Stage 6 of the Vuelta a España brings the first true mountain showdown. Starting in Olot, the peloton heads east before crossing into Andorra for a summit finish at Pal, marking the race’s fourth country in less than a week. The climbing begins immediately with an 11-km ascent, ensuring a breakaway may form on tough gradients. Midway through, the 24-km Collada de Tosses adds more wear to the legs before the decisive final sequence.
For some of the riders in the peloton, they will be riding past their homes—many pros call Andorra home, including IPT’s Mike Woods–although he’s not riding in Spain this year.
Israel–Premier Tech gains time after protest disruption at Vuelta TTT
First comes the Alto de la Comella (4 km at 8 per cent), a short but steep ramp that crests with just over 20 km to go. The real test follows on the climb to Pal, officially 9.6 km at 6.5 per cent but effectively longer due to the approach. With its altitude of nearly 1,900 m and no flat sections, it’s the first serious chance for general classification contenders like Jonas Vingegaard, João Almeida, and Juan Ayuso to trade blows. It’s possible the weather may be a bit crummy–rain is expected later in the day.
On Wednesday, teams squared off in the TTT. UAE took the win, with Visma – Lease a BIke finishing second, just eight seconds behind in the 24-km chrono.
Israel – Premier Tech was delayed in dramatic fashion by protesters, but would later have its time adjusted.
You can watch Stage 6 of the Vuelta a Espana on Flobikes.com. Be sure to check back on Canadian Cycling Magazine for a full report.
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