Angliru Climb Difficulty: Vuelta Challenge for GC Riders
Angliru: The Vuelta’s Cruelest Test – Will It Decide the Race?
This article focuses on the infamous Angliru climb in the Vuelta a España, analyzing its difficulty, the gear ratios and power outputs required to conquer it, and its potential to decide the overall winner of the race. Hear’s a breakdown of the key points:
The Angliru’s Difficulty:
Steepness: The Angliru is renowned for its extreme steepness, consistently ramping up throughout the climb.It’s considered more about steepness than overall suffering compared to other climbs.
Length: It’s a long climb, adding to the challenge.
Historical Meaning: This year marks the 10th time the Angliru has featured in the Vuelta a España.
Modern Climbing vs. Past Generations:
Gear Ratios: Modern riders utilize much lower gear ratios than those of the past, allowing them to maintain a higher cadence (RPM) on the steep slopes. Kuss and Poels, the top two on the strava segment, spun at 87 and 86 RPM respectively.
Cadence Comparison: This contrasts with riders like sevilla and José María Jiménez who likely winched their way up with considerably lower RPMs.
Potential for Record Breaking: The article predicts Strava times and climbing ratios will be broken during the upcoming stage.
Power Output Analysis:
Santiago Buitrago’s Data: Buitrago, the first rider on the Strava segment to share data, averaged 351 watts over 42:56, equating to roughly 6w/kg for his weight.
High Power Requirement: This demonstrates the meaningful power needed to perform well on the Angliru.
Stage 13 and the Vuelta’s Outcome:
Crucial Stage: Stage 13, a 200km stage culminating in the Angliru, is considered a pivotal point in the race, along with Stage 14.
historical Precedent: The last winner of the Angliru to ultimately win the Vuelta was Alberto Contador in 2008 (excluding a later disputed win).
* Race Designer’s Warning: Vuelta route designer Fernando Escartín predicts significant classification carnage, suggesting riders having a bad day on La Cueña les Cabres (a climb before the Angliru) could effectively lose their chance at winning the overall race.
in essence, the article paints the Angliru as a brutal and decisive climb that will likely test the limits of the Vuelta contenders and potentially reshape the general classification.It highlights the evolution of climbing techniques and the sheer physical demands of this iconic ascent.