Vuelta considers making the Angliru even tougher with new gravel proposal
The Vuelta a España is considering a proposal to add gravel sections to the Alto de l'Angliru, one of the toughest climbs in professional cycling. Race director Javier Guillén has agreed to investigate two alternative routes that would lead into the mountain's notoriously steep final kilometres.
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The Angliru has been a regular feature of the Vuelta since its first appearance in 1999, with gradients exceeding 23% making it one of the most demanding summit finishes in professional cycling. Now, there is a proposal to make the approach even more difficult.
According to Spanish newspaper AS, José Antonio Muñiz, the former mayor of Riosa and current president of the Friends of the Angliru Association, raised the idea with Vuelta director Javier Guillén during an awards ceremony in Asturias on Saturday.
Muñiz pointed out two existing gravel roads, approximately three kilometres long, which connect with the Angliru near Llagos. That would leave riders with fewer than five kilometres to the summit, including the climb's steepest and most famous sections.
Those final kilometres feature Los Picones and Cobayos, where gradients reach 21.5%, followed by the notorious Cueña les Cabres, which ramps up to 23.5%.
Guillén acknowledged that the Angliru is already "at the limit of extreme difficulty", but was willing to consider the proposal.
"We listen to all ideas," he told AS.
The Vuelta director has agreed to send his technical team to inspect the roads and assess whether they could be used in a future edition. He stressed that any change would need to make the racing more interesting without adding unnecessary difficulty.
There is no indication yet that the proposal will be adopted or when the alternative approach might be used.
Vuelta's gravel success changes Guillén's thinking
Gravel has never been a major part of the Vuelta's identity, something Guillén himself acknowledged earlier this year.
The Spanish Grand Tour introduced an unpaved section on the climb to El Bartolo in 2026, where Enric Mas caught Tadej Pogačar near the summit in one of the race's most memorable moments.
Speaking to AS in September, Guillén admitted that he had initially been reluctant to include gravel in the race.
"I was never a fan of it, because I felt the philosophy and personality of the Vuelta went in a different direction," he said.
"But I have to thank Kiko García for his persistence because it was a huge success."
Guillén said at the time that gravel would not become a permanent feature of the race, but the experiment had clearly made him more receptive to similar ideas.
Vuelta last of the three Grand Tours to unveil 2027 route
The route for the 2027 Vuelta is due to be presented in December, following the Tour de France presentation and the Giro d'Italia route reveal scheduled for Tuesday.
The race will begin in Santiago de Compostela on 4 September, with the opening four stages taking place in Galicia, before finishing in Madrid on 26 September. The later dates are due to the World Championships being held in August.
According to regional broadcaster RTPA, Asturias could host two summit finishes, potentially during the final week. The Angliru is among the climbs being discussed, alongside Lagos de Covadonga and Gamoniteiru, although none has been confirmed.
The Angliru last featured in the men's Vuelta in 2025, when João Almeida beat Jonas Vingegaard to the stage victory after the pair reached the summit together.
