Who will win La Vuelta a España 2024?

[Kaptain Kool]

I am trying to like the parcours of this Vuelta but I can't. And TBH they are just doing what they always do. Bunch of hard monoclimbs.

At the end of the day the race will be open and might be the best one of the year.

Which stages do consider hard monoclimbs? IMHO Stage 19 is the only one that fits. I don't expect anything to happen before the finishing climbs on Stages 4, 8, 13, 15 and 16 but they all have climbs earlier in the sage.
Stage 12 is sort of a monoclimb but Manzaneda is long and gradual rather than the typical Vuelta super-steep climb.

 

[perico]

It’s the 10 year anniversary of our lord and savior Alberto’s final overall victory.

 

[Peyroteo94]

It’s the 10 year anniversary of our lord and savior Alberto’s final overall victory.

In Spain. I already changed my avatar to him. The great one deserves to be mentioned until he dies.

 

[Squire]

Axelgaard has Landa as his five-star favourite!

Let's hope Axelgaard's rather remarkable hit-rate this season continues.

 

[AnotherArmChair]

So on paper it is hard to see past Roglic, without the other top 3 , its the Vuelta which he always wins (well nearly always) and he has a a very good team..so no brainer really except will he still be in the race in week 3 ?

Martinez is a good shout as is Arensman

I think without the accelerations of Pog and Vinge the race may help the likes of O Connor and Almeida

Yates is good enough to win but not consistent enough for me, same with the current Carapaz

I think we will see a good Tao G Hart and Tiberi

But who I would like to win is not in the above list and i wont say cos I dont want to jinx him but would love a spanish winner

 

[Gratemans]

So on paper it is hard to see past Roglic, without the other top 3 , its the Vuelta which he always wins (well nearly always) and he has a a very good team..so no brainer really except will he still be in the race in week 3 ?

Martinez is a good shout as is Arensman

I think without the accelerations of Pog and Vinge the race may help the likes of O Connor and Almeida

Yates is good enough to win but not consistent enough for me, same with the current Carapaz

I think we will see a good Tao G Hart and Tiberi

But who I would like to win is not in the above list and i wont say cos I dont want to jinx him but would love a spanish winner

 

[CyclistAbi]

Axelgaard has Landa as his five-star favourite!

Let's hope Axelgaard's rather remarkable hit-rate this season continues.

Exclude me out of that. Lets hope this time it's a miss, to prove only human after all.

 

[perico]

In Spain. I already changed my avatar to him. The great one deserves to be mentioned until he dies.

I thought about it, but then remembered that it is also the 35th year anniversary of our lord and savior Perico's final Vuelta victory as well.

 

[Pozzovivo]

Last week of his GC runs, we saw CRod either kissed the tarmac or struck by illness, i.e. Vuelta 2022 - he crashed with Jay Vine and Mads Petersen; Tour 2023 - he crashed when front wheel spokes snapped while descending; Tour 2024 - his team claimed that he was racing ill and left exhausted during the last critical stages. Perhaps in this year's Vuelta Lady Luck would smile at him.

I agree with you fully but. It seems to me that being sick in the last weekend of the tour and going deep there to limit losses won't be ideal prep for him. I'll be really surprised if he is flying this vuelta. Do you have any insights?

 

[Psycat]

If not Roglic I fully expect UAE to win(sweep the GT:s like Visma did last year), with whom? Probably Yates.

Let's say Roglic/Yates fighting it out for #1 and then Landa grabs 3rd since he looked ridiculous in the Tour.

I guess Roglic wins but I am not very confident.

 

[Nick2413]

UAE will win, would like to see Almeida but thinking Yates.

 

[Savant12]

So wide open, I didn't really know how to fill my Velogames fantasy team. Lots of really good climbers for a climbers course.
I really wanted to pick Roglic but he'll either win or crash. It's a coin toss with him these days.

 

[noob]

If Rogla doesn't crash
If Almeida doesn't get sick
If Kuss doesn't have a bad day
If Yates doesn't fade from doing 2 GT
If Landa doesn't bonk
If Mas isn't hit by his own bad confidence
If Carlos stays on his bike

So many ifs! And I've not even mentioned half of them

Such an open race.

 

[Bolder]

UAE will win, would like to see Almeida but thinking Yates.

Agreed, but I went with Almeida.

 

[movingtarget]

Roglic's back could be an issue. Yates, Almeida and Carapaz have the Tour in their legs while Roglic pulled out early. Looks like an open race. Not sure if Kuss can turn the clock back. Be interested to see how Skjelmose goes and if Landa can back up his good Tour ride.

 

[elguapo]

I agree with you fully but. It seems to me that being sick in the last weekend of the tour and going deep there to limit losses won't be ideal prep for him. I'll be really surprised if he is flying this vuelta. Do you have any insights?

It looks like he relinquished no. 21 to Arensman, I'm not sure if the team leadership goes with it. He said though that he has trained and gradually recovered his form after the illness.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

So wide open, I didn't really know how to fill my Velogames fantasy team. Lots of really good climbers for a climbers course.
I really wanted to pick Roglic but he'll either win or crash. It's a coin toss with him these days.

The solution to the difficulties in fitting to the Velogames budget requirement is easy: Conform to the budget in this forum's own Vuelta game instead.

 

[Cookster15]

I am still favoring Almeida. I sense that UAE want to demolish what Visma achieved in 2023 winning all three grand tours. So far they are on track - but only thanks to Pogacar who isn't riding this Vuelta. It might depend how well Almeida has recovered from the Tour.

UAE will have a plan to beat Roglič. Just hope Roglič doesn't make that easier by falling off. But Primož looks to be in absolute top shape so Rogla will be tough to beat. This year Kuss doesn't have Roglič and Vingegaard to set him up so I would be really surprised to see him challenge.

Today's TT will be an early indicator of form even if its flat. Then stage 4 will tell us who can't win the Vuelta.

 

[proffate]

I don't know if Almeida can still win if he just randomly starts yo-yoing in the leader's jersey. It's one thing to do so as the 5th place rider, but your rivals will pounce if you're in the lead.

If Kuss wins he gets credit for TWO vueltas, because this one would back up the questionable 2023 result.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

well, the Spanish speaking lot will be all over this like a group of hyenas on a mid sized carcass, but Carapaz will come out on top.

 

[KZD]

One of the most open Grand Tours of the last few years that also a very hard route overall.

Still, if he recovered well enough from his Tour crash, Roglič has to be the favourite. Bora brings a very good squad to support him with Vlasov and Martinez also possible GC cards and the route itself also suits Roglič because at least on paper he can win like half of the stages and while that won't happen he should still pick more bonus seconds than any other rider.

UAE should be the main challengers. They have won both the Giro and the Tour with Pogačar and they bring a stacked squad but I do fear that they have a lack of riders willing to play the domestique role which in the end might cost them dearly. Still, I would be shocked if they don't finish with any rider on the podium, likely Yates or Almeida, who will be extra motivated because the Vuelta starts in Portugal but it wouldn't shock me to see Del Toro there either.

Last year's winner Kuss will have a hard time defending his title but he is now chanceless as he was still the third best climber in the race last year and I think the route should suit him with many steep climbs aling the way. Uijtdebroeks is also another strong card for Visma to play with Van Aert has everything to win at least one stage in his debut.

Spanish speaking riders like Landa, Mas, Rodriguez or Carapaz shouldn't be underestimated either as any of them are outside picks for win. Trek also brings a strong squad with Ciccone, Hart and Skjelmose the latter of which has been preparing this race for months. Finally, also curious to see Tarling GT debut.

 

[Invicituz]

With the three amigos, Pogačar, Vingegaard, and Evenepoel, not participating, it's a wide-open race. This is my top ten prediction:

1) Primož Roglič
2) Richard Carapaz
3) Enric Mas
4) Carlos Rodríguez
5) Mikel Landa
6) João Almeida
7) Sepp Kuss
8) Daniel Martínez
9) Adam Yates
10) Cian Uijtdebroeks

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

Of the seven voting 'Other', I believe only @Tricycle Rider has said who he is picking to finish in red: Nairo Quintana.

So come on @TheRossSeaParty @GenericBoonenFan @Mayomaniac @Anderis @Remy55 and @Links2003 : are you actually tipping Nicolas Vinokourov for the win, or who?

 

[Anderis]

So come on @TheRossSeaParty @GenericBoonenFan @Mayomaniac @Anderis @Remy55 and @Links2003 : are you actually tipping Nicolas Vinokourov for the win, or who?

Yes.

 

[proffate]

So many excuses from Yatesy:

• we didn't do a training camp
• training power is not the same as racing power
• not enough time since TDF
• other guys trained for this race
• don't live at high enough altitude
• it was too warm the last couple weeks

I think he's ready to dominate.