Vuelta a Espana Stage 15 is the second straight with a mountain top finish. This race doesn’t get any easier!
The GC battle will rage on Sunday and it will be at the front of the race.
Vuelta a Espana Stage 15 – The Profile
Stage 15 is a remarkably short stage at only 118kms. It starts in Sabiñánigo and finishes on a mountain top in Sallent de Gállego/Aramón Formigal.
The roads essentially climb throughout the entire stage. There are three categorised climbs – a 3, a 2 and a 1.
The first climb starts at 35kms – the Pto. Alto de Petralba is 6.3kms at 5%. Riders will try to escape here and form a break. However, the fact the stage is so short should make it easy for the GC teams to control any breaks.
A speedy descent takes the riders to the category 2 Pto. Alto de Cotefablo. This is longer at 12.5kms at an average of 4.3%. The peloton should be able to control the breaks time gap and start reeling them in on this climb.
Another steep descent leads to the days finale – the Sallent de Gállego/Aramón Formigal. This is a category 1 that is 14.5 kms long at 4.6%. The length is bad but the gradient suggests a power type of climb. Don’t expect much change in the GC.
Successful in Sallent de Gállego
As stage is relatively short the GC teams should be able to control any break that forms. Simply by riding at a high tempo they should be able to neutralise the race until the final climb.
Movistar looked like they were playing a blinder on stage 14 but then it all went pop. Alejandro Valverde tumbled from 3rd to 19th (I predicted he would struggle on the stage). Chris Froome comfortably managed Nario Quintana’s attacks on the final climb and his odds to win have shortened considerably. Froome’s team-mate Leopold Konig moved into 5th place overall. Plus, the two leading Orica riders, Esteban Chaves and Simon Yates moved in to 2nd and 3rd places just over 2 minutes down. Going forward Movistar don’t just have to guard against Froome but also Chaves, Yates and Konig. These are dangerous times for Quintana. Konig is a decent ITT rider and will gain enough time to jump both Orica riders on stage 19. So they too must be wary of the threat from behind on the GC.
Sundays stage should be fascinating for the GC battle and it has a Sky victory written all over it. Chris Froome can be backed as high as 11.0 for stage 15. This puts him joint favourite with Nairo Quintana. I struggle to see past these two winning the day. Froome can concentrate on Quintana whilst Quintana has to watch the Sky and Orica duos. Quintana would love to win on Sunday because at worst that would gain him 4 seconds over Froome via time bonuses. That would push his overall lead to just under a minute = not enough with the ITT looming on Friday. Monday’s stage is set for a bunch sprint so the days in which he can gain time are limited.
I don’t think Simon Yates will be given as much freedom as on stage 14 but he is the only rider other than Froome or Quintana that could win on Sunday. Yates can be backed at odds of 17.0.
This is a short preview but the position of the race, the length of the stage and the terrain mean this is a GC day. I don’t see the GC teams allowing the break to succeed at all.
Vuelta a Espana Stage 15 – Tips
Back Chris Froome to win stage 15 with a 2.0/10.0 stake EW at 10.00 (1/4 odds top 3) with Bet365.
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