Only on the third day … and the mountain comes. A first sieve that will make it clear who will not be there to fight for the general classification, because whoever gives in today in Andorra will be a sign that his ambitions will be different. At least it will be more difficult to fight for the red jersey. After two strange days in which the rain was the protagonist, the men’s race will take place for the first time in the general classification … although in principle they will still be accompanied by the water. The high probability of rain, accompanied by low temperatures (maximum 11 °C), will in some cases make the last ascent in Arinsal even more difficult. The summit is one of six unprecedented high altitude goals this year.
A not too long climb (6.8 kilometers on average at 8.3%), but explosive. Its 13% sections, accompanied by horseshoe curves, can make a dent in more than one case, and even more so if some are still “activating” their bodies in the first days of the race. In the final part of the stage, all the hardship is concentrated as you will climb the Coll d’Ordino, another famous mountain of Andorra, then descend and climb back up to Arinsal with barely a margin. The ski area awaits you at the top.
At the top, at an altitude of 1,914 meters, you can see the top of several of Andorran’s numerous ports, as well as the towns of Arinsal, Andorra la Vella and the Spanish and French parts. “To be sure so quickly that someone is suffering. It is likely that someone is out of place. The most logical thing is that in the end everything is decidedsince the slope that Ordino will climb is not that difficult, but it is possible that there will only be about 70 runners at the top,” analyzed Joaquím Purito Rodríguez, a resident of the Principality and who carried out the scouting, months ago in AS in port with this medium.
“Almost everyone knows Arinsal… and the most explosive will triumph,” Purito added. and the fact is that up to a hundred runners currently live in Andorra. Therefore, while it is unprecedented in La Vuelta, because it will not be new. There were two different front runners on the two stages of this tour, both Italians and U23s: Milesi from DSM (21 years old) and Piccolo from Education First (22). The normal thing is that this Monday there will be a third, a new change in which the general’s men are already fully involved.
The last time The Vuelta came to Andorra in 2019, with a stage win for Pogacar, the first of his life in a great Tour, and the famous ‘fight’ between Nairo Quintana (who took the lead) and Marc Soler. whom the team have asked him to step down to help the Colombian. Both were then with Movistar, a team hoping to continue the good taste that started the race.
