The Vuelta a España announced yesterday, in an event in Madrid, the route of the 79th edition, which will take place from August 17 to September 8, 2024. A tour that will take place mostly in the west, south and north of the country, in addition to three first stages in Portugal.
A route that again focuses on the mountains with short, nervous stages and many high finishes, particularly 9, about half of the entire route. But it also has a great novelty, that the final time trial in Madrideliminating the traditional end of the festival in the center of Madrid and where cyclists will be forced to crowd also on the last day of the race.
But, beyond the test of time, the mountain stages will be important for solving the general classification. We chose and examined the five days expected to be decisive this Tour of Spain 2024.
Vuelta 2024: 5 mountain stages that will mark the race
Stage 4 (August 20): Plasencia – Pico Villuercas
The appearance of the mount so early in the race often brings a few surprises. Even more so considering the precedents of the previous edition, where the final success of Sepp Kuss It was almost faked on stage 6, which ended with the bottle escaping on the way to the Javalambre climb.
On the menu for today, which is 167 km, two long and easy passes appear as soon as you leave Plasencia: Cabezabellosa (10 km at 5.2% slope) and Alto del Piornal (17 km at 4.6%). A favorable terrain for building a big breakout at the start and even where an outsider or favorite with tactical intentions can filter through.
Next, there will be 30 km of transitional flatland until the road climbs again, towards Puerto de Miravete (3rd category) and, 30 km later, the start of the final climb to Pico Villuercas. The port of Cáceres is climbed for the second time in the Spanish round (after its debut in 2021) and opens a new slope (from Navezuelas), which is more difficult in the last 5 km marked by ramps from 12 to 20%. In 2021, Frenchman Romain Bardet won the Villuercas peak, after completing a big breakaway where the favorites barely moved. Hopefully, with more toughness than that day and progressing into race day 4, we’ll see more to watch.
Stage 9 (August 25): Motril – Granada
One of the most spectacular mountain days of this Vuelta 2024, 178 km. A different model is proposed than the one usually offered in the Spanish round, with a mountainous chain of three climbs of the first and last after the descent, in this case reaching Granada. A profile for natural mountain attackers that always provides spectacle from afar, due to the concentration of hardness in the center of the stage.
Chaining is really hard. Purche is climbed (12 km at 6.25% average), the last part of which accumulates slopes at 17%. With almost no rest, you will descend and face the first pass of Hazallanas, a continuous climb of 15 km at an average of 6.2%, which you will loop to climb a second time and reach the maximum 54 km from the finish line. The descent to Granada was long. But anyone who wants to play at being a cyclist and has strength, can face a serious blow in the general classification today. The role of teams will also be key at this stage.
Stage 13 (August 30): Lugo – Puerto de Ancares
For specialists in mountain passes, slopes and percentages, Anchors It is quite a symbol. And it has not been exploited much in the Vuelta (it was included in 2011, 2012 and 2014). In 2024, the unprecedented Leonese slope of Tejedo de Ancares will climb, with the last 5 km at an average of 12%, and peaks of 17%. This is undoubtedly the most difficult high finish of the Vuelta 2024 and a terrain that the strong men of the race are forced to take advantage of.
Before Ancares, there will not be much hardness, including the three previous climbs (Campo de Arbre, O portel, Lumeras) of the 3rd and 2nd category. Only Lumeras (4 km at 6%) can make an important first choice by crowning it before Ancares starts.
Stage 16 (September 3): Luanco – Lagos de Covadonga
As this stage was planned, and because of what went up to Lakes (this is the most iconic port in the history of the race), this will be the theoretical queen stage of the 2024 edition. A day before it went up to the port of Pajares-Cuitu Negruwhich however will be conditioned by the presence of the Asturian colossus a day later.
This time the Lakes appear ahead of the climbs to Mirador del Fito (6 km at 8.2%) and Collada Llomena (7.5 km at 9.3%), to complete at the top of the Lakes (14 km at 7% average slope) 181 km. A series of hard passes, transition flats, correct distances and a very demanding and decisive final climb, where in many cases the final winner emerged in Madrid. That’s why this day can safely be called the queen of the next edition of the Vuelta.
Stage 20 (September 7): Villarcayo – Picón Blanco
Some relatively unknown and less exploited mountains of the Vuelta, such as the Burgos slope of the Cantabrian Mountains, have acquired unprecedented importance in deciding the race in 2024. And one of its most difficult passes, the Picón Blanco, the will be the mountain grand finale of the next Vuelta a España.
A well-designed stage on paper, with up to six passes (Estacas de Trueba, Lunada, Portillo de la Sía) before reaching the base of the final climb. There will be about 25 km of flat land between the ports, concentrated at the start of the route and on the approach to the final port. An increase, that of White Picon, 8 km at 9%, which will be the last chance for the climbers to shine in this Vuelta. Especially considering that in the flat time trial the next day in Madrid you have to arrive with a good cushion of seconds.
Other known stages
In addition to these five important days, the Vuelta 2024 offers mid-mountain days conducive to setbacks and surprises, such as stage 8 between Jerez and Yunquera. Also stage 7 ending in Córdoba after the famous 2nd climb of 14%. Also, the Galician mid-mountain stages of the second week will be interesting, with finishes in Baiona or Padrón, as well as the tough finish of stage 19 at the top of Moncalvillo, in La Rioja. Although in this last case the arrival of the White Picón a day later can condition the attacks.
Overall, it’s a fairly unbalanced return in favor of the climbers, who will have options in the three weeks of the race to gain time or also opt for stage victories.
There is not much presence of passing ports, except for the stage of Granada, Lagos or Picón Blanco, but there will be a large number of high finishes. So the stiffness will be concentrated in the last 10 or 5 km, as well as the differences. It should be noted in this sense that the Vuelta distributes bonuses in the form of seconds at the finish line for the first three of each stage: 10, 6 and 4 seconds, respectively.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
