It first appeared in the cycling world in 1999 and since then Angliru has become an iconic peak. That international showcase, with ‘Chava’ Jiménez as the first winnerr, promoted an ascent that takes cyclists to the limit of their capabilities, both due to the wild inclination and the tremendous hardness of its ramps. The port is made up of sections with their own identity. Les Cabanes (22%), Llagos (14.5%), Los Picones (20%), Cobayos (21.5%), La Cueña les Cabres (23.5%) and El Aviru (21.5%) They complete the climb, a total of 12.4 km at an average gradient of 9.8%.
It is an effort of more than 40 minutes… for those who finish in the first positions. It is the day marked in red for many runners, since, in just a couple of kilometers, the difference between runners can be minutes. It will be the ninth time that La Vuelta has crowned this peak. The previous one was in 2020, in a very different situation from the previous ones. It happened in the year of the pandemic, without fans in the ditches and with a shocking image with the runners ascending alone, with an audience absent due to health recommendations.
That will change in this 17th stage, which will also be crucial for the outcome of La Vuelta as it is held in the third week, four days before finishing in Madrid. The eight previous ascents left seven different winners. That is to say, one of them repeated: Alberto Contador (2008 and 2017), who also achieved his last victory here as a professional. The aforementioned José María Jiménez (1999), Gilberto Simoni (2000). Roberto Heras (2002), Juanjo Cobo (2011 and later disqualified for doping), Kenny Elissonde (2013) and Hugh Carthy (2020, the winners. These last two are present in this edition. Will there be a new runner who will inscribe his name on the wall at the top?
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