PREVIEW | Vuelta a Espana 2023 stage 13 - Monster mountains in a day where Sepp Kuss faces red jersey challenge

Preview. Stage 13 is going to be a very difficult day in the mountains, the Vuelta a Espana reaches the Pirynees and with it plenty mountains, including the Col du Tourmalet. Sepp Kuss goes in to defend his red jersey, Remco Evenepoel will be in battle against Jumbo-Visma and UAE Team Emirates.  

The queen stage? Some were queen to call it that. Stage 13 was one that had been highly rumoured and turned out to be exactly as expected as the race heads into the Pyrenees, with a mammoth mountain stage. Not by size, as it extends over only 134 kilometers, but they are constantly up and down. The riders will go up the Col d'Aubisque and Col de Spandelles which individually are both very hard ascents, before the summit finish at the Col du Tourmalet above 2000 meters of altitude.

The stage immediately starts off climbing with the Puerto de Portalet, 4.4Km at 5.4%. A long descent follows, and then the serious climbing will begin. Almost immediately in fact, it is the famous Col d'Aubisque, one of the longest and toughest ascents of the Pyrenees, on this day only the first of three very difficult climbs. It is 16.6 kilometers long and a constant ascent averaging 7% which summits with 86 kilometers to go.

A descent follows which leads the riders at the base of the Col de Spandelles. This was a climb that saw plenty action in the final mountain stage of the 2022 Tour de France. Here it's unlikely to see the same type of move, however the potential is there. At it's summit there are still 52 kilometers to the finish, but with over 10 kilometers at 8% and packed with switchbacks, it can see the race break apart.

After it's descent comes the one real flat section of the day, however it is not too long. The riders gradually begin to climb into Luz-Saint-Sauveur, the base of the Tourmalet. 18.7 kilometers at 7.4%, very constant and with it's summit at 2115 meters. This is a day, and a final climb suited to the pure climbers. No getting out of it, it's a day that can see very big differences and the first of two key days in the Pyrenees.

Slight chance of rain, unlikely however. It is likely a day where the weather won't make much difference, a slight northwestern breeze but it shouldn't really be felt.

GC fight - This isn't the first high mountain stage, but it is the first day with multiple difficult mountains. This will launch a difficult challenge for Remco Evenepoel, not Jumbo-Visma who are in the lead. With an uphill start, and the Col d'Aubisque so early on, the breakaway is certain to form uphill. Jumbo will not look to keep things as they are, they can put Quick-Step under a lot of pressure. I definitely don't discard an attack from Jonas Vingegaard or Sepp Kuss there, if others are able to be in front earlier on. Primoz Roglic is with no doubt saved for the final climb, the Tourmalet is a very tough ascent and they don't have the need to go all-out with no reserves.

But if they want to put Evenepoel under pressure they certainly can. UAE Team Emirates in a similar situation but on a lower level. Marc Soler, João Almeida and Juan Ayuso are all looking towards their chances and none are working for each other. Hence I don't think they will risk a lot early on. A very hard day, but other GC riders will likely try to follow the best and then do what they can at the Col du Tourmalet. Lenny Martínez, Enric Mas, Aleksandr Vlasov mainly, although some other figures may jump into the Top10.

If everything remains united until the final ascent differences will still appear but I wouldn't expect them to be significant, similar to Javalambre. A long and constant effort, Remco Evenepoel will be able to manage well. Roglic is not as sharp on this kind of terrain, whilst Vingegaard and Kuss will find themselves in terrain they like more. It is a very balanced affair I'll say however, definitely not easy to see how it will pan out.

I don't think the breakaway will win on the day, a very hard day and an all-out GC battle is likely. But they do stand chances, there are quality climbers in front and some riders just outside the Top10 will be out of mind for the riders in contention for victory, the uphill start makes it less risky. Santiago Buitrago, Einer Rubio, Wout Poels, Damiano Caruso, Lennard Kämna, Sergio Higuita, Romain Bardet and Lennert van Eetvelt will be riders to eye, they have all tried already but have to keep playing their cards.

*** Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglic
** Remco Evenepoel, Sepp Kuss, Juan Ayuso
* Enric Mas, Aleksandr Vlasov, João Almeida, Marrc Soler, Einer Rubio, Damiano Caruso, Romain Bardet

Pick: Primoz Roglic