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2014 Vuelta a Espana: Stage 16 preview, live blog

Another difficult day awaits the peloton in Stage 17 of la Vuelta a Espana. (AFP PHOTO/ JOSE JORDAN).
Roar Guru
8th September, 2014
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Ahead of the second rest day, the peloton tackles the last of three consecutive arduous mountain stages. Join The Roar from 11:00pm (AEST) for coverage of all the action from the 2014 Tour of Spain.

Beginning in San Martin del Rey Aurelio, the 160.5 kilometre-long stage seeks out every climb it can possibly find en-route to our summit finish at La Farrapona.

Featuring five categorised climbs, with the first category Alto de la Colladona beginning just ten kilometres in, the riders will be stretched to their limits.

Approximately 40 kilometres separate the Alto de la Colladona from the other categorised climbs, with this about the only chance the peloton will have to catch their breath.

Once the riders reach the foot of the Alto del Cordal there will be no time to recover with each categorised climb’s decent leading straight in to the beginning of the next climb’s ascent.

After successfully overcoming the Alto del Cordal (7.6km at 5.5%), Alto de la Cobertoria (10km at 8.8%) and Puerto de San Lorenzo (10.1km at 8.5%) just the La Farrapona stands between the peloton and the finishing line.

With the peloton having to climb for five kilometres before they even reach the official beginning of the first category La Farrapona.

Officially 16.5 kilometres-long at an average gradient of 6.2 per cent, the La Farrapona’s irregular slopes cap out at a maximum gradient of 12.5 per cent.

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In a distinct contrast to the early sections of the climb, the last five kilometres of the La Farrapona are consistent slope up to the summit, with the gradient starting out modestly at five percent and gradually ramping up to 11-12 per cent.

The final kilometre of the stage takes slight pity on the exhausted riders and lessens from around 11.5 per cent down to about eight per cent.

With three of the four general classification favourites evenly matched at the moment in terms of strength, any time gains today could once again be decided by one last all-out explosive attack for the finishing line.

However, with Joaquim Rodriguez and Alejandro Valverde not eager to help Alberto Contador boot Chris Froome out of the equation the three Spaniards might burn themselves out attacking each other to the advantage of the others. Which could once again let Froome’s uninspiring but carefully calculated riding style emerge victorious.

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