Stage 11 Bilbao - Bilbao (157.4km)
The eleventh stage of the Vuelta a España both starts and finishes in beautiful Bilbao. At 157 kilometers it may not be long, but it promises to be particularly demanding: no fewer than seven categorized climbs await along the way. These are typical Basque climbs — not too long, not too high, but certainly steep.
In the opening phase, the riders face the Alto de Laukiz and the Alto de Sollube, but these are unlikely to make a real difference. The same goes for the Balcón de Bizkaia and the Alto de Morga, also classified as third-category climbs, each between four and five kilometers in length with average gradients of around five to six percent.
The real finale begins with the Alto del Vivero (4.3 kilometers at 8.1%), which has to be climbed twice. It was on this climb that Marc Soler claimed victory in 2022. The difference this time? After the Vivero there is still another ascent: the Alto de Pike (2.1 kilometers at 9.4%), followed by 7.5 kilometers to the finish. The Alto de Pike, of course, is still fresh in our minds from… the Yates masterclass in the 2023 Tour de France.
The organisers of the Vuelta a España have decided the following: "Due to some incidents at the finish line, we have decided to take the time at 3 kilometres before the line. We won't have a stage winner. We will give the points for the mountain classification and the intermediate sprint, but not on the finish line."
Stage 11 Bilbao - Bilbao (157.4km)
The eleventh stage of the Vuelta a España both starts and finishes in beautiful Bilbao. At 157 kilometers it may not be long, but it promises to be particularly demanding: no fewer than seven categorized climbs await along the way. These are typical Basque climbs — not too long, not too high, but certainly steep.
In the opening phase, the riders face the Alto de Laukiz and the Alto de Sollube, but these are unlikely to make a real difference. The same goes for the Balcón de Bizkaia and the Alto de Morga, also classified as third-category climbs, each between four and five kilometers in length with average gradients of around five to six percent.
The real finale begins with the Alto del Vivero (4.3 kilometers at 8.1%), which has to be climbed twice. It was on this climb that Marc Soler claimed victory in 2022. The difference this time? After the Vivero there is still another ascent: the Alto de Pike (2.1 kilometers at 9.4%), followed by 7.5 kilometers to the finish. The Alto de Pike, of course, is still fresh in our minds from… the Yates masterclass in the 2023 Tour de France.