More rain and more battle is what is expected today at the premiere of the Gamoniteiro, the unprecedented high end that has raised the most expectation since the route was revealed. In the middle of the Sierra del Aramo, brother of Angliru, the ascent is terrible, the hardest of this Vuelta: 14.6 km to 9.8%. Dani Navarro, Asturian runner of the Burgos-BH who recognized him for ACEIt was clear: “Its difficulty is in its constant unevenness, it is harder than Lagos.” Because this extension of La Cobertoria barely has a short break when the turn is taken to this unprecedented peak and, instead, double-digit percentages are the norm, with peaks in its final section of 17%. “The final kilometer is endless, it never ends,” commented the cyclist who yesterday already tried to catch the break and today he is back on familiar terrain.
Nevertheless, all eyes will be on Movistar after what happened on the way to Lagos, where it was never in the forefront. Even though they saved the day in the end, with everyone but Roglic, they seem compelled to try something.
And they will have land for it, with classics from the Asturian mountains such as San Lorenzo (9.9 km at 8.6%), La Cobertoria (7.9 km at 8.6%), El Cordal (12.2 km at 3.8%), with their respective descents (be careful because the rain will add a lot of danger). A route that will crown this Gamoniteiro that aspires to become one of the reference ports of world cycling. Everything points to a big day, another one, in this Vuelta that has waited for Asturias to experience a memorable show. “If I have won La Vuelta? Wait for the Gamoniteiro to crown,” says Roglic, who respects the new colossus.