Collada Fancuaya was the final climb in stage 8 of La Vuelta 2022 (27/Aug/2022). Jay Vine won that stage.
Not later than a week after the La Vuelta route was announced I went to climb it as I didn't know the climb and it is close to my place in Asturias. This was that ride in Strava https://www.strava.com/activities/6403219516/
Two months later, in February this year, I went back. I wanted to know the climb well as I thought it could play an important role at La Vuelta. I improved my time up the climb this second time. Nothing impressive, especially considering this second time I was riding with a couple of strong riders. This is that ride in Strava https://www.strava.com/activities/6740728247
Imagine what was my surprise and disappointment when watching that stage on TV I realized the riders were climbing following a different route. The last 4km were the same I had climbed twice, but the first 6km were following a completely different route. A road I didn't know and, to make things worse, a road that looked amazingly beautiful.
I know my image as a Road Captain is already damaged but in this case I have to say it wasn't my fault. La Vuelta didn't publish an official track so I followed what seemed to be the most popular way to climb it in Strava.
Anyway. Today was the day to correct that mistake (not mine, I insist).
Even if I was correcting a mistake I was able to make a few more. You see that collection of PRs at the beginning of the ride?
Yes. That's the typical rookie mistake of starting a bit too hard. In my defense I could argue I had tail wind and it would be true. But looking at my power for those segments it is still true I started a bit too hard. I’m now blaming the coffee I had after lunch. A proper cyclist should have a good repertoire of excuses. As you can see mine is excellent.
In any case I can confirm climbing from this side is way more beautiful. The road has no cars, goes up a close valley full of leafy chestnut forests. A climb to add to the to-do list for the next time Kingston Wheelers visit Asturias.
What I failed to appreciate watching the pros on TV is that this side was also harder. I honestly was expecting it to be easier. It looked easy for the pros!! It wasn’t easy for me.
Yeah. I have to admit I haven’t had a look at the profile. No wonder I was surprised by a 800m ramp at 15%, soon followed by another 600m at 16% and before I had recovered followed by another one of 300m at 17%. By then the caffeine effect had disappeared and I entered survival mode.
Luckily for me, soon I got to Yernes. A tiny village half way up the climb. From that point I knew the rest of the climb. That was good news… if I had the legs to take advantage of it, which I didn’t.
You can picture me now surprised when I see in Strava I did a PR (2:09 faster) for that section (https://www.strava.com/activities/7834600024/segments/3007011683056547238) numbers are not that great so I’m afraid I’ll have to put it down in the wind assisted PRs.
That was pretty much all. It was getting late. A quick picture at the top of the climb and settled for a steady pace to get me home.
I was tired so my efforts at Fuejo and Escamplero were not what I was imagining when I started the ride (I was fantasizing with a PR at Escamplero) but I still managed to get home a good 30 minutes before it got dark.
Not bad for an improvised ride.
The ride in Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/7834600024/
Take care
Javier Arias González
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