Alto de L'Angliru (; ) is a steep mountain road in
Asturias
Asturias (; ; ) officially the Principality of Asturias, is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in northwest Spain.
It is coextensive with the provinces of Spain, province of Asturias and contains some of the territory t ...
, near La Vega-Riosa, in northern Spain. It is considered one of the most demanding climbs in professional
road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is the cycle sport discipline of road cycling, held primarily on Road surface, paved roads. Road racing is the most popular professional form of bicycle racing, in terms of numbers of competitors, events and spectators. The ...
and is often used in the
Vuelta a España
The Vuelta a España (; ) is an annual stage race, multi-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Spain, while also occasionally making passes through nearby countries. Inspired by the success of the Tour de France and the Giro d'Ital ...
stage race.
Origins
The organizers of the Vuelta a España wanted a mountain to rival the
Alpe d'Huez
L'Alpe d'Huez () is a ski resort in Southeastern France at . It is a mountain pasture in the central French Western Alps, in the Communes of France, commune of Huez, which is part of the Isère Departments of France, department in the Auvergne-R ...
and
Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux (; ) is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the department of Drôme. At , it is the highest mountain in the region and h ...
in the
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage cycle sport, bicycle race held primarily in France. It is the oldest and most prestigious of the three Grand Tour (cycling), Grand Tours, which include the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a ...
and the
Mortirolo Pass in the
Giro d'Italia
The Giro d'Italia (; ), also known simply as the Giro, is an annual stage race, multiple-stage bicycle racing, bicycle race primarily held in Italy, while also starting in, or passing through, other countries. The first race was organized in 19 ...
, which would go on in 2003 to add one of the world's most demanding climbs, the
Zoncolan
Monte Zoncolan () is a mountain in the Carnic Alps, located in the region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy, with an elevation of . It is one of the most demanding climbs in professional road bicycle racing, having been used in the Giro d'Italia ...
, in an attempt to compete with the new Spanish climb. The Angliru was first included in 1999, on stage eight from
León.
José María Jiménez
Jose María Jiménez Sastre (6 February 1971 – 6 December 2003) was a Spanish professional road bicycle racer. During his career he excelled as a climbing specialist, climber, winning numerous mountain stages. His nickname was ''El Chava ...
won after catching
Pavel Tonkov
Pavel Sergeyevich Tonkov (; born 9 February 1969) is a former professional road racing cyclist from Russia. His talents were first showcased when winning the world junior title as part of the Soviet Union team in 1987. This alerted the world to h ...
a kilometer from the finish.
Details
The top of the climb is above sea level. The height difference is . The climb is long, an average of 10.13%. It is near 24% at its steepest. The first are an average of 7.6%— stiff but not over-demanding for world-class cyclists. The sixth kilometre lessens to 2.1% and has a short descent. The last half of the climb is more severe. From six kilometres to the summit, it averages 13.1%. The steepest part, the Cueña les Cabres at 23.6%, is from the summit. There are two later ramps at 18% to 21% (sources vary).
Controversy
During stage 15 in 2002, riders climbed the Angliru in rain. Team cars stalled on the steepest part, some unable to restart because their tires slipped on messages painted by fans.
[Procycling, UK, November 2003] Riders were caught behind them and others had to ride with flat tires because mechanics could not reach them.
David Millar
David Millar (born 4 January 1977) is a Scottish retired professional road racing cyclist. He rode for Cofidis from 1997 to 2004 and Garmin–Sharp from 2008 to 2014. He has won four stages of the Tour de France, five of the Vuelta a España a ...
crashed three times and protested by handing in his race number a metre from the line. The judges ruled he had not finished the stage and he left the race. He regretted his temper – he had been ninth – and apologised to his team.
Opinions
The manager of the
Kelme team, Vicente Belda, said: "What do they want? Blood? They ask us to stay clean and avoid doping and then they make the riders tackle this kind of barbarity."
Patrice Halgand
Patrice Halgand (born 2 March 1974) is a French former professional road racing cyclist. He was one of only three Festina team riders who were named as clean during the Festina doping scandal during the 1998 Tour de France.
Halgand announced his ...
, a French rider, said the
Union Cycliste Internationale
The Union Cycliste Internationale (; UCI; ) is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland.
The UCI issues racing licenses to riders and enforces di ...
had rules about the distance and frequency of races but not about hills. He said:
:
he ruleshaven't foreseen everything. The proof. I find it ridiculous to go looking for a hill on a narrow road, dangerous and winding, because it's not like that, that you change the way a race develops
'Ce n'est pas cela qui va changer les données de la course'' There are other cols than the Angliru to climb in the Vuelta. Differences in the riders would show just as well on a pass that's less steep and on a wider road. It would also be better for spectacle, because on the Angliru the guys go too pitifully for the climb to have any sporting interest. Even the winner goes up in slow motion. There's no attacking. From front to rear, everyone just gets up as best he can.
[Vélo, France, November 2002]
The former climber
Charly Mottet
Charly Mottet (born 16 December 1962 in Valence, Drôme) is a French former professional Bicycle, cyclist (1983 to 1994). He was one of the best French road cyclists of his era.
Career
Mottet won a total of 67 races, including the Tour de Roman ...
approved the climb. He said:
:I saw the climb of the Angliru and I thought it was good for cycling. I watched on television and saw a superb race. I am for these difficulties out of the normal, these extreme gradients. The steepness doesn't shock me because there is always a solution in choosing the right gears. The organiser should give an idea of what's needed in the race bible. I would see it, as a former rider (and organiser of the
Dauphiné Libéré) as my duty.
Stage winners and fastest ascent times
† Juan José Cobo is alternately recorded as having a time of 43:53, Roberto Heras is alternately recorded as having a time of 43:57
^ On 18 July 2019, the UCI confirmed the suspension of Cobo after being found guilty of an anti-doping violation on his biological passport between 2009 and 2011, stripping him of his stage win. Wout Poels, who finished second on the stage, was elevated to stage winner as a result.
See also
*
List of highest paved roads in Europe
This is a list of the highest paved roads in Europe. It includes roads that are at least long and whose culminating point is at least above sea level. This height approximately corresponds to that of the highest settlements in Europe and to th ...
*
List of mountain passes
This is a list of mountain passes.
Africa Egypt
* Halfaya Pass (near Libya)
Lesotho
* Moteng Pass
* Mahlasela pass
* Sani Pass
Morocco
* Tizi n'Tichka
South Africa
* Eastern Cape Passes
* Western Cape Passes
* Northern Cape Passes
* K ...
References
External links
*Climbbybike.co
Information on and profile of the AngliruAltimetry of the climb
{{DEFAULTSORT:Angliru
Climbs in cycle racing in Spain
Geography of Asturias
Sport in Asturias