Wednesday, December 20, 2023 at 11:00 AM
A round for pure climbers: we can draw this conclusion after the presentation of the route of the Vuelta a España 2024. The 79th edition of the three-week cycling round starts next year with a three-day passage through neighboring country Portugal
The Tour of Spain starts next year on Saturday, August 17 in Lisbon, next to the famous Tower of Belem, which stands on the banks of the Tagus river. The finish will then be in neighboring Oeiras, after a largely flat time trial of 12 kilometers. The second stage (Cascais – Ourém) and the third stage (Lousã – Castello Branco) will also be held on Portuguese territory. And that is quite special.
It doesn’t happen very often that the Vuelta starts abroad. In the past 78 editions, the round did not start in Spain only four times. Lisbon was already responsible for the first foreign start in 1997, after which the Vuelta also departed from Assen (2009), Nîmes (2017) and Utrecht (2022). The second Portuguese stage may be something for the punchers, while the fast men are far from without a chance in stage three.
Romain Bardet won in 2021 op de Pico Villuercas – photo: Cor Vos
Climbing required
On day four, the Vuelta caravan leaves Portugal for the first stage on Spanish territory, and it is a very tough mountain stage with a first-category climb, a second-category climb and a third-category climb along the way, before finishing on the flanks. from the Pico Villuercas (14.5 km at 6.2%). The Vuelta visited this climb two years ago and Romain Bardet was the first to cross the line.
Then there are a few stages in the south of Spain, especially in the often sweltering region of Andalusia. For example, the riders finish in Seville, there are stages to Yunquera and Córdoba that should not be underestimated and mountain stages have been planned towards Cazorla and Granada. In the ride to Granada, the riders cross the Puerto de el Purche and no less than twice the challenging Alto de Hazallanas (7.2 km at 9.8%).
Heavy diptych in Asturias
In the second week of the Vuelta, attention will focus on stages 12, 13 and 15. The riders will then finish respectively on the flanks of the climb to the ski station of Manzaneda, the steeper variant of the feared Puerto de Ancares and the terrible steep Cuitu Negru. The climb to Cuitu Negru is actually an extension of the Puerto de Pajares, with percentages well above 20%.
Primoz Roglic destroyed the competition on the way to Lagos de Covadonga in 2021 – photo: Cor Vos
The ride to Cuitu Negru is planned right before the second rest day, but after the rest day there is also a ride to the mythical Lagos de Covadonga. We then continue via the Cantabrian coast to Santander, and then slowly descend again to Madrid. Along the way there will be two more uphill finishes at Alto de Moncavillo (where Primoz Roglic won in 2020) and Picón Blanco (Rein Taaramäe triumphed there in 2021).
Nail-biting apotheosis in Madrid
We traditionally finish in Madrid, but this time not with a fairly usual flat sprinter stage. No, the organization has one last surprise for the riders: a billiard-level individual time trial of 22 kilometers. The last time the Vuelta ended with a time trial was in 2021, but then the finish line was not in Madrid but in Santiago de Compostela. For the last time trial in Madrid we have to go back to 2004.
Few transition stages(?)
What is immediately noticeable after a first look at the route: the riders will be presented with few real transition stages in the next edition. This is a conscious choice, as race director Javier Guillén previously stated. “It will be – like every year – a demanding round. I am personally not a fan of transition stages and there will hardly be any. Every stage must be a fight. We have some surprises in store.”
Routeschema Vuelta a España 2024 (August 17-September 8)
17/08 – Stage 1: Lisbon – Oeiras (12 km, ITT)
18/08 – Stage 2: Cascais – Ourém (191 km)
19/08 – Stage 3: Lousã – Castello Branco (191 km)
08/20 – Stage 4: Plasencia – Pico Villuercas (167 km)*
08/21 – Stage 5: Fuente del Maestre – Seville (170 km)
08/22 – Stage 6: Jerez de la Frontera – Yunquera (181 km)*
08/23 – Stage 7: Archidona – Córdoba (179 km)
24/08 – Stage 8: Úbeda – Cazorla (159 km)*
08/25 – Stage 9: Motril – Granada (178 km)
26/08 – Rest day
27/08 – Stage 10: Ponteareas – Baiona (160 km)
28/08 – Stage 11: Cortizo Padrón – Cortizo Padrón (164 km)
29/08 – Etappe 12: Ourense – Manzaneda station (137 km)*
30/08 – Stage 13: Lugo – Puerto de Ancares (171 km)*
08/31 – Stage 14: Villafranca del Bierzo – Villablino (199 km)
01/09 – Stage 15: Infiesto – Cuitu Negru (142 km)*
02/09 – Rest day
03/09 – Stage 16: Luanco – Lakes of Covadonga (181 km)*
04/09 – Stage 17: Juan de Castillo Arnuero Monument – Santander (143 km)
05/09 – Stage 18: Vitoria-Gasteiz – Maeztu (175 km)
06/09 – Stage 19: Logroño – Alto de Moncalvillo (168 km)*
07/09 – Stage 20: Villarcayo – Picón Blanco (171 km)*
08/09 – Stage 21: Madrid – Madrid (22 km, HERE)
* Arrival uphill
2023-12-20 10:00:00
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