The seventeenth stage of the Vuelta a España is a key event in the race, one of the several queen stages of this 2023 edition that can begin to write its epilogue this Thursday on the way to Angliruthe colossus of the Asturian mountains and one of the toughest ports in the world.
It will be a short day again, very short, just 124.4 km. That is, just over three hours of racing. The first half is a very slight climb towards the first of the three important climbs that the day has, and the second already with the three ascents to the heights of Colladiella, Cordal and, once at the finish line, L’Angliru.
It is a good stage for know what the ceiling of Enric Mas is and Mikel Landa, fifth and seventh at 3.06 and 4.12. Neither of those positions give them much shine, but both have a team inferior to their rivals. Including Bora Alexandr Vlasov and Cian Uijtdbroeks, eighth and ninth at 5.02 and 5.30 but both in the fight for at least the Top 5.