Vuelta 2023 Favourites stage 14: Tough day in the Pyrenees

foto: Cor VosJust like stage 13, stage 14 is a chore. The difference is that the most hellish part of the race appears relatively early, namely in the heart of the race with two HC mountains. Attackers are likely to shine. (Slideshow route/profile)

Assuming that stage 13 will turn into a hard battle for the red jersey, it makes sense to think of stage 14 as more of a chance for the breakaway to survive. That’s what we wrote before the start of La Vuelta. An yes, it panned out that way. Jumbo-Visma now only needs to control the race to win the GC.

Following a flat run-up of some 50 kilometres the first HC climb is the Col Hourcère – 11.1 kilometres at 8.7% -, and right after the descent the next one is already lined up. The Puerto de Larrau is 14.9 kilometres long and slopes at 8%. Still almost 50 kilometres to go at the summit.

Following a 10 kilometres downhill, the Puerto de Laza throws in 3.4 kilometres at 6.3%, before a relatively flat section of 20 kilometres leads to the base of the finish climb. Which is not exactly a killer, although some dreams will shatter on its flanks – dreams of attackers, presumably. The first 6 kilometres of the finish climb rise at 7.5% before the road levels off to 6.4% and then 4.8%, while the last 1.5 kilometres is merely a false flat uphill.

Favourites 14th stage 2023 Vuelta a España

*** Romain Bardet, Michael Storer, Wout Poels, Geraint Thomas
** Remco Evenepoel, Bauke Mollema, Jan Hirt, Sylvain Moniquet, Andreas Kron
* Primoz Roglic, Sepp Kuss, Jonas Vingegaard, Marc Soler, Juan Ayuso, Enric Mas

Another interesting read: route 14th stage 2023 Vuelta.