“The final podium of the Vuelta a España and the absolute winner must come from La Cruz de Linares because after three consecutive days at the top (Bejes, Angliru and this pass) the forces will be very fair.” This is how resounding Pedro Delgado, winner of the 1988 Tour de France and the 1985 and 1989 Vueltas a España, appears after ascending by bike for the TVE program “Perico Puertos” the unprecedented Asturian final, which will be held in the national round next September 14. A stage between Pola de Allande and La Cruz de Linares, 178 kilometers, passing through the ports of Las Estacas, San Lorenzo, Tenebreo and La Cruz de Linares twice.
Perico, who repeated on his bike the 50 and 34 teeth on the chainring and 34 teeth on the sprocket that he used in El Angliru, enjoyed alone climbing the 8.2 kilometers of ascent twice, with an average of 8.7 % gradient and a maximum ramp of 17% in the initial four kilometers. The good weather accompanied the Segovian on the ascent and the former cyclist enjoyed passing through the center of the town of Castañeo del Monte, with its narrow cement path with granaries on the sides. On three occasions, television footage was repeated by cameramen Evaristo Canete and Delgado Junior in front of the great spectacle they were recording.
Already at the top, Carlos and Coral, and Patricia and Miguel, residents of Castañeo and Linares respectively, witnessed the Tour winner’s climb, encouraged him and took photos at the end of the ascent.
Delgado also cycled down from the summit to Proaza because “the descent is very dangerous and if it rained on the stage there could be many changes in the general classification,” adding that it is “a stage that I like because of its long distance, 178 kilometers, and in the middle having a hard pass like San Lorenzo. This finish in La Cruz de Linares is harder than what I was told and should decide the Vuelta. The subsequent stage through the Guadarrama mountain range with good road is not as hard and transcendental as “These landscapes enchant me with their strength and greenness.”
Pedro Delgado and his team left Asturias yesterday with the purpose of continuing filming the high finishes of Tourmalet, Belagua and Javalambre to complete the “Perico Puertos” of the Vuelta a España 2023.
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