ANGLIRU
For those of you not familiar with this mountain
let me just put matters firmly into prospective.
1999 was the first of 3 occasions using this climb
in The Vuelta which is Spain's national cycling tour.
Spaniard Jose Maria Jimenez was the stage winner,
however early that year in training failed to get up it
as it was too steep to cycle up using normal gears.
In 2002 David Millar stopped just feet from the
finishing line and angrily ripped his number off,
threw his bike on the ground and refused to cross
the line in protest of such brutality of a stage.
Fernando Escartin said that other mountains used
in cycling races are "child's play in comparison".
Beware the words of the great Pedro Delgardo
This is the worst climb I have done in my life
If you are not fit it is not worth coming !!!
The graph below is a little misleading in the way it
curves seemingly gently upwards towards the top.
First 6 kilometres at the start are relatively easy
the next 6 really have to be seen to be believed.
Painted on the road in yellow - You Are Entering Hell
Nearest city to The Angliru is Oviedo in Northern Spain.
Angliru mountain is near La Vega Riosa
Closest international airport is Asturias
Flights from Stansted England by Easyjet
Stage winners on L'Angliru in the Spanish Vuelta
1999 Jose Maria Jimenez - Spain
2000 Gilberto Simoni - Italy
2002 Roberto Heras - Spain
After 2002 it seems that they considered the climb
too tough and/or dangerous even for the greatest !