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The course for the 2024 Vuelta a España will function 9 summit finishes, simply 34km of time trialling, restricted alternatives for sprinters and no levels over 200km.
The total 3,261km route of the third Grand Tour of the season, which was unveiled in a presentation in Madrid on Tuesday evening, will start on August 17 in Lisbon, Portugal and finish on September 8 in Madrid. Whereas the exact variety of climbing metres was not revealed, the profiles of the levels appear to be the race will probably be excessive on climbing, however low on the excessive altitude ascents.
Moreover, the course unveiled by race organisers Unipublic presents a number of Vuelta staples, just like the Lagos de Covadonga, which is traditionally essentially the most used climb within the Vuelta. As soon as once more, the Vuelta a España is choosing an unconventional collection of levels, with just one stage listed as having a flat parcours. The remainder vary from hilly, to medium mountains and at last to the main mountains that can outline the GC struggle of the race.
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What’s extra, the Vuelta additionally has rolled out one other essential ambush-style mountain day. After the success of the sawtooth parcours of 2023’s most explosive days, the organisers will hope stage 20 with its seven categorised climbs and a steep summit end to Picón Blanco can present a last-minute shock within the struggle for the general standings.
In complete, there are three new summit finishes: Yunquera on stage 6, Sierra de Cazorla on stage 8 and a brand new end on the Puerto de Ancares on stage 13. Whereas the primary two finishes are class 3 climbs which may produce a while gaps, the brand new end on the Puerto de Ancares, with its extremely steep, prolonged ramps, will probably be one that might break open the race close to the top of the second week.
One other climb that isn’t a well-trodden path for the race is the fearsome Cuitu Negru approaching stage 15. Weighing in at 19km and with quite a lot of pitches as much as 25%, it’s a beast of a climb. Whereas it has solely been used as soon as earlier than on the Vuelta, it left a mark, with the Italian rider Dario Cataldo, the winner of that day, describing the climb because the steepest he ever rode.
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Past the mountain levels, whether or not they be new or used, the route of the Vuelta is one that can in the end have alternatives for everybody.
There is just one stage listed as flat, however 5 different days have undulations and gained’t get in the best way of a sturdy sprinter making it to the end.
But, even with some sprints lined up on paper, make no mistake: this Vuelta is designed for the climbers. Particularly with solely 34km of time trialling in complete – 12km on stage 1 in Lisbon and 22km on stage 21 in Madrid.
In comparison with the 62km of time trials within the Giro d’Italia and the 60km of time trials within the Tour de France, the Vuelta will probably be seen in a loving gentle by the pure climbers.
With the race tilted within the favour of the climbers, final yr’s winner Sepp Kuss will probably be delighted with the providing, as he has acknowledged how a lot he wish to return to the Vuelta with eyes of defending his crown. Different riders who may view the course wealthy in climbing and light-weight on time trials in a constructive gentle could possibly be Nairo Quintana, Mikel Landa, Enric Mas and even Felix Gall, all of whom have seen time trials stand in the best way of GC competition, to a various diploma.
Week 1: A swing by the south of Spain
The 2024 Vuelta a España is an all-Iberian affair with the opening weekend going down in Portugal for the primary time since 1997. With a robust contingent of Portuguese riders within the WorldTour, pleasure will probably be excessive in the beginning and Lisbon will supply a wonderful canvas for the race to get underway earlier than heading to Spain in an overland switch for the remainder of the race.
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Even when the beginning in Portugal is akin to the Tour de France beginning in its neighbour nation in Italy this June, the Portugal begin will probably be a a lot simpler affair. The 12km TT by Lisbon will probably be technical and set up the pecking order amongst the GC riders, however the subsequent two levels will almost certainly be dash finishes.
As soon as in Spain, the fireworks will start in earnest with the race’s first summit end approaching stage 4 as much as Pico Villuercas. The end is way from the hardest of the race, however with 3km in the direction of the end having successive pitches between 15-16%, time gaps will seem between the GC favourites. Whereas the crimson jersey will probably be handed out to a breakaway rider and never a true-blue GC contender given the 2 categorised climbs earlier within the day, will probably be the primary indicator of the climbing power amongst the Vuelta’s contenders.
An out-and-out dash day on stage 5 to Seville follows, earlier than stage 6 takes on the brand new end of the Yunquera climb. Whereas it is just a class 3 ascent, Primož Roglič has proven over time how worthwhile they are often with time bonuses accessible on the finish of them.
One other couple of days of could-be sprints come on stage 7 and stage 8, with stage 8 having a kick to the road just like that of stage 6. The mountains return on stage 9 to shut the primary week. Although it does not finish on a climb, the stage ending in Grenada has three successive ascents that can present a demanding stage and will create gaps within the total standings. The chief problem is the Alto de Hazallanas which is able to function twice within the final 70km of the stage. The climb is one which featured within the race in 2022, however was adopted by a climb as much as the excessive altitude of Sierra Nevada. This yr, the race as a substitute heads all the way down to Grenada for a dash end. The consequence could possibly be fireworks or could possibly be a stalemate amongst the GC favourites earlier than the primary relaxation day.
Week 2: Into the enamel of the race
The primary relaxation day will take the peloton from the arid southern sierras to the plush northeast of Galicia. Three levels for the breakaway are prone to comply with, as levels 10, 11 and 12 are all rolling to medium-mountainous affairs, with GC exercise unlikely.
That can most likely change come stage 13 as much as Puerto de Ancares (7.7km, 9.9%). The drawn-out battle between Alberto Contador and Chris Froome on stage 20 of the 2014 Vuelta reveals simply how essential the mountain will be.
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Stage 14 is a little bit of a medium-mountain pallet cleanser, with an extended grind up the Puerto de Leitariegos (23km, 4%) coming earlier than a downhill end to one of many Vuelta’s longest days. Even when the GC battle will probably take a pause on stage 14, the day will damage the legs earlier than the essential final stage of the second week and the problem of the Cuitu Negru (25.5km, 5.8% with max gradients of 23%) on stage 15.
Week 3: a traditional crescendo
Whereas the challenges of stage 13 and stage 15 may be less-trodden turf for the Vuelta, the third week begins the place the Vuelta has gone many occasions earlier than, with a end on Lagos de Covadonga (12.5km, 7%) approaching stage 16.
The final time the race took on the climb was in 2021 and was the scene of a Primož Roglič raid on a moist day within the mountains. That day, the Slovenian attacked with Egan Bernal and didn’t look again, finally dropping Bernal, earlier than soloing to a win and the crimson jersey. Whereas stage 16 won’t stay as much as that day from three years in the past, the climb will probably be circled within the street books of all of the GC contenders.
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Stage 17 and 18 are transitional days earlier than the final three essential levels kind the ultimate basic classification. Stage 17 presents a closing probability for the sprinters because the race takes on two class climbs early within the stage earlier than a flat closing 50km to the end. Stage 18 is a extra rolling affair, with a class 2 climb and a class 1 climb coming in the midst of the 175km stage. A breakaway is extra probably than to not determine the day.
Stage 19 begins the ultimate part of the race, with the primary of a pair of mountain levels that can give a closing shakeup to the standings earlier than the ultimate time trial on stage 21 will crown the victor. The stage is an easy parcours of 168km from Lograño to Alto de Moncalvillo, with two categorised climbs. The second, nonetheless, up the Alto de Moncalvillo (8.2km, 9%) is a brute.
Stage 20 is much more difficult, with a frightening succession of climbs stacked one after the opposite on the ultimate street stage of the race. In complete, seven categorised climbs are available fast succession within the 170km stage. The stage, which tackles the robust roads of the Burgos and Cantabria areas, culminates within the closing cost up the Picón Blanco.
The climb, which is an establishment on the Vuelta a Burgos, would be the final phrase for the climbers within the race, nevertheless it won’t be the ultimate choice. It is going to be the ultimate time trial in Madrid that can present the final manoeuvring amongst the contenders. Nonetheless, at 22km in size, it would solely be the ultimate polish to the race that can have unfolded over the earlier three weeks.
Vuelta a España 2024 levels
Stage 1: Lisbon – Oeiras | 12km | ITT
Stage 2: Cascais – Ourém | 191km | Hilly
Stage 3: Lousã – Castelo Branco | 191km | Hilly
Stage 4: Plasencia – Pico Villuercas | 167km | Mountain
Stage 5: Fuente del Maestre – Sevilla | 170km | Flat
Stage 6: Carrefour Sur, Jerez de la Frontera – Yuquera | 181km | Mountain
Stage 7: Archidona – Córdoba | 179km | Hilly
Stage 8: Ubeda – Cazorla | 159km | Medium Mountains
Stage 9: Motril – Grenada | 178km | Mountain
REST DAY 1 – Monday, 26 August
Stage 10: Ponteareas – Baiona | 160km | Mountain
Stage 11: Campus Tecnologico Cortizo, Padrón – Campus Tecnologico Cortizo, Padrón | 164km | Medium Mountains
Stage 12: Ourense Termal – Estacion de Montaña de Manzaneda | 137km | Hilly
Stage 13: Lugo – Puerto de Ancares | 171km | Mountain
Stage 14: Villafranca del Bierzo – Villalino | 199km | Medium Mountains
Stage 15: Infiesto – Valgrande-Pajares, Ctitu Negru | 142km | Mountain
REST DAY 2 – Monday, 2 September
Stage 16: Luanco – Lagos de Covadonga | 181km | Mountain
Stage 17: Monumento Juan de Castillo, Arnuero – Santander | 143km | Medium Mountains
Stage 18: Vitoria-Gasteiz – Maeztu-Parque Pure de Izki | 175km | Medium Mountains
Stage 19: Logroño – Alto de Moncalvillo | 168km | Hilly (uphill closing)
Stage 20: Villarcayo – Picón Blanco | 171km | Mountain
Stage 21: Distrito Telefónica, Madrid – Madrid | 22km | ITT
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