A very tricky day at the Vuelta a Espana, with a
start in Trujillo which will see the riders travel north through a very
straightforward and simple empty road, and then a second half which will see
all types of ascents.
91 (4.3Km, 5.9%) and 85 (1.5Km, 10.3%)
will be the first serious climbs of the day, with a lot of steep gradients
involved in what can be a very treacherous section of the day, suited to
explosive racing. However the action should come in the ascents to the village
of Piornal.
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Stage 18: Trujillo - Alto del Piornal, 192Km
Don’t be mistaken, the Alto de Piornal
will be ridden twice but both climbs - and the descent - are completely
different. The first climb will feature 13.6 kilometers at 5%, with bonus
seconds at the summit which comes with 41 kilometers to go. A fast descent will
follow, with a small run-in to the final ascent.
Alto del Piornal: 13.6Km; 5% average gradient; 41Km to go
For the second time, in a switchback-packed climb, the Alto de Piornal will be climbed now via Valdastillas, with a total of 13.3 kilometers at 5.6%. It’s not the longest climb of the race, or the steepest, but it is tough and comes at the end of a hard day and race. It’s an explosive climb, however one where team support and depth can also play wonders. The riders will go all the way up to the village where the finish line will be placed.
Alto del Piornal: 13.3Km; 5.6% average gradient
CyclingUpToDate prediction:
**** Miguel Ángel López
*** Remco Evenepoel, Enric Mas
** Jay Vine, Richard Carapaz, Juan Ayuso
* Carlos Rodríguez, João Almeida, Marc Soler
**** Miguel Ángel López
*** Remco Evenepoel, Enric Mas
** Jay Vine, Richard Carapaz, Juan Ayuso
* Carlos Rodríguez, João Almeida, Marc Soler
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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