Veulta a Espana 2013 TV Coverage: Where and When to Catch Stage 16 Ascent

As we enter the final week of the Vuelta a Espana, the intensity of the action is bound to enter a boiling point on the Iberian Peninsula.

This is despite the fact that weather conditions have severely dampened in the competition, making for an even more interesting finish than one might have anticipated.

One man who can testify to that is Alejandro Valverde, who would appear to have seen his cycling ability severely impeded by the cold in Stage 14:

With so much drama set to unfold in the final week of the tour, it’s more essential than ever that not a moment of the race is missed.

When: Monday, Sept. 9 at 12 p.m. CEST/11 a.m. BST/6 a.m. ET

Route: Graus to Sallent de Gallego, Aramon Formigal, 147 kilometres

Watch: Eurosport (Coverage begins at 3 p.m. BST), Universal Sports Network

Stream Info: Eurosport Player (U.K., Subscription required), Universal Sports Network (U.S.)

 

As it’s the final phase before riders enjoy their last rest day of the tour, one can expect to see Monday’s competitors going that extra kilometre to ensure they go in at the break with as advantageous a position as possible.

Vincenzo Nibali, odds-on one of the most talented climbers in the sport right now, will continue to heap massive pressure on the rest of the field.

Up until now, the Italian has done well to maintain a high-enough tempo and ensure that his opponents are cycling to his beat.

However, the likes of Christopher Horner and, for the most part, Nicolas Roche, have shown at different times that this year’s Giro d’Italia victor can indeed be hurt.

Stage 16 also just so happens to bring with it the highest finishing peak on the Vuelta, as riders make the final, lung-busting trip up to Aramon Formigal.

Standing 1.8 miles high, the Sallent de Gallego ascent is one of the tallest in the entire competition that will undoubtedly call upon the best and brightest climbers to have formed a leading pack way before their initial approach.

After this trip goes skyward, there’s only one remaining gargantuan climb left on the Tour of Spain, which falls at the end of Saturday’s Stage 20 test.

With that in mind, all of those looking to make a run at the title will want to ensure that they do so on Monday, lest they find themselves in a position they can’t recover from as we head into the latter leg of this summer’s event.