VUELTA A ESPAÑA 1997
In 1977 the Vuelta a España had got three stage finals in Asturias. These three stages caused that Zulle kept his leadership and Escartín took the second place of Dufaux.The stages were the next ones:
STAGE 13
The Vuelta enters Asturias through the Puerto de Ventana after the beginning in Ponferrada and going through the Leon regions of Laciana and Babia. In Asturias are raised, the first time in the same stage, two climbs raised in past editings The Cobertoria
(by west slope, softer than the east one) and The Pajares, with final in Brañilin sky resort (see
stage history). Personally I think that is a good idea to raised the two ascents the same day, because both climbs are tough enough and there are just ten kilometers between them. Nevertheless the stage would have been harder if the Alto de San Lorenzo had been includeded in the route, this had caused that the stage could be compared with Tour and Giro hardest stages.
Again, the reason given by Vuelta organizators, saying that in Spain there are not as hard mountains as in Italy and France, is not exact. At least in Asturias could be made harder (see the profile of The Angliru, that is totally paved). Anyway this stage is an important step for the spanish cycling.
STAGE 14
After a route through the centre of Asturias, the stage finishes in a clasic route in its last forty (see stage history) in which climbs of San Emiliano, The Padrún and The Manzaneda are raised
(go to route 1 for more information), finishing in The Naranco. It is a middle mountain stage.
STAGE 15
The stage has its beginning, again in Oviedo to go, after passing through Avilés and Gijón, long the coast road to the East. In the last forty kilometers are the ascents to The Mirador del Fito and The Lagos de
Covadonga. This stage final is clasical, as it could be seen in the stage history.
I have obtained these profiles at
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