020 Route stage 3: Enna - Etna
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 3: Climb fest on Moun Etna
Giro 2020 Route stage 4: Catania – Villafranca Tirrena
Giro 2020 Route stage 5: Mileto - Camigliatello Silano
Giro 2020 Route stage 6: Castrovillari - Matera
Giro 2020 Route stage 7: Matera- Brindisi
Giro 2020 Route stage 8: Giovanazzo - Vieste
Giro 2020 Route stage 9: San Salvo - Roccaraso
Giro 2020 Route stage 10: Lanciano - Tortoreto Lido
Giro 2020 Route stage 11: Porto Sant'Elpidio - Rimini
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 13: Back to the fast men, or...?
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 15: Battle for pink intensifies
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 17: Monster Mountains for HC climbers
Giro 2020 Route stage 18: Pinzolo – Laghi di Cancano
Giro 2020 Favourites stage 19: Last chance for fast finishers
World Cycling Championships 2020 Imola: Route Road Race – men
World Cycling Championships 2020 Imola: Riders Road Race – men
World Cycling Championships 2020 Imola: Route Road Race – women
World Cycling Championships 2020 Imola: Riders ITT – men
World Cycling Championships 2020 Imola: Route ITT – men
World Cycling Championships 2020 Imola: Route ITT – women
Cycling Calendar 2020
BinckBank Tour 2020: Riders
Vuelta 2020: The Route
Vuelta 2020: Riders
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 1: Irún - Santuario de Arrate
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 2: Pamplona - Lekunberri
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 4: Soria - Ejea de los Caballeros
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 5: Huesca - Sabiñánigo
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 6: Biescas - Tourmalet
Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2020: The Route
Vuelta 2020 Route stage 3: Lodosa - Laguna Negra
Tour de France 2020: Sam Bennett wins points competition
Tour de France 2020: The Route
Tour de France 2020: Riders
Tour de France 2020: Withdrawals
Tour de France: Winners and records
