Riders will be flirting with the northern coastline of Spain on today’s Stage 12 as the hunt for red at the 2016 Vuelta a Espana continues. Join The Roar from 11pm (AEST) for all the live race highlights and updates.
Chris Froome took out his second career Vuelta stage win on yesterday’s Stage 10 to move up into second, closing in on red jersey leader Nairo Quintana.
The Colombian Quintana holds a 54 second lead over the Brit, with home country hero Alejandro Valverde a further 11 seconds back to round out the podium.
After more than a few uphill finishes on the tour so far, the riders will be working with a 28.5km circuit around Bilbao, including a category two climb that the peloton will have to tackle twice.
Earlier in the day though, the field will be hit with a very sharp rise and subsequent descent just a few kilometres into the day, before riding the flats up to the first category climb of the day, which also happens to be the biggest.
The Puerto de Las Alisas rises over 600m in a 10km stretch, averaging around 6% gradient, but sits as high as 8.5 per cent in some sections of the climb.
A similar angle on the other side sees the riders descend for 10km after the peak and flattening out for about 20 before the second of the day’s major climbs.
The category three Alto La Escrita is shorter and not as steep, coming in at 6.4km in length with an average 4.5 per cent rise. The riders will fall over the peak and into the feeding zone as they prepare for the second half of the day.
The finishing circuit begins with 57km to go, just a couple of kilometres after entering Bilbao. The category two climb on the circuit is a tough one, averaging at 8.5 per cent for a touch over four kilometres.
It’s much easier into the intermediate sprint (that turns into finish line on the second lap) on the other side, though, coming off the back of a 10km descent and short flat section.
That last run into the line will carry a lot of pace for the riders and will be used as a massive launching pad into a final sprint, or just the kind of opportunity the breakaway needs to get themselves home in front of the chase.
It’s been five years since this lapped finish at Bilbao was used in the Vuelta and it should provide a good challenge for the riders, as well as the opportunity to shake up the standings with an exciting finish.
Omar Fraile has been thrown around a lot as a stage favourite, as has the usual suspects in Brambilla and Sanchez.
Froome is expected to hang back around the pack after a big last couple of days, but watch that space if Quintana shows any signs of weakness over the final two climbs, giving the three-time Tour de France winner a shot at the leader’s red jersey.
Valverde would be favoured in a bunch sprint if Movistar can reign in any kind of breakaway, but if he falls behind on the long opening climb, or tires at the back end of the day, then he could lose a lot of time in the GC standings.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Top 10 in the GC standings after Stage 12:
Connor Bennett
Editor
No changes at the top of the GC standings after all that. Quintana spent the most part of the day a few wheels back at the pointy end of the peleton and Froome was in no mood to attack after the last couple of days that saw him take a stage win and second place overall. SKY did well to get two men out in the breakaway and force Quintana's team Movistar to push the pace and work rate and tire themselves out for the coming days.
Connor Bennett
Editor
A big win for Orica-Bike Exchange in what has been a fairly inconsistent 2016 for them.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Connor Bennett
Editor
In the last kilometre!! Last few turns and they're onto the straight. Sanchez is hanging around the front, trying to find his time to move. Movistar have numbers up front but they're watching everyone else. Castroviejo looks to be leading out but no one is making that move... Hang on. JENS KEUKLIERE fires off down the right-hand side for Orica and the reaction from the pack is very late... He'll take it. Jens Keukliere wins Stage 12!! What an odd finish. Everyone was up there, teams had their riders set up for the lead out and jump, but no one moved. There was a lot of looking around to see when someone else was going to move, and by the time Keukliere made his move, it was too late and the reactions were slow. Bouet came in second there a few lengths back.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Devenyns has been caught!! The win eludes him again as he falls into a three man group just five seconds ahead of the main pack. Hang on... he's pushed off again into the lead. But he's caught again. He doesn't want to give this up at all.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Inside 3km now. Some pushing and shoving back in the peleton.The gap is only 10 seconds and closing.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Still out at 29 seconds!! He is fighting so hard for this. He was denied back in Stage 9, but can he get the win today? The chasing group have just slipped back into the peleton. George Bennett from New Zealand is still plugging away in front of the main pack but behind Devenyns, but he won't last much longer at this rate.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Devenyns on the descent now, picking up a lot of pace with 8km to go and a 22 second lead. This is going to be a very tight finish.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Seven men now in a chasing group, trying to run down Devenyns. Bakelandts is among them, as it Mathias Frank. They're 27 seconds behind the leader from IAM
Connor Bennett
Editor
Australian George Bennett has dropped Zeits on the chase. Plenty of action back at the top of the peleton though!! Contador is moving aggressively out in front. Devenyns has 41 seconds now out front.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Zeits and Bennett are off now!! They're giving pursuit of the leading Devenyns and it is a real grind at the moment for all the riders. This climb averages out at 8.5%.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Devenyns has pushed out to a 30 second lead already with 16km to go.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Dries Devenyns has made a move off the front!! No one is following him and the man from IAM Cycling is already creating a good gap here. Quintana is hanging around five wheels back in the red jersey. He'll be fine with all this so far, no damage being done to his standing.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Everyone all bunched together now on the tight roads of the ascent. There's a bit of everyone towards the front. Movistar are struggling while Astana continue to hold charge up front. IAM are getting numbers forward, as are Ettix and a dash of Tinkoff. Everyone's in the mix!!
Connor Bennett
Editor
And there we go... Breakaway is done!!! Not giving in until the very end, the five men left in the breakaway are now just leading the peleton, but they're trying to push ahead once more. Looks like we'll have that bunch sprint for the finish. Or will we get a jump over the final climb of the day?
Connor Bennett
Editor
Dropping, dropping, dropping. The lead under 20 seconds once again and Astana are cruising at the front of the peleton. They're setting up beautifully for this finish.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Brambilla and co out front are still holding on here. They've managed to tuck that lead out to 35 seconds after being on the brink of extinction just a pair of kilometres ago. Movistar have been working all day to reign these guys in and they're beginning to just drop back in the peleton. The two SKY riders in the breakaway have done their job, tiring out the opposition for their man Froome to swoop in.
Connor Bennett
Editor
The five leaders pass the finish line for the first time, but the chasing peleton are right on their back wheel now, on the same straight of road just 22 seconds behind.
Connor Bennett
Editor
Astana running six wheels deep at the front of the peleton. Single file running the pack at the moment with Movistar holding a few riders just behind.