Date: Friday 30 August, 2024
Distance: 176km
Start location: Lugo
Finish location: Puerto de Ancares
Start time: 12:55 CEST
Finish time (approx): 17:17 CEST
Surrounding the city of Lugo are 10 to 15-metre-high Roman walls, with the distinction of being the only completely intact walls of their kind in the world. Built in the third century AD to defend the town against local tribes, they span over two kilometres, eclosing the entirety of the town within them. Though for all their longevity, they haven’t been entirely successful in their original purpose — they were breached and the city sacked by the Suebis, then by various other civilizations as Lugo continued to come under different rulership over the centuries.
In 1486, Lugo was, along with the rest of Galicia, annexed into the kingdom of Castille. Though both have since become autonomous communities within the nation of Spain, Galicia remains a proudly independent region with its own language and cultural identity, with many residents longing for more self-determination from the central government.
The modern border separating the regions of Galicia and Castile y León will be crossed by the riders today. Having so far spent the whole of the second-week racing in Galicia, they will at last leave via the second climb of the day, the category two Alto o Portel, before descending into one of León’s biggest and most important towns, Ponferrada. That’s followed by a change in direction northwards to take on an uncategorised climb followed by the category two Puerto de Lumeras, before the headliner of the day, Puerto de Ancares — which is itself a natural geographical border that has separated the two regions.
In terms of recent Vuelta history, Puerto de Ancares has been the site of memorable battles between the great Vuelta a España riders of the past generation. Coincidentally, the exact same four riders contested for the stage wins both times the climb hosted a stage finish in 2012 and 2014, as well as occupying the top four spots on GC by the end of the stage. That quartet was Alberto Contador, Alejandro Valverde, Joaquim Rodríguez and Chris Froome, who were exactly the kind of explosive climbers the Vuelta so well caters for. Between them, they accounted for six overall victories in the 10 editions between 2008 – 2017, as well as eight podium finishes. They grew used to trading blows with one another, but 2012 and 2014 were the only Vuelta editions in which all four lined…