Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2024 rumors

[Descender]

My expectations were as low as always, but having that in mind, I was quite pleasantly surprised by this Vuelta route.

+ I count FOUR descent finishes, five if you count Cordoba!
+ The last mountain stage to Picón Blanco is, no doubt about it, in the top 5 Vuelta stages ever. Especially considering its placement.
+ Several decent hilly stages

- The Haza Llana stage is good, I'm glad they're doing this, but it's a 54km descent down a wide, easy and not particularly steep road...
- Still way too many ________/ stages, many of them unnecessary. Overall, as always, many stages could and should have been drawn much better even with the same start and finish lines.
- 34km ITT, not enough at all.

 

[Descender]

Normally I'd be more skeptical/critical of Tornos before Picón Blanco, but I think people are underrating the effect of Estacas-Braguía-Caracol-Lunada-La Sía before them, especially in stage 20.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The Haza Llana stage is good, I'm glad they're doing this, but it's a 54km descent down a wide, easy and not particularly steep road...

Only about 20k of descent, they've accidentally copied the numbers on the x-axis of the first time up for the second time up.

 

[Descender]

Only about 20k of descent, they've accidentally copied the numbers on the x-axis of the first time up for the second time up.

I was wondering where they took the 54km from, descending from half the way up... being the Vuelta, I expected them to take a stroll around western Granada, much like they like to do in the Cordoba stages.

Looking at the profile in detail, I'm still not sure where they descend the last time. Looks like it's through Monachil rather than Pinos Genil?

 

[KZD]

This truly is a medium mountain fest.

I actually don't like the route because the stages are too repetitive. More than half of the stages could be relevant for GC but there is no single stage above 2000 meters of altitude which is a shame just like the fact that there is only 34km of TT. Stage 9 is really good though.

I think Roglič has a really good chance of getting his 4th overall win and set a new record if he is still fresh enough after the Tour but Vingegård is obviously co-favourite with him if he comes here. Curious to see, who will UAE send, Pogačar and Ayuso are not scheduled to ride it so it should probably be Yates and Almeida leading them with Del Toro likely making his Grand Tour debut.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I don't get why they already use Lakes of Covadonga again. Instead of Gamoniteiru after it's first inclusion wasn't a success due to race development.

Just make Gamoniteiru the main mountain stage instead of Angliru next year.

Cos it's one of the real iconic summits the race has.

Kinda annoyed they're putting it before Cuitu Negru though. The Cuitu Negru stage will likely end up with only the final 3km being GC-decisive due to the hormigón unless they go nuts beforehand with a multi-climb stage which I don't expect.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Looking at the stage to Granada is pure joy.. especially since Im of the belief that Hazallanas is one of the absolute best climbs in cycling. Great stage!!

 

[ice&fire]

Cos it's one of the real iconic summits the race has.

Kinda annoyed they're putting it before Cuitu Negru though. The Cuitu Negru stage will likely end up with only the final 3km being GC-decisive due to the hormigón unless they go nuts beforehand with a multi-climb stage which I don't expect.

The sequence is Cuitu Negru - rest day - Covadonga

 

[Libertine Seguros]

La Estranguada in stage 17 at 100km from the finish

For future reference, this would back directly onto Collao Espina/Los Machucos, so could make a good doublette for a future mountain stage. Especially if they did La Sia and Lunada beforehand.

 

[rallybanana]

Just had a peak at the route on Wikipedia. That hilly stage from Portugal to Andorra looks appetizing.

 

[scribers]

Hot take: Vingo loses tdf but wins this vuelta

 

[Froome]

Hot take: Vingo loses tdf but wins this vuelta

He wins tfd and vuelta 😉

 

[Rob5091]

So do we know Cav's reaction yet?

 

[yaco]

People complaining about lack of ITT but 34kms is smack on the average ITT km's for about the last ten Vuelta's. The only difference is the ITT km's are spread over two stages and not one. Finally, the sprinters missed their chance in this year's Vuelta which had plenty of sprint stages.

 

[Netserk]

I appreciate that most of the peninsula is well-covered over the years.

2022:	2023:	2024:

 

[Froome]

There's a mistake in the profile of the stage that finish im granada right? I think it's 24 km between alto de hazzalanas and granada, and not 53 km.

 

[Froome]

I appreciate that most of the peninsula is well-covered over the years.

2022:	2023:	2024:

They are missing a finish in the north of Portugal in senhora da Graça, but probably the world tour riders and the organization are afraid of not being able to beat the record of alarcon on senhora da graça. It would be a humilliation.

 

[Sciatic]

There's a mistake in the profile of the stage that finish im granada right? I think it's 24 km between alto de hazzalanas and granada, and not 53 km.

Yes, someone pointed that out upthread.

 

[Pantani_lives]

Negative:

• No Pyrenees
• Nothing above 2000 m
• Both ITTs are short and flat.
• It's all about the MTFs. It doesn't look inviting to attack earlier.

Positive:

• Some tough MTFs in the final week.

 

[CyclistAbi]

Looking at it kinda superficially for now. It talks to me. It says Roglstomp and ATM i don't know what that is.

Will look it up.

 

[gavia88]

copied from the apmforo:

• Plasencia-Villuercas: 3520
• Jerez-Yunquera: 3672
• Úbeda-Cazorla: 2660
• Motril-Granada: 4425
• Ponteareas-Baiona: 2953
• Cortizo: 2723
• Ourense-Cabeza de Manzaneda: 3007
• Lugo-Ancares: 3409
• Villafranca del Birezo- Villalblino: 2911
• Infiesto-Cuitu Negru: 3687
• Luanco-Lagos de Covadonga: 3992
• Vitoria-Parque Natural del Izki: 2711
• Villarcayo-Picón Blanco: 5136
• Crono: 184
  

 

[OlavEH]

Like Larry D would put it: The Granada stage looks pretty, pretty good.

Otherwise the Picon Blanco stage looks tremendous. Finally this is used as other than a monoclimb stage.

And it will be nice to see Ancares again, even though I was hoping for a northern approach. Covadonga is a bit "meh", and Cuitu Negru will probably be mostly a waiting game for the last steep 4 kms.

Regarding the medium mountain stages, I'm a bit curious how these will turn out. It's a bit difficult to see from the profiles exactly how good the design is.

 

[Rob5091]

Gotta love the Vuelta - first road stage (2) and straight out of the box, a cat 4 climb!
Cav and the sprinters will not be so amused, but it's an interesting course. Stage 17 and 18 are an odd couple and look as certain breakaway days, but stranger things have happened.

 

[Descender]

Looking at the stage to Granada is pure joy.. especially since Im of the belief that Hazallanas is one of the absolute best climbs in cycling. Great stage!!

It's a great stage, and it could have been even better if they'd added Haza de Lino at the beginning... it's right there for the taking.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

Similarly, Acebo before Leitariegos would have really added to that stage.

La Manzaneda will probably be a big nothing as a Unipuerto on a tempo climb the day before Ancares. It would have heavy Montevergine vibes in week 1 but might be interesting after stage 12. I'm coming in with low expectations, but it was the climb that cost Chris Froome the 2011 Vuelta, albeit only for eight years before he got gifted it back and because his team didn't trust what they were seeing from him so put him to work domestiquing for Wiggins despite wearing the leader's jersey.