Vuelta a España 2014 Stage 15 details – it is a 152.2 km mountain stage with summit finish from Oviedo to Lagos de Covadonga (Lakes of Covadonga).

The ever-spectacular arrival at the Lakes of Covadonga returns to the Vuelta a España in the 15th stage. The beginning of the stage will take place along the coastline and will be favorable for break-aways. In order to access the final climb towards the Lakes of Covadonga, the peloton must first face the Torno summit. Winning this stage always has a particularly special meaning and value.

Vuelta a España 2014 Stage 15 quick info

  • DATE September 07, 2014, Sunday
  • STAGE TYPE Mountains (summit finish)
  • START-FINISH Oviedo (170 m) – Lagos de Covadonga (1,110 m)
  • LENGTH OF THE COURSE 152.2 km

Vuelta a España 2014 stage 15 profile

Vuelta a España 2014 stage 15 profile
Vuelta a España 2014 stage 15 profile

Vuelta a España 2014 stage 15 start city: Oviedo

Vuelta a España 2014 stage 15 start city - Oviedo Panorama
Panoramic view of Oviedo, Vuelta a España 2014 stage 15 start city. By Vicenmiranda – Imported from 500px by the Archive Team. (detail page), CC BY 3.0, Link

Vuelta a España 2014 stage 15 start city, Oviedo is the capital city of the Principality of Asturias in northern Spain and the administrative and commercial center of the region. It is also the name of the municipality that contains the city. The city lends its name to the Sudarium of Oviedo, a religious relic revered there since the 9th century.

Oviedo contains a very rich architectural history, with many buildings dating back to the early medieval period. Many of the building projects were untaken during Alfonso II’s (791-842) reign and Ramiro I’s (842-850) reign. Alfonso III’s contributions are not as well documented.

Highlights of Oviedo architecture include its pre-Romanesque monuments, declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and some of the most important Christian relics, such as the Holy Shroud – that, according to tradition, covered the face of Jesus – that are kept in the Cathedral’s Holy Chamber. Also, it is important to remember that Oviedo is an important point of the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James).

Vuelta a España 2014 stage 15 finish: Lagos de Covadonga (Lakes of Covadonga)

Vuelta a España 2014 stage 15 finish - Lago Enol (Enol Lake)
Lago Enol (Enol Lake) seen from La Picota. CC BY-SA 2.5, Link
Lago Ercina
Lago Ercina. By Francisco83pv – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

The Lagos de Covadonga (Lakes of Covadonga) are of two glacial lakes located in the region of Asturias, Spain. These lakes, often also called Lakes of Enol or simply Los Lagos, are Lake Enol and Lake Ercina located in the Picos de Europa range and they are the original center of the Picos de Europa National Park, created in 1918.

The road ascending from Covadonga to the lakes is a popular climb in professional road bicycle racing, having been used by Vuelta a España many times in the last 25 years.

Lagos de Covadonga is the most important climb in the modern history of the Vuelta. The road that leads to the lakes starts at Covadonga and is 12.6 kilometers long at an average gradient of 7.3% (height gain: 1056 m). The most demanding section is La Huesera, 7 kilometers from the top of the climb, with an average gradient of 15% during 800 meters. It was featured for the first time in 1983 with the victory of Marino Lejarreta.

Winners of the Lakes of Covadonga stage

  • 1983 Marino Lejarreta Spain
  • 1984 Raimund Dietzen Germany
  • 1985 Pedro Delgado Spain
  • 1986 Robert Millar United Kingdom
  • 1987 Lucho Herrera Colombia
  • 1989 Álvaro Pino Spain
  • 1991 Lucho Herrera Colombia
  • 1992 Pedro Delgado Spain
  • 1993 Oliverio Rincón Colombia
  • 1994 Laurent Jalabert France
  • 1996 Laurent Jalabert France
  • 1997 Pavel Tonkov Russia
  • 2000 Andrei Zintchenko Russia
  • 2001 Juan Miguel Mercado Spain
  • 2005 Eladio Jiménez Spain
  • 2007 Vladimir Efimkin Russia
  • 2010 Carlos Barredo Spain
  • 2012 Antonio Piedra Spain
  • 2014 Przemysław Niemiec Poland
  • 2016 Nairo Quintana Colombia
  • 2018 Thibaut Pinot France

Sources