2023 Vuelta a España Stage 17 Live Coverage
Welcome to our live coverage of Stage 17 of the 2023 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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At 124.4 kilometres, the 17th stage of La Vuelta is bound to bring spectacle. After two intermediate climbs, the route finishes atop the iconic Alto de El Angliru. The 12.4 kilometres ascent slopes at 9.8%.
The Alto de El Angliru is the stuff of legends. La Vuelta last visited the climb in 2020. Hugh Carthy rode away from the other GC riders in the last and steepest part of the climb to claim the finest triumph in his career. The Briton thus succeeded Alberto Contador, who won the last mountain stage of his career in 2017 on the brutal climb.
Other stage winners on the Angliru are Kenny Elissonde (2013), Wout Poels (2011, after Juan José Cobo’s doping ban), Alberto Contador (again, 2008), Roberto Heras (2002), Gilberto Simoni (200), and José María Jiménez (1999).
The Angliru is 12.4 kilometres long, but it’s fair to say there are really three Angliru’s. The first 5 kilometres go up at 8% and following a relatively flat kilometre the horror kicks in. The second half of the climb is cursed/blessed with an average gradient of 15%. Riders face the steepest sector of 23.5% – aptly named Cueña les Cabres (goat path) – with 3 kilometres remaining.
The run-up is far from intriguing in the first part before two 1st category climbs pep up the action in the 50 kilometres ahead of the finish climb. The Alto de Colladiela is a 7.8 kilometres long test with an average gradient of 7.1%, while the Alto de Cordal is a perfect ascent to prepare for the Angliru. It’s 5.4 kilometer at 9.2%, with half of it ramping up at double digits.
The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprint comes with 3, 2 and 1 seconds.
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