Vuelta 2024 Favourites stage 9: Attackers in de Sierra Nevada (2024)

Thomas De Gendt perhaps? It would be something if one of the best breakaway artists of his generation were to take the win in the Sierra Nevada stage. After all, this Vuelta is the last Grand Tour of his career.

The route goes either up or down at gentle gradients over the first 51 kilometres. Climbs of 5.1 kilometres at 4.4% (after 17 kilometres), 7.1 kilometres at 4.6% (after 31 kilometres), and 6.6 kilometres at 5% (after 51 kilometres) stand out. All in all, that should be ample material for an engaging battle for the breakaway.

The terrain flattens out after the kilometre 51 mark before the uphill action really pick up 30 kilometres later at the foot of the Alto de El Purche. La Vuelta enters the Sierra Nevada on the 8.9 kilometres climb at 7.6%. Within a span of 67.5 kilometres, the riders are to tackle three Category 1 climbs and two unclassified ascents.

Upon cresting El Purche, the riders fly down to Pinos Genil and continue along the reservoir Embalse de Canales. The route gently undulates all the way to Güéjar Sierra, although there is also a stretch of 1.9 kilometres at 7.6%. A sharp descent takes the riders over River Genil and straight up the Alto de Hazallanas, a brutal climb of 7.1 kilometres at 9.6%. It’s an ideal spot to inflict pain on your rivals, especially since the Hazallanas is tackled twice.

The Hazallanas will certainly do damage in the breakway, but it remains to be see what the GC contenders will do. The downside of the Hazallanas in this scenario is that the climb precedes a 22.7 kilometres descent to the finish in Granada. It’s far from technical, so dropped riders have plenty of time to catch up.

Given the finale with its edges taken off, it seems unlikely that GC riders will go all out for the win. This opens the door for a successful breakaway.

We’ll update this article in the run-up to La Vuelta.

Favourites 9th stage 2024 Vuelta a España

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Another interesting read: route 9th stage 2024 Vuelta.