Vuelta Stage 13 Preview: Berja - Sierra Nevada
Stage 13 :: Saturday September 12, 2009
172.4km :: Berja - Sierra Nevada
Well, I guess Garmin finally discovered they could set a waypoint on "Stage Win", eh? One would have though a guy with sideburns like Vaughters would have figured that out a long time ago. Must have been all the burritos getting in the way of rational thought.
A rough route today, but if you thought there were a mountain or two on course for stage 12, well, tomorrow you'll get a full cycle, wash, rinse, repeat. Two Cat.3 climbs, two Cat.1 climbs and a summit finish up a Cuervo Especial (Spanish for "Horse Category") climb. ¿Puede usted oler lo que está cocinando la Roca!?
- Cat.3 Alto de Berja :: 840m (495m elevation gain over 9.8km - avg 5.1%)
- Cat.1 Puerto de La Ragua :: 2100m (1540m elevation gain over 24.6km - avg 6.3%)
- Cat.3 Puerto de los Blancares :: 1300m (310m elevation gain over 8.7km - avg 3.6%)
- Cat.1 Alto de Monachil :: 1505m (685m elevation gain over 8.6km - avg 8.0%)
- Cat.Es Alto de Sierra Nevada :: 2380m (940m elevation gain over 16.9km - avg 5.6%)
Gav's got preview while I sit here and listen to The Ventures...
The Vuelta a España heads into the Sierra Nevada mountain range for this second of three consecutive mountain stages. The stage runs between Berja and the Alto de Sierra Nevada and races over five categorized climbs. The finish line arrives at the summit of the Alto de Sierra Nevada, which towers high above the inland city of Granada. The Sierra Nevada is 16.9 kilometers in length and includes ramps reaching gradients of 10%. It’s another mountain-top finish, then, and only the climbers will smile at the sight of this profile. The general classification riders will hope for good legs, as a bad day on this stage could end any hope of wearing Gold in Madrid.
* * *
The stage crosses the Sierra Nevada mountain range from south to north, then loops around to climb up the far western end of the mountain range, which rises just outside the city of Granada. The southern side of the Sierra Nevada slopes up more gently than the steeper, more rugged northern flank. The mountain range, which includes the highest peak in continental Spain, formed in the same geological era as the Alps which divide France, Switzerland, and Italy. Like the Alps, the Sierra Nevada formed as a consequence of the collision between the North African and European plates. Smash! The finishing climb to the summit of the Alto de Sierra Nevada has appeared in the Vuelta a España on ten previous occasions. Felipe Yánez was the first winner on the Sierra Nevada in 1979. The most recent visit came in 2004 when Santiago Pérez celebrated the stage victory.
Courtesy of Gavia's Stage 13 Preview at Steephill.tv
Frinking is busy with his Windmill Repair classes... Frinky comes through at the last minute!
ZZZZZzzzzzzz.. GEEEEESSSSSIIINNKKKKK!!!!!!! That was the stage from yesterday for if you missed it.. Ah ok there was some Canadian rider riding through the picture messing with the Amarillo of Gesink.. Bloody whoever I want to blame, Rabo just had to gibe it a go in the descent.
This stage.. Wel I don't want to give high hopes after yesterday but it looks lie again a nice stage for some messing arround with the GC.
Stage is easier as yesterday but still hard as hell.. One first categorie to climb but at the end there is again a monstermountain. 16.9km long with an average gradient of 10%, The TdF was flat if you look at this. Prediction for tomorrow :D:D:D:D Well, you may guess..
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21 comments
Comments
Do you want to edit? Have send an email on 19:03
by Frinking on Sep 11, 2009 1:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
This stage is easier than yesterday? Umm yea...NO!
26 km of brutal climbing to finish the stage and a 26km cat 1rearly to soften legs. Will be a fun one, maybe some of the GC riders not named Gesink will actually race tomorrow?
"On a personal level, I have never had admiration for him and I never will"
~AC about LA, me about Johan "drama queen" Bruyneel
by Phil H. on Sep 11, 2009 2:06 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I do believe that last climb is referred to as "monstermountain"
"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi
by crashdan on Sep 11, 2009 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So Frinking is contradicting himself within 2 sentences? He's a genious for a reason!
monstermountain? I believe I went on that ride while visiting Disney world a few years ago…
"On a personal level, I have never had admiration for him and I never will"
~AC about LA, me about Johan "drama queen" Bruyneel
by Phil H. on Sep 11, 2009 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Frinky is either a genious
or a mormon. I can’t decide which.
by Jimbo... on Sep 11, 2009 6:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Climb 2 looks nasty
1500+ metres climb? 25 kms is a LONG way … can’t wait thx for preview
Moo
by Willj on Sep 11, 2009 3:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Profiles for tomorrow
Alto del Monachil

Alto de Sierra Nevada

http://www.lavuelta.com/index.html?e=13
"On a personal level, I have never had admiration for him and I never will"
~AC about LA, me about Johan "drama queen" Bruyneel
by Phil H. on Sep 11, 2009 7:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Thanks... I forgot to put those up there...
"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi
by crashdan on Sep 11, 2009 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
All I know is...
I’m looking at the buoy readings, and there better be no lolly-gagging around on this stage. Otherwise… Gav is going to be Very Angry.
by gavia on Sep 11, 2009 7:11 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
heh... just looked at them myself...
It doesn’t get much northwestier than that does it. Kinda low though… 1-2 tonight… increasing by maaaayyybeee a foot overnight…
I’m on the boat tonight… three dives tomorrow at Catalina… woot!
"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi
by crashdan on Sep 11, 2009 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
ETA is tomorrow afternoon or so for us
but not until evening for SoCali. I was actually looking at the out-to-sea bouys up north. That’s how you know what might be coming. It’s looking good so far. And oooh, I heart me some 280 :-P
by gavia on Sep 11, 2009 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i think it's CDIP Harvest Buoy?!
Publishes a 24hr and a 48hr forecast for the southern california bight.
"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi
by crashdan on Sep 11, 2009 8:24 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Harvest, yes!
That’s the thingy that all the forecast models use. It’s sits just off Point Conception. It actually broke for a while last winter and chaos ensued.
There’s some south in the water down there over the weekend, but most of the northwest should not really show down there until Sunday. It’s actually supposed to get steeper as it goes along too. Steep is bad. We should get some pre-swell tomorrow afternoon, if all goes well. Which is perfecto, really, cuz I can’t go anywhere in the morning anyway.
by gavia on Sep 11, 2009 8:40 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I meant tomorrow afternoon up here ;-)
Also, early part of the swell is more west, which means we don’t need much size here for it to be fun. West is good :-)
by gavia on Sep 11, 2009 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i think it's CDIP Harvest Buoy?!
Publishes a 24hr and a 48hr forecast for the southern california bight.
"Jens! is my favorite rider. I love watching him handing out plates of hot, steaming suffer!" - Mahatma Gandhi
by crashdan on Sep 11, 2009 8:39 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs
Miss Gavia and Uncle crashdan is saying things I dont understand

by Jens on Sep 12, 2009 3:26 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I think they have decided to invade Switzerland
And have just set the time, and synchronized their watches.
Staring at the swim team gets you killed by a gang of dancing ninja men who know how to twirl.
by TheFigurehead on Sep 12, 2009 4:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Frinkster, I commend you...
…on your use of the Great Australian Adjective. Well done!
Your use of it seems a little awkward, though. If I may make a suggestion, in this context it would be more appropriate to say: “Whoever I bloody-well want to blame” ;-).
Keep up the good work – I’m sure that you’ll get the hang of it in no time!
by Lou... on Sep 12, 2009 6:35 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

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