Padrón was also the launch base of the individual time trial on the ultimate day of La Vuelta 2021. The route went to pilgrimage site Santiago de Compostella, where Primoz Roglic celebrated both the stage and the GC win.
This year’s Padrón stage seems to be tailored for breakaway specialists. Following some minor hurdles the first KOM test of the day is the Puerto San Xusto, a 10 kilometres long climb with an average gradient of 4.2%. The riders reach the summit after 43 kilometres, while the first passage on the line takes place after almost 70 kilometres.
With this, the first and longest loop of the day is history. The ascent up Puerto Aguasanta – 8.7 kilometres at 4.6% – marks the start of both the second and the third lap. On both occasions the riders drop down to Gundín.
Following the last passage through Gundín – a village just 15 kilometres west from Santiago de Compostella -, there are still 40 kilometres remaining. A false flat section of several kilometres could turn out to be crucial with head wind, but the decisive factor is expected to be the Puerto Cruxeiras. This 1.5 kilometres ramp goes up at roughly 9% before the riders fly down a 5.5 kilometres descent to a flat 2.6 kilometres long run-in to the line.
Padrón is famous for its little green peppers, pimentos de Padrón. A delicacy all over Spain. Cook them in olive oil until the peppers are dark, charred, even blistered, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and… buen provecho!
Whether it’s substantial enough to win an the 11th stage, that’s another story.
The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprint comes with 6, 4 and 4 seconds.
Vuelta a España 2024 stage 11: profile & more
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