MADRID, Sep. 5 (.) –
The Vuelta Ciclista a España starts its third and last week in which the leader Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) will try to confirm his leadership in the unprecedented ports of Monasterio de Tentudía and Alto del Piorna, which will be added to those of Talavera de la Reina and Navacerrada before the triumphant arrival in Madrid.
Until now, the leader of the general classification will have a more difficult time defending ‘La Roja’, which he has been doing since he won it in the sixth stage. However, the last stages in La Pandera and Sierra Nevada made the 22-year-old suffer, so Extremadura and the Madrid mountains could open up possibilities for his pursuers. The Spanish Enric Mas (Movistar Team) and the three-time champion of the round Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) will continue to stalk the Belgian, who starts with a lead of more than a minute and a half.
After Monday’s rest day in Jerez de la Frontera, a flat stage arrives this Tuesday with 189.4 kilometers between Sanlúcar de Barrameda and Tomares, which will offer the last great opportunity for the sprinters before the final day in the capital of Spain .
The Extremaduran region returned last edition after many years of absence, and did so with a level port such as Pico Villuercas, and now it will do so with two other unprecedented and consecutive ones in stages 17 and 18.
First will be the finish at the Tentudía Monastery, the highest point in the province of Badajoz, a leg-breaking stage with constant ups and downs that will be a golden opportunity for the formation of a possible breakout. There will be more demand the next day with the arrival at Alto del Piornal, which will climb three different slopes where the favorite teams will present their strategies to shake up the general.
For the final two days before the ‘walk’ through the streets of Madrid, seven more ports. Two of them will be in the passage through Castilla-La Mancha with the journey of 132.7 kilometers that will begin and end in Talavera de la Reina. Two laps that will complete the distance with the only ascent of the day, 14 kilometers and an average slope close to 4.5 percent.
And the other five for the last ‘battle’ for the general. The Spanish round will live the last moments of tension in the classic circuit of the Sierra de Guadarrama, where the chain of ports of Navacerrada, La Morcuera and Cotos, together with the Port of Navafría and Canencia will decide all the fronts.
On September 11, the final stage of the 77th edition will be experienced in a journey of 96.7 kilometers from Las Rozas to the Landscape of Light in Madrid. A day of celebration on the return of the capital as the venue for the farewell to the race, with a foreseeable arrival at the sprint and glory for the winner of La Vuelta 2022.
