Vuelta Stage 19 Preview: Wait For It...

Stage 19: San Vicente Baquero - Oviedo/Alto NAranco, 181km

Out of the Cantabrian frying pan and into the Asturian fire.

Stage Rating:

High mountains.

Jerseys in Play:

Note to the Vuelta: find a way to make these secondary jerseys even remotely interesting.

Grafix:

Mapa de la etapa:

And the profile:

Look at the elevations -- 220 meters, 235 meters... this is mere rolling coastal terrain. Pretty tame until the final 5km:

Buzz:

Here's how I described it in the Viewers' Guide:

Another ride around Asturias with an alleged MTF, but it seems kind of tacked on, out of habit, and anyway the purpose of this stage is to allow riders a moment of sanity. A last one.

But hey, when you are down to three seconds on GC, I guess this could matter.

Vueltabecco Verdict:

Breakaways rule. GC guys drool. Bauke Mollema!