2022 Vuelta a España Stage 14 Live Coverage
Welcome to our live coverage of Stage 14 of the 2022 Vuelta a España! Our live profile and commentary are below, followed by a preview of the technical aspects of the route.
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Stage 14 at La Vuelta takes the riders from Montoro to the Sierra de la Pandera. The first half of the 160.3-kilometres-long race is predominantly flat, while the second half is mountainous and reaches its zenith on a 22.5 kilometres climb to the line.
Montoro lies just outside Cordoba. On 14 August 2021, the mercury tipped 47.4 degrees Celsius. With this, the Guadalquivir valley lived up to its nickname ‘pan of Spain’ as it was a historic record for the hottest temperature in the country.
Let’s hope the riders will be spared a new heat record. After leaving they follow the Guadalquivir valley for quite while. After Mengibar – also famed for its temperatures, with a record standing at 47.1 degrees Celsius – the route turns south.
Shortly before Jaén the riders change direction and head for Mancha Real, gradually gaining height in doing so. The first peak, Puerto de Siete Pililla, is reached after a 9.9 kilometres climb at 3.5% before a descent leads onto a more lumpy section. First a 1.6 kilometres climb at 6.9% and then 4 kilometres at 4.7%.
One could argue that the finish climb begins at kilometres 137.8, so with 22.5 kilometres remaining. The first part climbs 10.4 kilometres at 5.5% and after a section on the flat, the last 8.4 kilometres rise at 7.8% to the line. The final kilometre begins with a descent before the road kicks up again.
It’s the sixth Vuelta finish at the Sierra de la Pandera. Roberto Heras took the spoils in 2002 before he was succeeded by Alejandro Valverde (2003), Andrey Kashechkin (2006), Damiano Cunego (2009), and Rafal Majka (2017).
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