One of the steepest climbs ever seen in professional bike racing will headline Stage 3 of the Vuelta a Espana, with a shake-up of the general classification anticipated on the 176.4 kilometre journey from Marin to Dumbria, Mirador de Ezaro. Join The Roar for live coverage from 10:45pm (AEST).
The final climb to the finish of today’s stage might only be rated Category 3, but that is almost an insult.
At its worst, the gradient reaches a ridiculous 30 per cent, and is quite possibly the steepest section of road seen in the history of any grand tour.
Interestingly, the road to the Mirador de Ezaro summit has been used before, with the last of those coming in 2012 when Joaquin Rodriguez took the stage, with Alberto Contador the only other rider able to stay remotely close.
While Contador is back again, Rodriguez is nowhere to be seen so we will have a new winner. Who that will be is going to depend on individual form, because the most a team will be able to do is drop their leader off in the right position today.
Despite only being 1.8 kilometres in total length, the average gradient is almost 14 per cent and in short it is absolutely brutal.
Not only the final climb, but the final 60 kilometres of the stage features plenty of climbing. After a mostly flat first 120 kilometres, the action will heat up, and form will be truly tested for the first time at the final grand tour of the year.
The two climbs that come before it are both Category 2 and will test the riders, with steep sections and enough length, at 8.3 and 9.3 kilometres respectively to cause some problems.
Prediction
Tough so say – it really comes down to where teams are able to drop their riders off. Ordinarily, you would rate Alejandro Valverde as favourite, but his form has to be questioned given how much riding he has done this year and he has probably got Nairo Quintana to worry about.
Alberto Contador has proven himself on this particular climb before, so he is my pick but watch out for Orica GreenEdge youngster Esteban Chavez, and the ever-dangerous Chris Froome, known for making statements the first time the road goes uphill, although this isn’t a massive mountain stage.
Given the steepness of that last climb though, any rider slightly off form will lose big time.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of Stage 3 at the Vuelta from 10:45pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
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Scott Pryde
Expert
That'll do me for the evening. Thanks for tuning in folks. Be sure to jump back online for Stage 4 tomorrow.
Scott Pryde
Expert
General Classification 1. Ruben Fernandez (Movistar) @ 9:16:07 2. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) + 0:07 3. Chris Froome (Sky) + 0:11 4. Esteban Chavez (Orica) + 0:17 5. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) + 0:17 6. Samuel Sancehez (BMC) + 0:46 7. Peter Kennaugh (Sky) + 0:47 8. Leopold Konig (Sky) + 0:51 9. Daniel Moreno (Movistar) + 0:58 10. Gianluca Brambilla (Etixx) + 1:01
Scott Pryde
Expert
TOP 10 1. Alexandre Geniez (FDJ) @ 4:28:36 2. Ruben Fernandez (Movistar) + 0:21 3. Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) + 0:26 4. Chris Froome (Sky) + 0:26 5. Esteban Chavez (Oirca) + 0:26 6. Nairo Quintana (Movistar) + 0:32 7. Samuel Sanchez (BMC) + 0:54 9. Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) + 0:54 10. Gianluca Brambilla (Etixx) + 0:54
Scott Pryde
Expert
Contador has lost over half a minute to his rivals.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Serry actually dropped right away sorry. Fernandez and Valverde came through second and third with Chavez right amongst it.
Scott Pryde
Expert
There it is then! Geniez takes Stages 3 of the Giro Serry second, then Fernandez. Great ride from Froome there to get back up near the top.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Ruben Fernandez has attacked back in the pack, trying to draw an isolated attack from Chavez but he is having none of it.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Serry now being picked up. Geniez has only 45 seconds and will nee to keep pushing.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Looks like it is 4 Movistar riders and Chavez in this chase group.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Think Chavez is in the Quintana group. Froome must be already over 20 seconds behind.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Movistar have busted this thing open! 4 of their riders and the others have cracked. Looks like Contador is there, and Froome is losing big time by the looks of it.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Not much happening back down the road as they go up the lower slopes.Geniez riding strongly to the line.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Geniez has cracks Serry! He is on his way and 1km to go.. About 3 or 4 minutes and we should have a ew race leader.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Peloton onto the climb. Geniez and Serry have gone on alone.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Breakaway onto the climb with 1:10 to go and Kruijswick's team starting to light things up.
Scott Pryde
Expert
2.4 km to go and 500 metres from the start of the final climb. The pack have brought it back down inside 2:30, which was the time at which I was going to given them a chance
Scott Pryde
Expert
1km until the bottom of this brute of a climb - gas still holding at 2:40 and you would have to say one of this three man group will win bold.
Scott Pryde
Expert
The gap between the two groups on the road is still around 3 minutes with 4km to go - so about 2km until the start of it
Scott Pryde
Expert
And there has been a crash at the back of the peloton. Looked like one of the Katusha riders was down, but the Astana rider who is down is not getting up quickly. Miguel Lopez it is.
Scott Pryde
Expert
This scenery is incredible as the helicopter heads out over the ocean. Back on the road and it is Sky once again doing all the work.