Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol 2024, Spain, February 14-18

[Lequack]

Same timeframe as the Algarve race in Portugal. But it's in Spain! Last year it was Pogacar who won it, so who will it be this year?
Notable riders: Gall, Buitrago, Ayuso, Caruso, Wllens, Poels, Haig

Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol 2024

www.procyclingstats.com

http://vueltaandalucia.es/

Live video stream available on Eurosport and GCN alternative.

Full startlist (not yet final):

Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol 2024

www.procyclingstats.com

 

[Lequack]

Profiles

 

[Sciatic]

That’s an impressive list of recent winners

 

[Pantani_lives]

UAE has the strongest team on paper, with Ayuso as its leader. The course is hilly, but not very tough. A good race to ride yourself into shape.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Both the route and field are unusually poor by the standards of this race…

Stage 1:
They took about the easiest route they could have.

Itrabo

Lanjarón

Trevélez (from Orgiva onwards)

Finale (the section between 7k and 13k on the profile below)

Stage 2:
Sol

Alazores

Jaramillo (the right half of the image below)

Don’t have a profile of the finish, however it is the most stupid design I’ve seen in years: full 180 onto a very narrow, cobbled road at 700 metres to go, then things basically stay narrow until the final turn at 50 metres to go. The drag to the line is (as per the roadbook) 8.5k at 3.6% with the final 500 metres at 3%, so it’s not like it will be a tiny group going into it either. Quite frankly, you need to be with the first 5 riders going into the turn, because even if a crash doesn’t happen near the front of the bunch, you aren’t moving up.

Stage 3:
I only have a profile of the ramp midway through. The actual KOM at Cardo is a long drag.

Stage 4:
The pitiful excuse for a main GC stage. Alto de la Primera Cruz is the first 2.7k of the profile below, it really isn’t a hard climb.

Stage 5:
The best way to use a lot of elevation metres on the final day: mostly low-gradient climbs far from the finish.

Madroño

La Calerilla

Cortes de la Frontera

Espino. How fitting that the final climb of the race is the easiest side of a pass with four sides, at 80k to go…

 

[tobydawq]

Gall to win. AG2R look pretty exceptional and Ayuso was very poor today.

 

[zlev11]

another race with a garbage route. wtf is going on?

 

[scribers]

Gall’s first race out. Should be interesting

 

[scribers]

another race with a garbage route. wtf is going on?

What’s wrong with it?

 

[zlev11]

What’s wrong with it?

there's barely any terrain for a GC battle

 

[Devil's Elbow]

What’s wrong with it?

What isn’t wrong with it?

 

[scribers]

It has uphill finishes. Decent climbs. Tough opening climb. Seems to be as challenging as a short stage race can be

 

[tobydawq]

It has uphill finishes. Decent climbs. Tough opening climb. Seems to be as challenging as a short stage race can be

I don't really get the fuss, either.

The route does look quite random but I think it will be more interesting than two sprints, an ITT, Foia, Malhão, repeat.

 

[zlev11]

the profiles posted in the first post look a lot better than they actually are

Stage profile Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol 2024

Overview of the stage profiles per stage, showing the number of climbs, intermediate sprints, vertical meters and KOM sprints.

www.procyclingstats.com

the hardest climb anywhere near a finale is 3.3km at 7.6%

 

[scribers]

Gall will have to attack earlier (I actually don’t care a lot. Was just looking for perspective)

 

[yaco]

I'd be very surprised if Gall can win on this route. Need a punchier rider.

 

[Squire]

Got Buitrago written all over it. Schmid to do well also.

 

[yaco]

I am interested to see how Schmid goes in his first race in Jayco colors. Supposedly he has prepared for this race so its a wait and see - Its a wide open race.

 

[Salvarani]

the profiles posted in the first post look a lot better than they actually are

Stage profile Vuelta a Andalucia Ruta Ciclista Del Sol 2024

Overview of the stage profiles per stage, showing the number of climbs, intermediate sprints, vertical meters and KOM sprints.

www.procyclingstats.com

the hardest climb anywhere near a finale is 3.3km at 7.6%

Race can explode earlier than just the final 15km. Great.

 

[ManicJack]

It has uphill finishes. Decent climbs. Tough opening climb. Seems to be as challenging as a short stage race can be

I agree, but the experts have spoken, so I guess we are wrong

 

[zlev11]

Race can explode earlier than just the final 15km. Great.

this is the only stage where that can happen

it's still only 3km at 10% and it's 56k from the line. maybe if Remco were here.

 

[Salvarani]

I agree, but the experts have spoken, so I guess we are wrong

 

[Samamba]

this is the only stage where that can happen

it's still only 3km at 10% and it's 56k from the line. maybe if Remco were here.

Doesn't the stage tomorrow have a super long irregular climb in the middle? You have 2 super teams at the start with UAE and Bahrain. Maybe they could make the race explode there. It's far ofcourse, but I don't think it's impossible if they want to. This isn't a WT quality start list, the difference between riders/teams is immense so you could definitely make the race interesting, but that's only if they want ofcourse.

I would've liked a murito finish somewhere like they usually have in this race, but it's not like I hate the parcours. Not every race has to be for the top climbers.

I'm probably biased tho cause this parcours actually gives Van Gils a shot at doing good.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Doesn't the stage tomorrow have a super long irregular climb in the middle?

Its steepest kilometre averages 7.3%. That just isn't suited to aggressive racing.

 

[Samamba]

Its steepest kilometre averages 7.3%. That just isn't suited to aggressive racing.

In this field it should be possible. There's only 2 teams that can have control and even eachother out, UAE and Bahrain, apart from that the level is pretty low apart from solo's like Gall, Cepeda, Van Gils, ...

It all depends on how UAE and Bahrain want to play it.

I agree that could've made the first stage harder tho, plenty of opportunities there. At least there isn't a headwind on the last climb, that would've been bad cause it's also on a highway. They have to at least try to make that shallow irregular climb somewhat tiring or it wil just be a sprint or something tactical in the end.