Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2024, Stage 2, Cascais-Ourém, 194k

[QueenStagiaire]

This stage takes the riders from the beautiful beaches nearby the Tejo/Tajo estuary to the hinterland to the north of Lisbon. A sprint is to be expected.

Wout Van Aert is going to miss out on the win.

 

[Sciatic]

To quote a certain other forum member here

"Worthless flat stage"

Looks like it would fit my definition of a hilly stage—not mountain or medium mountain, but hilly.

 

[Unchained]

I would say w UAE overall strategy and sub strategy for McNulty to keep the jersey, easy does it. If Wout is shooting for his stated goal a stage win, TT denied tomorrow is good for him.

 

[gregrowlerson]

To quote a certain other forum member here

"Worthless flat stage"

And to add insult to injury it's on a weekend.

 

[Rob5091]

And to add insult to injury it's on a weekend.

Headwind too according to a weather forecast. This is why we pay our Max subscription!
WvA and Groves to sprint for the win ...Day 2 of the Vacek story maybe. UAE must be wondering why they didn't bring Laengen or Bjerg,who's going to pull all day? Baroncini & Sivakov?

 

[Valv.Piti]

To quote a certain other forum member here

"Worthless flat stage"

Who are you referring to? I know that I have said that countless of times, but I like this as a sprinter's stage. The problem kinda is though that all the the best sprinters in this race should be able to get over these hills tbf.

 

[Hugo Koblet]

We might just see the weakest top 10 of a GT stage ever. The sprint field here is hilarious. I'm baffled why teams that have no business in GC and only are here for stage wins (teams like FDJ, Lotto, Jayco, Arkea) haven't brought a sprinter.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

We might just see the weakest top 10 of a GT stage ever. The sprint field here is hilarious. I'm baffled why teams that have no business in GC and only are here for stage wins (teams like FDJ, Lotto, Jayco, Arkea) haven't brought a sprinter.

Arkéa in particular are baffling, they have a bunch of mediocre sprinters and could really do with the UCI points.

 

[Valv.Piti]

It's a LIbertine Seguros special in route summaries, where 5 page essays for single stages are intermixed with the "worthless flat stage".

In general, this is better than that, but because the few relevant sprinters here will survive this, and nothing is particularly challenging, it's gonna turn out like one.

Oh yeah, I remember that. I have a hope that some riders will try to use the last couple of hills do to something, and anyways, you are going to have sprints, so have stages like this Im totally fine with given the rest of the route. Only negative is its on a Sunday, and it could also have been fun to see the field tackle some of the climbs from the Volta, but I have no clue have the geography of Portugal at all. I know where Algarve is and thats it.. speaking of which, Malhao would have brilliant on stage 2 as well.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

An example of a well designed hilly stage which should result in a strong break. De Gendt or Campenaerts ftw.

 

[meat puppet]

There are multiple possible outcomes with only one constant: Wva will be second

 

[movingtarget]

A Vuelta "flat stage"................picking a sprint winner won't be easy........

 

[Devil's Elbow]

There are multiple possible outcomes with only one constant: Wva will be second

If Van Aert finishes second, then Groves is pretty much the only one who can win. Because I don't see the likes of Coquard, Bittner, Strong or Marit beating both of them barring crashes/mechanicals.

 

[search]

Headwind too according to a weather forecast. This is why we pay our Max subscription!

mainly for the "early" part (well, first 150k), though. So yeah, not good news for the breakaway, but once they turn east for the hilly part in the end, it's more cross/tail wind. Late attacks could still stick.

 

[KZD]

Van Aert to win and take yellow.

 

[Rob5091]

Van Aert to win and take yellow.

or Red?

 

[Ricco']

As a portuguese this stage is so disappointing to have as a grand depart stage. In the sporting side, not selective enough, in the turistic side, nothing remarkable along the way apart from some monasteries along the way.

They could have gone down and done the Vicentine coast, lots and lots of amazing landscapes, or instead of going inland, gone along the atlantic coast through Peniche, Foz do Arelho, São Martinho do Porto, Nazaré, etc.

They could have even finished in Fátima, where is the most famous turistic sanctuary of the country, but instead finish in another town next to it.

 

[search]

Today's stage is one of only two stages with full points (50 - the other is stage #5), by the way. So it's quite important for the points jersey already.

 

[topcat]

Van Aert to win and take yellow.

Van Aert to finish second and take yellow.

 

[RedheadDane]

Van Aert to finish second and take yellow.

Would be quite the achievement...

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Would be quite the achievement...

Not really. He's already wearing a yellow jersey.

 

[Tim Cahill]

Cycling at it's very best;

Situation​

• 1
  
  
  

  1		207	RUIZ Ibon	0:59
  2		218	MATÉ Luis Ángel	1:29

• P
  
  +2:25

 

[RedheadDane]

C'mon, old man, keep it going!

 

[Eyeballs Out]

With a 2 man break and a 20mph headwind they might need lights for the finish

 

[memyselfandI]

Vacek ftw and red.