Analysis - History of the Angliru at the Vuelta a España: From 'Chava' Jiménez to Hugh Carthy via Contador and Froome
Cycling
The Alto del Angliru, with its steep and challenging slopes, has been an epic test for cyclists in the Vuelta a España. Each ascent of this iconic mountain has been a spectacle of endurance, strategy and determination, and this year will be no exception. In anticipation of the next edition of the Vuelta a España 2023, where the Angliru will once again test the cyclists, let's review the fastest climbs that have left their mark on the history of this mythical mountain.
El Chava Jimenez and Pavel Tonkov in a Duel of Titans.
The Angliru made its debut in the Vuelta a España in 1999 and it was the legendary José María Jiménez who was the first to win after catching up with Russian Pavel Tonkov and passing him over the finish line. They both clocked a time of 44 minutes and 57 seconds.
The Dominance of Roberto Heras in the Early Years of the 21st Century.
Roberto Heras, an outstanding climber, left his mark on the Angliru on several occasions. In 2000, he excelled with an impressive climb, completing the ascent in just 41 minutes and 56 seconds. Demonstrating his mastery of the mountain, Heras repeated his feat in 2002, recording a time of 43 minutes and 57 seconds.
Contador and Cobo: Names that Shine on the Mountain.
The talents of Alberto Contador and Juan José Cobo have also been echoed on the slopes of the Angliru. In 2008, Contador braved the relentless slopes and took the victory with a time of 43 minutes and 13 seconds, making clear his dominance in the mountains. Three years later, in 2011, Cobo added his name to the list of Angliru champions, completing the climb in 43 minutes and 59 seconds.
Horner, Froome and Alberto Contador's last pistol shot.
In 2013, Chris Horner established himself as one of the fastest cyclists on the Angliru, completing the climb in 43 minutes and 7 seconds. Then, in 2017, the duel was more intense, with Wout Poels and Chris Froome crossing the line in 44 minutes and 39 seconds. Alberto Contador, in his last race as a pro, took the breakaway victory with a slightly worse time of 44 minutes and 48 seconds.
Hugh Carthy, the last to succeed.
The last ascent before this year, in 2020, saw Hugh Carthy climb with impressive speed, topping the mountain in 43 minutes and 36 seconds.
With these impressive records in mind, cycling fans are eager to see who will make their mark on the Alto del Angliru in the upcoming Vuelta a España 2023. With every rider eager to conquer the mountain and achieve glory, an epic competition is on the horizon in this iconic test of endurance and skill on two wheels.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
- the time for a GC rider to retire is when they cannot win stages, or have a significant level drop like from winner/podium into top 5/10 consistently. Roglic is still competitive and Froome raced even though he became pack fodder.abstractengineer10-11-2026
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⛰️ ANGLIRU (12.80 km, 9.64 %, 1234 m) | #LaVuelta23 1999 | 44:57 | J.M.Jimenez,Tonkov 2000 | 41:56 | Heras 2002 | 43:57 | Heras 2008 | 43:13 | Contador 2011 | 43:59 | Cobo 2013 | 43:07 | Horner 2017 | 44:39 | Poels,Froome | 44:48 | Contador (🏆) 2020 | 43:36 | Carthy
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