The Angliru was first included in the Vuelta a España in 1999, and it was in 2002 when David Millar refused to finish the stage and got disqualified. He threw his racing number on the floor just meters before the finish line screaming “We’re not animals and this is inhuman”. During the stage there was quite some rain and team cars got stalled on the steepest part of the Alto de l’Angliru. Not all the cars managed to restart because their tires slipped on messages painted by fans. Riders get caught behind these cars and others had to ride with flat tires because mechanics could not reach them. David Millar crashed that day three times, so it makes sense that this stage broke his limits.
Climbs
spectacular climb
- Switzerland
- 2.091m
- 12.7km
The Gotthard Pass (2.091m) is maybe one of the most spectacular climbs in cycling. A main road continues over the pass, but don’t make the mistake of following the road traffic because you will miss one of the most astonishing sections of road in Europe. At the foot of the...
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Monstrous challenge of 40.7km
- Spain
- 3.395m
- 40.7km
Pico de Veleta (3.395m) is the highest paved road in Europe. This is a road in the Spanish Sierra Neveda that finishes at the summit, basically a climb to nowhere, a one-way journey of suffering. You will gain 2.600 meters of elevation, which is more than twice the ascent of...
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