KOM Corner: 2021 Vuelta a Espana

Polka Dots

Another hard week of riding for the riders of la Vuelta a España leaves the KOM competition tight, with Damiano Caruso staying right in the mix behind the Frenchman Romain Bardet (Team DSM) who took the polka dots after the mountainous stage 14.

Here are the rankings through the second rest day of the tour:

Upcoming this next week is Stage 18, which will be one of the most intense climbing stages in La Vuelta history! The stage is quoted by race director Fernando Escartín as having "an elevation gain rarely seen before in La Vuelta."

We can confirm he his correct, as the stage will take the riders up the #63 hardest climb in the world, the east side of Alto de Gamoniteiro - and after two other Category 1 climbs! The Gamoniteiro is the 6th hardest climb in the country of Spain, which is home to 9 of the top #150 hardest bike climbs in the world

Make sure to check out our 2021 Vuelta a Espaía page for complete routes and details of all the climbs and stages in this year's edition of the Spanish grand tour.

Polka Dots

As we head into the first rest day after Stage 9, after 4 mountain stages the top KOM points leaders are:

Caruso leapfrogged the field and won all of his 28 points today, leading the breakaway at the end of the 3 biggest climbs, Alto Collado Venta Luisa, Alto Castro de Filabres, and Alto de Velefique