ANALYSIS | What make the Angliru the most feared climb in cycling?

The Vuelta a España has always thrived on cruel climbs, but none carries the weight and menace of the Alto de l’Angliru. Rising from the misty roads of Asturias, this mountain has carved its place as the most feared ascent in modern cycling. First introduced to the race in 1999, the Angliru was designed to give Spain a climb that could rival the legends of Alpe d’Huez, Mont Ventoux, and the Mortirolo. Paved in the late 1990s specifically to be included in the race, the once-gravel track quickly became infamous for its brutally challenging slopes.

Today, on Stage 13 of the 2025 Vuelta, the peloton once again faces this brutal test. The route from Cabezón de la Sal stretches over 203 kilometres, much of it deceptively flat before the race tips upward into a sequence of climbs that culminates with the Angliru. For those fighting for the general classification, it is a day that could shape the final outcome of the race. In fact, the podium could be decided today with other a week of racing still left.

What makes the Angliru so terrifying is not simply its length, though its 12.4 kilometers of climbing are punishing enough. It is the combination of relentless gradients and sudden ramps that tear the rhythm from a rider’s legs. The average gradient hovers at 10%, but that figure conceals the monstrous reality. The opening five kilometres sit at around eight percent, a challenging but manageable pace. Beyond that point, the road tilts into double-digit territory and barely lets go until the finish, with a gradient of 24% at its steepest. Only the final kilometer offers a brief reprieve.

The most infamous stretch is known as Cueña les Cabres, where the gradient pitches to a staggering 23 percent on average. Riders often appear to crawl, zigzagging across the road just to keep momentum. This part of the climb is known to turn the greatest climbers into amateurs again.

History on the Angliru has produced unforgettable drama. José María “Chava” Jiménez claimed the first victory there in 1999, overtaking Pavel Tonkov in the final meters on a day of rain and fog. Roberto Heras set an astonishing record in 2000 with a time of 41:55, still unmatched decades later. Alberto Contador, Spain’s modern icon, added his name to the mountain’s lore in 2008 with a stage win that helped secure the red jersey, and returned in 2017 to claim victory again in what became his farewell performance. Hugh Carthy conquered the climb in 2020, his triumph playing out on eerily empty slopes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 2023 edition reminded fans why the climb is unmatched in its brutality. Primoz Roglic emerged victorious, his ascent time of 42:27 placing him among the fastest ever to scale the Angliru. He and Jonas VIngegaard shared the same time, having dropped teammate and red jersey leader Sepp Kuss earlier in the climb, in an incredibly moment of internal-team drama.

Part of the difficulty lies not only in the climb itself but in the way it is used by race organizers. The Angliru rarely stands alone. It often follows other punishing ascents, such as the Alto del Cordal, which softens legs with steep gradients before sending riders plunging down a treacherous descent. By the time the peloton reaches the foot of the Angliru, fatigue has already taken hold. From that moment, it becomes a battle of survival, where the strongest climbers expose the weaknesses of their rivals and time gaps explode.

Today’s Stage 13 is no different. After more than 160 kilometers of rolling terrain, the riders will face the Cordal before turning onto the road that leads to the Angliru. It is expected to be the defining day of this year’s race, the kind of stage where the red jersey can be won or lost. For the favourites, the challenge is not simply to survive but to attack, knowing that history remembers those who conquer this mythical summit.

The Angliru has always been more than a climb. It is a symbol of the Vuelta’s identity, a statement that Spain’s grand tour will not shy away from brutality in its search for spectacle. Fans line its slopes in thousands, often reduced to narrow corridors through which riders claw their way upward. The atmosphere is part carnival, part battlefield, with every meter demanding total commitment. The mist and fog that we often see on the climb add to the drama, as the riders ascend into the clouds.

As the peloton tackles the mountain once again today, the Angliru will write a new chapter in its fearsome history. Some will crack, others will rise, and one rider will etch their name alongside Jiménez, Heras, Contador, Carthy, and Roglic. What is certain is that the climb will once again prove why it is feared, respected, and revered as cycling’s most punishing ascent.

Who do you believe will come out on top today?