Toledo hosted a Vuelta finish nine years ago and the same rider is expected to be among those to turn out on top. Back then, Philippe Gilbert won the uphill sprint outside the city walls, while this year’s finale will be even more to his liking. The last kilometre runs firmly uphill to the line on the Calle de la Unión. To pep things up the last few hundred metres are cobbled.
The race begins in Ávila and the only climb of the day appears shortly. The rest of the day travels on flat to rolling roads through the heart of Spain. From one historic city to the other for a, hopefully, historic finale.
It will be easy to control the race. Obviously, there is always the possibility for the break to stay away, but a more likely scenario is that the attackers are reeled in before Toledo and that the likes of Gilbert will battle for the stage honours.
Favourites 19th stage 2019 Vuelta a España
*** Philippe Gilbert, Tosh Van der Sande, John Degenkolb
** Sam Bennett, Edvald Boasson Hagen, Zdenek Stybar
* Luis León Sánchez, Valerio Conti, Fernando Gaviria, Fabio Jakobsen
Take a look at the route of the 19th stage of La Vuelta.
Vuelta a España 2019 stage 19: profile, finale, interactive
Click on the images to zoom
