The Alto de El Angliru is the stuff of legends. La Vuelta last visited the climb in 2020. Hugh Carthy rode away from the other GC riders in the last and steepest part of the climb to claim the finest triumph in his career. The Briton thus succeeded Alberto Contador, who won the last mountain stage of his career in 2017 on the brutal climb.
Other stage winner on the Angliru are Kenny Elissonde (2013), Wout Poels (2011, after Juan José Cobo’s doping ban), Alberto Contador (he again, 2008), Roberto Heras (2002), Gilberto Simoni (200), and José María Jiménez (1999).
The Angliru is 12.4 kilometres long, but it’s fair to say there are really three Angliru’s. The first 5 kilometres go up at 8% and following a relatively flat kilometre the horror kicks in. The second half of the climb is cursed/blessed with an average gradient of 15%. Riders face the steepest sector of 23.5% – aptly named Cueña les Cabres (goat path) – with 3 kilometres remaining.
The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprint comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
Vuelta a España 2023 stage 17: profile, more
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