Preview: What you need to know about stage 14 of the Vuelta a España
Preview: What you need to know about stage 14 of the Vuelta a España
Date: Saturday August 28
Start: Don Benito
Finish: Pico Villuercas
Distance: 165.7 km
As with a bunch of other stages, the first half of stage 14 is easy enough, and then it ramps up in the back half.
There’s a Cat 3 climb (7.7 km at 5.2%), a very steep Cat 1 (2.8 km at 14%, including two ramps of 20%), some lumps and bumps, and then a proper uphill finish to Pico Villuercas (14.5 km at 6.2%). Fun fact: the last climb is the road they came down after climbing the very steep Cat 1.
Who’s it for: Maybe the GC riders? 2021 has seen so many breakaways stay clear in Grand Tours that it’s hard to say for sure.
Dane Cash’s picks: If this comes down to the pack, it’s hard to look past Primož Roglič, but Movistar might try to leverage the one-two punch of Enric Mas and Miguel Ángel López here. They have to try some time … Should a break go the distance, Michael Storer has proven himself worthy of contender status. Storer’s DSM teammate Romain Bardet and most of the riders on the Bahrain Victorious roster – particularly Damiano Caruso – are also on the long list of riders to watch.
