The first taste of great stage cycling comes from the women’s scene. From Sunday we start with Vuelta a España women, eight stages in which it will be decided whose name will succeed that of Annemiek Van Vleuten, who last year won over Demi Vollering and an excellent Gaia Realini. But without the Dutchman, numerous scenarios open up on a route with a lot of uphill.
THE ROUTE OF THE VUELTA A ESPAÑA FEMININA 2024
Stage 1, April 28: Valencia-Valencia (16km, team time trial)
Completely flat team time trial, in which some differences can be found between those who want to aim for the general classification. A race that will certainly see the discipline’s specialists as protagonists, while the others will have to defend themselves.
2nd stage, April 29: Buñol-Moncófar (118 km)
First stage quite soft; fraction that always goes slightly uphill before the Puerto de L’Oronet, 5.9 km at 4.3% with maximum gradients around 6%. Downhill finish, but pay attention to the last eight kilometers not too far from the sea, the wind could mess up the cards in view of the sprint.
Stage 3, April 30: Lucena-Teruel (131 km)
The difficulty begins to increase, with a certainly more challenging section that will act as a starter for the subsequent ones. Very busy day, with the only GPM of the day being the Alto Fuente de Rubielos. However, the last 15 kilometers are slightly downhill and meet the group. We don’t expect differences in the ranking, but maybe it could be the right day for a breakaway.
4th stage, May 1: Molina de Aragon-Zaragoza (142 km)
Is there no day off? If you draw an active one. The day was practically always slightly downhill, there wasn’t much to report other than a couple of counter-slope sections: a day marked in red on the sprinters’ calendar.
5th stage, 2 May: Huesca – Jafa/Fuerte Rapitàn (113 km)
We begin to draw the general classification. After a 67 kilometer interlude, we begin with the climb to San Juan de la Peña, long but with manageable gradients (18.5 km at 3.1% average gradient, with a couple of stretches on a long slight slope. Downhill a little ‘ technique and we start to climb towards Jaca, the last GPM starts at 3200 meters from the finish line: average gradient of 8.3%, the last meters are at 12%.
6th stage, May 3: Tarazona – La Laguna Negra.Vinuesa (132 km)
A fraction based on the last climb, very similar to the eleventh we saw in the last men’s Vuelta. It starts uphill, then it’s all flat until the last climb, 6.4 km with an average gradient of 6.9. First half between 4 and 8%, then there are a couple of hairpin bends where it reaches 13% where there may be attacks before a ‘clearing’. Last 1700 meters at 8.5%, even reaching double figures.
Stage 7, May 4: San Esteban de Gormaz – Sigüenza (126 km)
Strange stage for being the penultimate stage of a Vuelta. The day is almost entirely flat and therefore seems geared towards a sprint, but the last 500 meters are uphill, with gradients between 8 and 10%: the whole day will depend on this last ramp.
8th stage, 5 May: Madrid.Distrito Telefónica – Valdesquì (89 km)
And here it is the queen stage, the last of this Vuelta Feminina. Light climb around Colmeniar Viejo, then you arrive at Puerto de la Morcuera: first part pedalable, but not marked as GPM, then 9.2 km at 6.9% with two short stretches in double figures. Descent, plain and last climb, the Puerto de Cotos, 10 km at 5.7%, with constant and pedalable gradients. Last 2200 meters on a slight slope to the finish line.
