The hardest 5 ports of the Vuelta a España

Today we want to show you what are possibly the hardest 5 ports that have climbed on the return to Spain.

 

 

A few months ago we showed you an article with the 5 toughest ports in Spain, some of them unpublished in cycling competitions. Today we want to show you what are possibly the hardest 5 ports that have climbed on the return to Spain. Curiously except the Angliru (and the part of Navacerrada of the Ball of the World) the rest are "discoveries" of the 21st century.

1.- Angliru (517 coefficient APM)

The Asturian colossus climbed for the first time in the Vuelta a España 1999. It starts in the town of La Vega (Riosa). It consists of two well-differentiated parts, 7 first kilometers where the average slope does not exceed 9% ... and 6km ends at an average higher than 13%. In total the climb is 12,6km to an average of 10,04. The ascent level is 1265m and is crowned at an altitude of 1570m

Photo Angliru: http://delamesetaalparaiso.blogspot.com.es

2.- Cuitu Negru (393 coef APM)

 

The ascent begins in the Asturian town of La Flecha, the first 17km coincide with the port of Pajares. The first 4 km are a false plain that itches up, with percentages that do not exceed 3%. Subsequently the rise to Pajares, from 13km to an average of 7%, is faced. Once crowned Pajares you have to take a detour to the tourist area of ​​Brañillín, during 3km there are alternating ascents and descents ... but from Brañillín the road climbs considerably with 3km with an average higher than 14%. The port has a total length of 23,5km, a difference of 1431m is saved, which means an average of 6,08%.

 

Photo Cuitu Negru: http://www.39x28altimetrias.com

3.- Ancares by Pan do Zarco (387 coef. APM)

 

The port of Ancares by its slope of Pan do Zarco was raised for the first time in the Vuelta de 2014. It is located in the province of Lugo and begins in the town of Murias. Os Ancares also has several slopes, being not the hardest pass ports in Spain. From the first kilometers the slope rises above the 11% during the first 8km. Then it softens a little during 2km, to finish with the 2 final to almost the 10% on average. In total they are 12km of ascent to an average of 9,25% and the top is located at 1670m of altitude.

Photo Ancares: http://escalandomasquepedaleando.blogspot.com.es

4.- Sierra Nevada by the Purche (380 coef. APM)

 

Sierra Nevada (Granada) has been the usual goal of the Vuelta a España in many stages, but this section was premiered at 2009. The climb begins at 4km before the town of Monachil, with 2km ascent and 2 for fake false plains, but after passing Monachil, the slope is steepened during 2km above 10% to follow at an average of 8% the following 5 until you reach El Purche. After 6 km of continuous up and down you get to the Dornajo where the road becomes steep to the hill of Sabinas to more than 2000m of altitude. In total this port consists of 25km at an average of 5,7%.

SN photo - El Puche: pghrutasbike.blogspot.com

5.- Navacerrada - Ball of the World (330 coef. APM)

 

The port of Navacerrada is a classic of the Sierra de Madrid, both for its slope of Cercedilla and for the "7 revolts" of Segovia. From Collado Villalba are almost 22 km of ascent, divided into three parts, the first 10km is a grateful terrain, with practically flat and gently sloping km, without reaching in any km at 6%.

After Cercedilla. Afterwards, the race climbs remarkably, with 9km at an average of 8% until reaching the summit of Navacerrada port. Finally, the final section runs along a narrow cement road where more than 400m is saved in less than 4km, the first two km have an average of 10%, the third km to an average of 12,3% have ramps of almost 20% and the last meters are to the 11,3 until crowning the top to 2257.

 

NOTE: At the time of making this article, to catalog the hardness of the ports we have based on its APM coefficient (Altimetrías Puerto Montaña) that is obtained from the length and average slope of a port. The list of the toughest 5 of the Tour of Spain has been obtained from the web specialist in cycling https://plataformarecorridosciclistas.org within its section of "hardest port in competition"