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Vuelta a España 2022: Preview, schedule and how to watch the key riders in the grand tour cycling race

As Primoz Roglic goes for a remarkable – an unprecedented – fourth consecutive overall victory, here's everything you need to know about this year's edition of the men's Spanish Grand Tour, which starts on 19 August in Utrecht, Netherlands.

The men's road cycling season continues, following the Commonwealth Games and European championships , with the third and last Grand Tour of the 2022 men's season, the 77th Vuelta ciclista a España or Tour of Spain, which runs from 19 August to 11 September 2022 .

Primoz Roglic , Slovenia's three-time defending champion of La Vuelta for Team Jumbo-Visma , and Olympic gold medalist is aiming to win an unprecedented fourth consecutive General Classification crown and become only the second man to win the race four times. To do so, he will need to cover the 3,280-kilometre (2,038 mile) route the quickest, in a race that will feature nine finishes at altitude.

This year's La Vuelta '22 begins with a Grand Depart in the Netherlands , postponed from 2020 after pandemic restrictions forced the cancellation of the Dutch start that year, which forced a reduced 18-stage race. This year's race comprises 21 stages, as it did last year.

La Roja – the leader's red jersey – will be contested between 176 riders from 22 teams each formed of eight men. In addition, the green points jersey, blue-and-white polka dot mountain classification jersey, and the white young riders' jersey are all also up for grabs. Additionally, for the opening three stages, the overall leader will wear a special version of the maillot rojo , which pays tribute to the race's Dutch hosts.

The last five days of the race, from 7 through 11 September, will coincide with the women's Challenge by La Vuelta stage race, although the two will have different routes. La Vuelta is the only men's Grand Tour without a women's counterpart; from 2023 the Challenge by La Vuelta race will officially become "La Vuelta Feminina".

Read on to find out what you need to know about this year's La Vuelta 22.

Vuelta a España 2022 General Classification: favourites to watch

Primoz Roglic : Could he complete the impossible? Never before done, the Slovenian former ski jumper is aiming to become the first man to win La Vuelta four years running. The 32-year-old will lead Jumbo-Visma once more, hoping to bounce back from a disappointing Tour de France which he abandoned after 14 stages. Roglic hasn't raced since then, recovering from a back fracture he suffered during the Tour. Roglic was also the Olympic men's time trial gold medallist at the Tokyo 2020 games in 2021.

Richard Carapaz : The Ecuadorian Olympic road race champion lost the 2020 Vuelta to Roglic by just 24 seconds, and is a Grand Tour winner in his own right having won the 2019 Giro d'Italia for Movistar Team. The Ineos Grenadiers rider, who will likely split leadership duties within his team with the 2020 Giro winner Tao Geoghegan Hart , will have massive support from Latin American fans around the roads of Spain.

João Almeida : UAE Team Emirates will count on Portuguese youngster Almeida for La Vuelta, with Tadej Pogacar given a rest. Almeida has experience in the big races, leading the 2020 Giro after Stage 3 through Stage 17 before conceding the lead and eventually finishing fourth. The 2021 Tour de Pologne and Tour de Luxembourg winner will look for his first Grand Tour podium here.

Enric Mas : Mas will be a joint-leader of the home team, Movistar Team, alongside the 42-year-old veteran Alejandro Valverde , who has repeatedly pushed his retirement back but is expected to be contesting his final Vuelta. Mas finished runner-up behind Roglic last year and was also second overall in 2018, and it could finally be time for Mas to make the step up.

Colombian contender Nairo Quintana withdrew on the eve of La Vuelta after being retrospectively disqualified from the 2022 Tour de France following a positive test for tramadol.

Other key riders at La Vuelta 2022

Green jersey (points).

Unlike at the Tour de France, La Vuelta does not have a reputation as a sprinter-friendly stage race. Its numerous mountainous stages and high-elevation finishers tend to discourage pure sprinters from completing all 21 stages. Defending champion Fabio Jakobsen was the first pure sprinter to win the green jersey since John Degenkolb did so in 2014; with the exception of all-rounder Fabio Felline in 2016, the points classification was won by general classification favourites from 2015 to 2020.

Two names to look out for – both from the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team – are world champion Julian Alaphilippe , making his major return from a horror crash at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the all-round star Remco Evenepoel . Both men have the pedigree to ride over hillier terrain and should, with the help of their teammates, be able to make it to the finish.

From Team DSM, Degenkolb is a previous winner of the jersey, having done so in 2014; Valverde , Chris Froome (Israel-Premier Tech) and Roglic are the other previous winners taking part in this year's race.

Polka dot jersey (mountains)

With king of the mountains points awarded differently from race to race, La Vuelta's polka dot jersey winners generally do not overlap with general classification favourites – unlike at the Tour, which has seen the overall winner also claim the mountains classification three years running.

The classification at La Vuelta generally encourages breakaway riders who are also good climbers; Australia's Michael Storer is the defending champion but is not entered this year.

Neither is the 2020 winner Guillaume Martin nor 2019 holder Geoffrey Bouchard. The last blue-white polka dot jersey winner who is in this year's race is Thomas De Gendt .

Vuelta a España 2022 key stages

The 2022 Vuelta a España begins in the Netherlands with a team time trial around Utrecht . Team time trials have traditionally been used to start La Vuelta in recent years, and the 2022 edition is no exception.

After two further flat stages reminiscent of some northern Classics, the race returns to Spanish soil and resumes in the Basque Country with the first of 10 stages with uphill finishes.

The race's time in the Basque Country includes a first visit to Pico Jano , which crowns Stage 6; two further mountain-top finishes come at the end of the first week in Asturias on Colláu Fancuaya and Les Praeres .

Individual time-triallists will get their day in the sun, quite literally, along the coast on Stage 10 from Elche to Alicante, before three more mountaintop finishes in the span of four stages, including the race's highest point, Sierra Nevada (2508m altitude) on Stage 15.

The final week sees the procession of high mountains, a hallmark of the Vuelta, continue – the monastery at Tentudía (stage 17) and Alto del Piornal (stage 18) have both never been visited by La Vuelta before. Stage 19 sees the peloton complete two laps of a circuit around the Puerto del Pelago , a tricky 9km climb at 5.9%, before the final racing stage will make those who have survived the previous 19 days of racing go over no fewer than five categorised climbs.

After last year's detour which saw the race end in Santiago de Compostela to celebrate the historic Way of St James, this year La Vuelta 22 returns to the Spanish capital Madrid for the last stage, a celebratory procession of the race and its winner similar to the Champs-Élysées stage of the Tour de France.

Full route of 2022 Vuelta a España

• Stage 1: 19 August, Utrecht to Utrecht (team time trial, 23.3km)
• Stage 2: 20 August, 's-Hertogenbosch to Utrecht (175.1km)
• Stage 3: 21 August, Breda to Breda (193.5km)
• Rest Day 1: 22 August (transfer day)
• Stage 4: 23 August, Vitoria-Gasteiz to Laguardia (152.5km)
• Stage 5: 24 August, Irun to Bilbao (187.2km)
• Stage 6: 25 August, Bilbao to Ascensión al Pico Jano, San Miguel de Aguayo (181.2km)
• Stage 7: 26 August, Camargo to Cistierna (190km)
• Stage 8: 27 August, La Pola Llaviana/Pola de Laviana to Colláu Fancuaya, Yernes y Tameza (153.4km)
• Stage 9: 28 August, Villaviciosa to Les Praeres, Nava (171.4km)
• Rest Day 2: 29 August
• Stage 10: 30 August, Elche to Alicante (time trial, 30.9km)
• Stage 11: 31 August, ElPozo Alimentación, Alhama de Murcia to Cabo de Gata (191.2km)
• Stage 12: 1 September, Salobreña to Peñas Blancas, Estepona (192.7km)
• Stage 13: 2 September, Ronda to Montilla (168.4km)
• Stage 14: 3 September, Montoro to Sierra de la Pandera (160.3km)
• Stage 15: 4 September, Martos to Sierra Nevada, Alto Hoya de la Mora, Monachil (152.6km)
• Rest Day 3: 5 September
• Stage 16: 6 September, Sanlúcar de Barrameda to Tomares (189.4km)
• Stage 17: 7 September, Aracena to Monasterio de Tentudía (162.3km)
• Stage 18: 8 September, Trujillo to Alto de Piornal (192km)
• Stage 19: 9 September, Talavera de la Reina to Talavera de la Reina (138.3km)
• Stage 20: 10 September, Moralzarzal to Puerto de Navacerrada (181km)
• Stage 21, 11 September, Las Rozas to Madrid, Paisaje de la Luz (96.7km)

How to watch the 2022 Vuelta a España

Here is a list of live television broadcasters around the world, many of which also offer digital livestream coverage too.

• Belgium: VRT
• Denmark: TV2
• Europe-wide: Eurosport
• Spain: RTVE
• Brazil: ESPN
• Canada: FloBikes
• Colombia: Caracol
• Latin America and the Caribbean: ESPN
• United States: NBC Sports

Asia-Pacific

• Australia: SBS
• China: Zhibo TV
• Japan: J Sports
• New Zealand: Sky Sport
• South-East Asia: Eurosport

Middle East and Africa

• Middle East and North Africa: BeIN Sports
• Sub-Saharan Africa: Supersport

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U.S. cyclist Sepp Kuss has won Spain's La Vuelta. His biggest rivals? His team

Bill Chappell

Sepp Kuss, overall leader of La Vuelta cycling race in Spain, has found his most persistent challengers to be his own teammates. He's seen here after Friday's stage. Oscar Del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Sepp Kuss, overall leader of La Vuelta cycling race in Spain, has found his most persistent challengers to be his own teammates. He's seen here after Friday's stage.

American rider Sepp Kuss has won La Vuelta a España, one of cycling's crown jewels, turning the crowd favorite into a surprise champion.

"I think I'll just look back on this experience with a lot of fond memories," Kuss said in an interview after his victory. "It's still sinking in. I think that's gonna take quite some time."

But in a dramatic twist, the biggest threat to Kuss during the three-week race came from within his own team — including a much-criticized attack on Kuss' birthday that cut into his lead.

U.S. rider Sepp Kuss (center) celebrates with teammates winning while crossing the finish line of the 21st and last stage of the 2023 La Vuelta cycling tour of Spain, on Sunday. Oscar del Pozo/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

U.S. rider Sepp Kuss (center) celebrates with teammates winning while crossing the finish line of the 21st and last stage of the 2023 La Vuelta cycling tour of Spain, on Sunday.

The result was an international sports controversy with all the trimmings, one that gets to the heart of how elite road cycling defines itself in its most high-profile team events.

Here's a quick guide to what's been going on in Spain:

Kuss is on cycling's most dominant team

Kuss' teammates on the Jumbo-Visma squad included two of the top cyclists in recent memory: two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard and three-time Vuelta champion Primož Roglič (who also won this year's Giro d'Italia).

Kuss, who is from Durango, Colo., faithfully served both Vingegaard and Roglič in key moments, pacing them on brutal climbs, shielding them from the wind and chasing down their rivals. By being a loyal domestique , or support rider, he repeatedly helped them climb to the top of the podium.

On Friday, the trio was ranked 1-2-3 in La Vuelta, nearly three minutes ahead of their closest rival. On its face, that's a bit boring. But in a fascinating twist, it's Kuss who had been wearing La Roja — the Spanish equivalent of the French yellow jersey — since becoming the race's leader on Sept. 2.

There's just one snag: Kuss was not the leader of Jumbo-Visma.

Sepp Kuss has gotten help from his accomplished teammates, including Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard (left). The two are seen here after stage 13 of the 2023 La Vuelta, the cycling grand tour race of Spain. Ander Gillenea/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

Sepp Kuss has gotten help from his accomplished teammates, including Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard (left). The two are seen here after stage 13 of the 2023 La Vuelta, the cycling grand tour race of Spain.

With the team in control in La Vuelta's final week, Jumbo-Visma had been under intense public scrutiny: Would the squad and its elite competitors allow Kuss to keep the famed red jersey all the way to Madrid?

On one side are those who say Kuss, a well-liked "super domestique" who has been integral to the world-beating successes of Team Jumbo-Visma, earned the right to vie for a Grand Tour victory of his own.

On the other side are those who say that the whole point of stage races such as La Vuelta and the Tour de France is to sort out the top cyclists, after thousands of miles and daunting climbs.

The birthday surprise, and an epic backlash

It was all smiles at the start of Wednesday's stage, when Kuss was presented with a cake and serenaded with "Cumpleaños Feliz" in honor of his 29th birthday. But by the end of the day, cycling fans were hotly accusing Kuss' teammates of betrayal.

❤️ Ha sufrido en el Angliru al ritmo de sus compañeros, pero logra salvar el liderato. ¡Disfruta del minuto de La Roja! ❤️ He suffered on the Angliru at the pace of his teammates, but managed to save the lead. Enjoy La Roja's minute! #LaVuelta23 @CarrefourES … pic.twitter.com/g38rZJJJoa — La Vuelta (@lavuelta) September 13, 2023

Roglič attacked late in the race, sprinting ahead of a handful of riders up the storied heights of the Alto de l'Angliru in the Asturias mountains, where the road soars up inclines of 20% in some spots. Only Vingegaard and Kuss were able to reunite with Roglič — and in a stunning moment, when Kuss faltered, his teammates simply dropped him, pedaling away into the mist.

The pair sliced 19 seconds off of Kuss' advantage, leaving Vingegaard just 8 seconds behind. They were also condemned for essentially attacking their teammate while he was wearing the race leader's jersey.

"It was a much nicer result than last time," Roglič said, referring to 2020, when he lost the red jersey on the Angliru. But as many fans quickly noted , that year's punishing stage was one in which Kuss stayed with his teammate and helped him limit the damage.

Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard wins the Tour de France for the 2nd straight year

Suspicions of an intra-team battle had risen one day earlier, when Vingegaard mounted an attack on the final climb that put him just 29 seconds behind Kuss and brought the Dane his second stage win.

"I don't know if I'll take the overall lead tomorrow," Vingegaard said at the time, reassuring no one.

When "tomorrow" came, there was Vingegaard, following Roglič's wheel to take more time out of Kuss. Compared to his actions, his comments afterward were hard to parse.

"To be honest, I actually hope that [Kuss] will keep the jersey," he said. "I would love to see Sepp winning this Vuelta a Espana." On Instagram and elsewhere, the Dane dedicated his win to an injured teammate. But cycling fans were incensed, criticizing Vingegaard and Roglič for dropping a teammate who was wearing the leader's jersey.

A public debate explodes

In a three-week stage race, it's not rare for a race leader to have an off day. But for many cycling fans, it was stunning to see Kuss' teammates abandon him, after the three had left all the other riders behind — both on the day's stage and in the overall standings.

Veteran cyclists also noted the rarity of the moment.

"There shouldn't be any gifts in a grand tour win," former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas said . But he added that in his view, Kuss has proven he's good enough to earn the win in Spain.

"I feel for Kuss... he deserves a bit more respect." Geraint Thomas hopes Sepp Kuss can go all the way! 🏆 #LaVuelta23 pic.twitter.com/UmzxZhsbRu — Eurosport (@eurosport) September 14, 2023

"So yeah, I feel for Kuss. I feel like he deserves a bit more respect," veteran rider Geraint Thomas said. "Not necessarily from the riders, either. I think more from the team. I think the team should be stronger with that."

Thomas later added, "Obviously, I would love to see Sepp win. And I think most of the peloton would, as well."

The uproar quieted on Thursday, when Roglič and Vingegaard shepherded Kuss through one of the final stages standing between him and the title. They even led him out to the finish, letting Kuss sprint ahead to defuse any challenges.

Role reversal at Team Jumbo-Visma 🔁🔴 Primož Roglič and Jonas Vingegaard led out their teammate and loyal super-domestique Sepp Kuss on the final climb of Stage 18 at La Vuelta, protecting his lead on general classification 👏 📸 Cor Vos ________________ 🇪🇸 #LaVuelta23 pic.twitter.com/e7aRkHbsm1 — Velon CC (@VelonCC) September 14, 2023

"It's an honor to have two such champions working for you," Kuss said afterward , noting his teammates' recent wins. He also praised the local fans: "It's probably the best part of being a professional cyclist. You feel the passion and the emotion when people cheer you on from the sidelines. It touches me every time."

Kuss also said his team has a plan — and Vingegaard affirmed the aim to defend Kuss' lead.

"We are in an excellent position, but we are not there yet," he said. "Saturday's stage is treacherous. It's fantastic to be able to do something for Sepp in this way. I will always remember what he has done for me. So, I wanted to give something back. Hopefully, we can bring his red jersey to the finish line."

The crowds in Spain chant: "Kuss! Kuss!"

Sepp Kuss had already endeared himself to cycling fans for taking on the sport's most painful assignments without complaint, grinding his team's rivals down as he dragged his leaders up the sides of mountains and literally carried their water.

Increasingly, that affection has blossomed into full-bore love, as evidenced by the crowd of fans who cheerfully mobbed Kuss as he left — or attempted to leave — his hotel Friday morning.

🇪🇸 #LaVuelta23 Euh, @lavuelta .. your race leader is a bit later at today’s start. 😉 Muchas gracias, fans! ❤️🫶🏼 pic.twitter.com/JwQV0ylCEg — Team Visma | Lease a Bike (@vismaleaseabike) September 15, 2023

For signs of what makes this American so appealing, watch his actions. Here's Kuss answering reporters' questions in Spanish; there's Kuss jumping out of the front seat of a team car, offering it to Roglič (who declined). Here's Kuss apologizing for sprinting for third place, saying he needed the bonus seconds to retain La Roja.

And there's Kuss chugging champagne , or admitting this week that he was surprised to learn he was still leading the race — and with a smile on his face, refusing to attack his teammates.

His humility and modesty, paired with his obvious talents, have made him an eminently likable American in Europe — so much so that Europeans turned on their own this week, to cheer for the "Durango Kid" to win it all.

Even before this week's high drama, fans of Kuss mounted a "GC Kuss" campaign, saying he should ride for "general classification," seeking the overall win in multistage races, rather than sacrificing himself for others. For one race, at least, that wish is being fulfilled.

NPR's Joe Hernandez contributed to this story.

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Vuelta a Espana

Vuelta a Espana coverage from Cycling Weekly, with up to date race results, rider profiles and news and reports.

The Vuelta a España 2024, the 79th edition of the race, will be the final Grand Tour of the season, with the race following the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in the WorldTour calendar.

The 2024 race includes just one flat stage, and promises to pack in the climbing, with two short time trials bookending the race, which opens in Lisbon, Portugal on 17 August. 

Sepp Kuss, the American cyclist who won the general classification in 2023 , has stated his aim to race again in 2024 , pairing the Spanish stage race with the Tour de France. 

Here's all you need to know ahead of the last Grand Tour of the season. 

Sepp Kuss: 'I can fight for the Grand Tours. I can be with the best guys'

Vuelta a españa 2024 route: sprinters beware, there is just one flat stage.

Vuelta a España 2024: Overview

Vuelta a españa 2024: the route.

The Vuelta a España 2024 route brings the mountains to centre stage once again. The first stage in Lisbon and the last stage in Madrid will be short individual time trials. Between the two ITTs, there is only one day for the sprinters, which comes early in the race, on day five. 

Vuelta a España 2024: Stage-by-stage

Vuelta a españa: the jerseys.

The red jersey of the Vuelta's general classification leader is now well established (it was previously gold, but changed in 2010). The leader of the mountains classification wears a polka-dot jersey, but its large blue spots mean it's very different to the one that riders in the Tour de France wear. The points leader's green jersey is lime green, while the jersey for best young rider (born after 1 January 1998), is white – familiar from the Tour de France.

There are other awards on offer as well, including the teams classification and a daily combativity award. Embellished jersey numbers, rather than jerseys, are on offer for this.

Riders in the general classification in particular will be interested in the bonus seconds that are available throughout the race. There are 10, 6 and 4 seconds for finishing first, second and third on a stage, plus 3, 2 and 1 seconds at nine different intermediate sprints throughout the race and 10 separate bonus uphill sprints.

Vuelta a España 2024: The teams

There will be 22 teams riding the 2024 Vuelta a España, including all 18 WorldTour teams and four second-tier ProTeams. Full details are yet to be confirmed.

Vuelta a España: Past winners

2013: Chris Horner (USA) RadioShack–Leopard 2014: Alberto Contador (Esp) Tinkoff–Saxo 2015: Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana 2016: Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team 2017: Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky 2018: Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton–Scott 2019: Primož Roglič (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 2020: Primož Roglič (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 2021: Primož Roglič (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma 2022: Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl 2023: Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma

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Vuelta 2024: The Route

The Spanish Grand Tour is the least geographical adventurous of all Grand Tours. It will be the fifth foreign Big Start in its 89-year history, after Utrecht, Netherlands (2022); Nîmes, France (2017); and Assen, Netherlands (2009). Lisbon also hosted the first foreign start in 1997.

The 1st stage will be a flat ITT of 11 kilometres between Lisbon and coastal town Oeiras. Stage 2 then travels north from Cascais to Ourém, while stage 3 starts in Lousa to finish in Castello Branco.

La Vuelta returns to home soil on the fourth day of action for a finish in the remote region of Extremadura. Pico Pitolero is the end station of stage 4 . The 13.8 kilometres climb at 7% offers double-digit material from kilometre 9 onward until it evens out after the flamme rouge.

La Vuelta turns south after Extremadura for a couple of Andalucian stages, starting with a race to Sevilla. Another stage is a hilly test to Yunquera in the Sierra de las Nieves before the riders are expected to shine in Córdoba, although de Alto de 14% in the finale could present a challenge. The race then continues on a route between Úbeda to Cazorla before the Sierra Nevada is expected to detonate the fireworks. Stage 9 sets off from Motril to enter the highest mountain ridge of mainland Spain. The route takes in the Alto del Purche (9.1 kilometres at 7.6%) before a double ascent of Alto de Hazallanas (7.3 kilometres at 9.6%) precedes the long downhill into Granada.

Week 2 Yet, the lion’s share of the race is played out in the northern part of Spain. The riders fly across the country on the rest day to the northwestern corner of Spain, where Galicia will hosts four stages. The 10th stage is a race through the hills of white wines Vallhalla Rías Baixas, leading from Ponteareas to a downhill finish in Baiona, before stage 11 starts and finishes in Padrón with a series attacker-friendly climbs in between. Stage 12 travels on undulating terrain to an extended finish climb on the Montaña Manzaneda.

The fourth Galician race – stage 13 – sets off from the capital Lugo to finish atop the Puerto de Ancares after 12.3 kilometres of hardship at 9.3%.

Also in the north of Spain you’ll find the Cuitu Negru. The mountain is home to the Valgrande-Pajares ski station and it takes 19.5 kilometres at 5.2% of climbing to get there. The first 7 kilometres are negligible false flat, but then it begins. One of the the hardest sectors sits at 7.5 kilometres (11% gradients) before the finish, while the last 2.5 kilometres are just horrific. The section averages almost 13% and features the steepest ramp – 24% – just before the finish line.

Week 3 Some 150 kilometres to the southeast of the Cuitu Negru towers a brutal climb to the Lagos de Covadonga. The scenery is spectacular and the same goes for the climb. The 12.5 kilometres ascent to the lakes comes with an average gradient of 6.9%, which is really just a nugatory statistic as double digit ramps are spread out over the ascent. The first 7 kilometres are especially brutal.

We stay in northern Spain with a race to Santander before stage 18 takes place in the Basque Country. The riders set off from Vitoria-Gasteiz to travel on lumpy terrain to Izki Natural Park, while Rivas de Tereso and Alto Herrera will be the intermediate climbs. The 19th stage traverses the vineyards of La Rioja before finishing atop the Alto del Moncalvillo.

The penultimate test is a tough mountain stage – with over 4,000 vertical metres – between Villarcayo and the summit of Picón Blanco in Burgos. The 7.6 kilometres long finish climb leads to an abandoned military base at 1,468 metres above sea level. The average gradient of 9.3% is biased as the ascent opens with relatively modest gradients, while it stretches for kilometres at over 10% in the second half.

In 2021, Rein Taaramäe attacked from the breakaway with 3 kilometres to go on the Picón Blanco. He soloed to the stage win and red jersey. It was the third day of that edition and the GC riders kept a low profile. Which will not be the case this time…

La Vuelta returns to Madrid for the final stage , but instead of the usual city circuit the riders are treated to an ITT.

Vuelta a España 2024: route, profiles, videos

Click on the images to zoom

2024 La Vuelta Femenina: Stage Recaps & Highlights

Check out our up-to-date recaps of the latest Vuelta stages and catch up on all the action.

Stage 2: Buñol to Moncofa, 118.3 km

Movistar’s Annemiek van Vleuten won last year’s race and became the first woman to win all three of the major women’s stage races (La Vuelta, Tour de France Femmes , and Giro Donne). But she retired at the end of 2023, so there is no chance of a repeat winner.

Stage 1: Valencia to Valencia, 16 km

Sunday’s 16-kilometer team time trial in Valencia, Spain, was flat and fast. This, first and foremost, means we got another look at the Visma-Lease a Bike TT helmets , and we also saw a lot of excellent team action.

It was a tight race throughout, with everyone looking to claim an early general classification lead. But it was Lidl-Trek that took the victory late in the day. The women averaged just under 50 km/h to finish in a time of 19:20. Gaia Realini led across the line and thus will wear the leader’s jersey heading into stage two.

The lead didn’t come without drama. Ellen van Dijk and Elynor Bäckstedt both crashed, slightly holding up their teammates on the approach to the finish. But the American team managed to regroup and push to the line just 0.02 seconds over Visma-Lease a Bike.

“After crashing in the TTT, Ellen [van Dijk] has a wound on her chin, which will require stitches, as well as blows to her right shoulder and left knee. She will be taken to hospital for checks to rule out any fractures. Fortunately, there is no sign of concussion,” shared Lidl-Trek in a statement via social media .

In her post-race interview, when asked if the team would work to hold onto the leader’s jersey, Realini said, “For sure, we will take this jersey and defend it for the next stage.”

Alison Jackson Takes a Stunning Sprint Win

Alison Jackson (EF Education-Cannondale) won stage 2 of the Vuelta Femenina in a reduced sprint after surviving a crash-marred final kilometers. The Canadian beat Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime), who finished second, and Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ), who finished in third place. After taking the bonus seconds at the finish and in the intermediate sprint, Vas is our new GC leader.

The meat of the action came in the final third of the stage, with bonus points and seconds available at Porte L’Oronet (a Category 3 climb 40 km away from the finish), in the intermediate sprints following the climb, and at the finish line. With such a tight GC standing after Sunday’s team time trial, bonus seconds proved crucial for the green jersey.

Swinkels took the maximum points on the QOM climb. Amanda Spratt (Lidl–Trek) took second, and Gaia Realini (Lidl–Trek) third. Following the climb, Anneke Dijkstra (VolkerWessels) took the first sprint points toward the green jersey, Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime) took second, and Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) took third. But it wasn’t a done deal until the sprint to the finish, which came with even more bonus points.

The final kilometers were flat, with some technical turns and damp roads that required some serious bike handling. With three kilometers left, there was a major crash in the peloton, and then another at a roundabout with 2.4 km to go. Tons of riders went down.

Despite the crashes, Jackson delivered a beautiful sprint against a reduced group of riders. In her signature style, the victory was immediately followed by a dancing celebration.

“​​I was in the right position at the right time with teammates to take care of me from beginning to end. And then, we just made the right decisions. Crashes were happening, and I kept safe, playing it smart. At the finish, it was all due to my teammates,” said Jackson in her post-race interview.

Heading into Stage 3, Jackson will wear the green jersey, Vas of SD Worx-Protime will wear the leader’s jersey, and Swinkels of UAE Team ADQ will wear the polka-dot jersey. Lidl-Trek still leads the team classification, followed closely by Visma-Lease a Bike, and SD Worx-Protime.

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Preview of the 2024 Vuelta Femenina | No Van Vleuten, but spring nemesis for Vollering

A fter a turbulent spring classics season, where a strong returning Marianne Vos, a regal Lotte Kopecky, and a soaring Elisa Longo Borghini swept most of the victories away from the other top riders, it's time for the first major women's tour: the Vuelta! Demi Vollering, still seeking her first victory, is participating and will be especially determined to avenge her near-win in 2023. Who are the other favorites for the red jersey? And what course will the women face? IDLProCycling.com tells you everything you need to know!

Last year, the Vuelta Femenina was highly controversial. The fight for the red jersey was thrilling but was ultimately decided by a mistake from Vollering. Or was it due to unsportsmanlike riding by Annemiek van Vleuten? After a bathroom break at SD Worx, the leader of the general classification failed to catch up, and Van Vleuten took over the lead. She held it through a nail-biting battle of seconds on the legendary climb to Lagos de Covadonga and never relinquished it again. Vollering gained a lot of time back but fell just nine seconds short of clinching the red jersey.

Thus, Van Vleuten – as it now turns out – won her last grand tour. It was also her third overall victory in the women’s Tour of Spain. The race received a significant update in 2023, growing from five to seven stages, and this year it will expand to include an eighth stage. From 2015 to 2017, the Vuelta was a one-day race, known as the Madrid Challenge. It expanded to a two-day event in 2018 and 2019, before a third day was added in 2020. In 2021, there were four stages, and the following year, five.

Practical information Vuelta Femenina 2024

• Sunday, April 28 - Sunday, May 5, 2024
• Participants
• Classification: 2.WWT

In this article:

• Recent winners
• Route, climbs and times
• Favorites for the stage wins

Recent winners of the Vuelta Femenina 

2023: Annemiek van Vleuten

2022: Annemiek van Vleuten

2021: Annemiek van Vleuten

2020: Lisa Brennauer

2019: Lisa Brennauer

2018: Ellen van Dijk

2017: Jolien D'Hoore *

2016: Jolien D'Hoore *

2015: Shelley Olds *

* In these editions it was still a one-day race .

Vuelta Femenina 2024: Route, times and favorites for the stages

Stage 1, sunday, april 28, 2024: valencia - valencia (team time trial, 16 km).

The first stage of the Vuelta is a perfectly flat team time trial. Around Valencia, teams will cover sixteen kilometers without any significant obstacles. In addition to being flat, this challenge is also not very demanding in terms of corners: halfway through, the riders make a U-turn and head back towards the beautiful center of Valencia. An ideal day for the strong teams and well-oiled machines in the peloton!

First team starts 3:56 PM

Last team finishes approximately 5:15 PM

Visma | Lease a Bike

SD Worx-Protime

Stage 2, Monday, April 29, 2024: Bunyol - Moncofa (118.3 km)

Stage two falls into the category of 'Spanish flat.' The riders start in Bunyol at an elevation of almost four hundred meters. A rolling course takes them to the finish line in Moncofa, facing only the Puerto de L'Oronet as a notable climb along the way. This climb is positioned far enough from the finish that the sprinters' teams are unlikely to want to lose the battle there. Thus, we are gearing up for a likely bunch sprint on day two, although some of the faster women might find themselves dropped...

79.9 km: Puerto de L'Oronet (5.9 km at 4.0%)

Start: 2:22 PM

Finish: approximately 5:15 PM

Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich PostNL)Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Georgia Baker (Liv AlUla Jayco)

Stage 3, Tuesday, April 30, 2024: Lucena - Teruel (130.2 km)

Stage three could go several ways. The route is tougher than the second stage, with more elevation gain. The only official climb of the day is mid-race, but the vertical challenges don’t stop there. The course continues to undulate and roll towards the finish line in Teruel. Here, the sprinters who can handle a climb may battle it out. Alternatively, this could be a good day for breakaway riders, as the stage will be difficult to control. Multiple scenarios are possible!

68 km: Alto Fuente de Rubielos (6.0 km at 6.0%)

Start: 1:45 PM

Finish: approximately 5:16 PM

Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek)

Emma Henderson (Visma | Lease a Bike)

Stage 4, Wednesday, May 1, 2024: Molina de Aragón - Zaragoza (142.3 km)

A stage that is almost entirely downhill is not something we often see! Yet, in the fourth stage, the riders descend nearly a thousand meters, with a few small bumps along the way. With no serious climbs to contend with, this stage is an ideal opportunity for the fast riders in the peloton. There's a good chance we'll see another battle between Marianne Vos and Charlotte Kool!

Start: 1:57 PM

Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich PostNL)

Stage 5, Thursday, May 2, 2024: Huesca - Jaca (113.9 km)

And here it is, the first mountain-top finish! We've had to wait four days for it in the women's race, but it immediately presents a significant mountain stage. The route includes two second-category climbs. Particularly, the final climb will make a difference. The ascent to Alto del Fuerte in Jaca is not long, but it is steep and will definitely create a divide in the GC. A first real opportunity for Demi Vollering? It certainly looks like it!

After 86 km: Alto del Monasterio de San Juan de la Pena (18.4 km at 3.0%)

After 113 km: Alto del Fuerte (3.0 km at 8.0%)

Start: 2:16 PM

Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime)

Katarzyna Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM Racing)

Stage 6, Friday, May 3, 2024: Tarazona - La Laguna Negra (132.1 km)

The day after the first uphill finish, there's another one right away. This one is much longer, though slightly less steep. We expect to see the same women leading the pack, as an average gradient of 6.7 percent can definitely create gaps.

132.1 km: La Laguna Negra (6.5 km at 6.7%)

Start: 1:41 PM

Stage 7, Saturday, May 4, 2024: San Esteban de Gormaz - Sigüenza (138.6 km)

One last chance for the fast women, though we may be thinking more of the punchers here. After a hilly day, the last few hundred meters run dirty. Timing is important to be able to compete for the day's victory here!

Start: 12:57 p.m.

Finish: approximately 4:15 p.m.

Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime)

Liane Lippert (Movistar)

Stage 8, Sunday, May 5, 2024: Distrito Telefónica - Valdesquí (89.0 km)

We wrap up the women's Vuelta with an ultra-short 89-kilometer stage, but it includes two significant climbs. The general classification could be completely overturned here. And who will take the stage win? Someone who has already lost some time? Or perhaps the most dominant rider in the pack?

33.2 km: Puerto de la Morcuera (9.1 km at 6.8%)

89.0 km: Valdesquí (12.8 km at 4.8%)

Start: 11:01 AM

Finish: approximately 1:30 PM

Favorites for the General Classification of the Vuelta Femenina 2024

In contrast to the men’s races, the dynamics in women's grand tours often point more clearly towards certain contenders. The gap in performance levels is still too significant to come up with a list of ten names that can win the Vuelta. However, let's attempt to identify some. The top favorite: Demi Vollering ! Despite a spring season without victories, she consistently showed she has the strength to compete for the win. With the climbs becoming longer and tougher, Vollering is expected to excel even more. She also benefits from the strong support of her team at SD Worx-Protime.

This holds true for Elisa Longo Borghini at Lidl-Trek, who was Vollering’s nemesis this spring. The Italian champion was stronger than Vollering at events like the Brabantse Pijl, and also demonstrated in races like Strade Bianche and Liège-Bastogne-Liège that she can match the Dutch rider on such terrains. How will she fare on longer climbs and as the tough days stack up?

Kasia Niewiadoma might be a key rival for Vollering. The Polish rider from Canyon/SRAM clinched her first victory since 2019 at the Flèche Wallonne, which must have given her a huge confidence boost heading into the grand tour season. Niewiadoma is undoubtedly one of the best climbers in the peloton. Can she compete with Vollering and Longo Borghini in the team time trial, in terms of the team?

Behind these three top names, there is a solid group of outsiders and long shots. Women who haven't yet proven they can win, but who may have the potential. Consider the young Ricarda Bauernfeind , a teammate of Niewiadoma and last year's stage winner at the Tour de France Femmes. Juliette Labous is steadily progressing at dsm-Firmenich PostNL, having achieved a second place in the 2023 Giro, for example. The French rider is definitely one to watch. Also noted are the always dangerous veteran Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance - Soudal Team) and the American climber Kristen Faulkner (EF).

Favorites for the General Classification of the Vuelta Femenina 2024, according to IDLProCycling.com

Top favorite : Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime)

Outsiders: Elisa Longo Borghini (Lidl-Trek) and Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon/SRAM)

Long Shots : Juliette Labous (Team dsm-firmenich PostNL), Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio (AG Insurance - Soudal Team), Kristen Faulkner (EF Education-Cannondale) and Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon/SRAM)

2024 Vuelta Femenina TV Coverage

The Women's Tour of Spain will be broadcast live daily on Eurosport ! Note that the last two days will finish earlier.

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La Vuelta Femenina: Alison Jackson wins Stage 2, Marianne Vos and Lizzie Deignan caught up in late crashes

Updated 29/04/2024 at 17:01 GMT

Alison Jackson profited from a superb leadout from her EF Education–Cannondale team-mates as she claimed a brilliant sprint win on Stage 2 at La Vuelta Femenina. Jackson saw off competition from Blanka Vas and Karlijn Swinkels in the finale. SD Worx-Protime's Vas took the leader's red jersey after coming home second. Stream the cycling season live on discovery+.

Highlights: jackson sprints to stage 2 victory at vuelta feminina after crash-filled climax, lidl-trek survive late crash to sneak victory on stage 1 team time trial.

Yesterday at 17:46

Lidl-Trek survive final-corner 'disaster' to win Stage 1 team time trial

La vuelta femenina 2024: how to watch on eurosport and discovery+.

26/04/2024 at 09:55

Five storylines to watch at 2024 Vuelta Femenina

The first grand tour of the season sees the women’s peloton travel to spain, where there are plenty of storylines to follow for what will be an enthralling edition of the vuelta femenina..

(L-R) Gaia Realini, Sarah Gigante, and Demi Vollering will all compete in the 2024 edition of the Vuelta Femenina. Source: Getty

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VUELTA A ESPAÑA FEMENINA | ETAPA 3

Vuelta a España Femenina 2024 hoy, etapa 3: perfil y recorrido

Desenlace en teruel donde las velocistas tendrán que apretar para disputarse la victoria. parte del recorrido es de la vuelta 2023 el día que ganó kuss..

Tercera jornada de La Vuelta Femenina 2024, que partirá de Lucena con una salida sinuosa en la provincia de Castellón, acompañada de un terreno rompepiernas entrando en la provincia de Teruel. Las ciclistas deberán afrontar la subida a Fuente de Rubielos, de tercera categoría, una subida que ya se afrontó en la edición masculina en 2023... en la etapa que triunfó Sepp Kuss, a la postre ganador de la ronda española el pasado año . Las velocistas puras podrían sufrir para llegar a los kilómetros finales y disputar el la etapa... y la lluvia amenaza con volver a ser de la partida.

Las caídas, por desgracia, se sucedieron en la segunda jornada , especialmente en el tramo final, con numerosos equipos implicados, entre ellos el Movistar. Tras recuperar por la noche de los golpes, se espera que todas las implicadas sean de la partida en Lucena (no confundir con la localidad de Córdoba). Por ello, corredoras como Kool y Vos, triunfadoras en volatas en 2023 en la ronda española , volverán a ser de las grandes favoritas, mientras que esta vez, a diferencia de la segunda etapa, hay más diferencia entre las primeras en la general. Eso sí, sigue siendo reducida, pero esta vez no habrá esprint bonificado, por que la húngara Blanka Vas (segunda en Moncofa) aspira a retener el rojo un día más.

Sigue el canal de Diario AS en WhatsApp , donde encontrarás todo el deporte en un solo espacio: la actualidad del día, la agenda con la última hora de los eventos deportivos más importantes, las imágenes más destacadas, la opinión de las mejores firmas de AS, reportajes, vídeos, y algo de humor de vez en cuando.

La Vuelta Femenina 2024 – Analysing the contenders

After Annemiek van Vleuten's retirement is Demi Vollering an inevitable victor or will a new challenger rise?

It is time for the first Grand Tour of the season and a look at just who within the women’s peloton could step into the red jersey of the overall race leader at La Vuelta Femenina .

The Spanish race, which has been upping the ante in recent seasons – transforming from a one-day race into a tour across eight stages – has lost its three-time champion Annemiek van Vleuten . The retirement of the rider who had previously dominated means a new group of potential victors will be clamouring to make a mark, particularly those forced to stand on the lower steps right through the period where the race has included terrain that leans toward climbing strength.

Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime), as Tour de France Femmes victor and the rider who also came close to unseating Van Vleuten in Spain in 2023, is the most obvious choice as race favourite but given she hasn’t had the same form on the run in this season will give her rivals a reason for hope.

Of course, those rivals will include a couple of strong options from Lidl-Trek to carry on with the season's trend. The 2022 runner-up Elisa Longo Borghini is firing, having claimed three wins already this season, including the Tour of Flanders, and has visited the podium seven times. The Italian champion could also have Gaia Realini by her side, delivering the team strength card that Lidl-Trek seems to play so well. Canyon-SRAM, too look set to line up with a formidable combination of riders, which could well help an in-form Kasia Niewiadoma become increasingly accustomed to the taste of victory.

There are plenty of other riders among those who are expected to line up – although confirmed start lists are yet to be released – who could also challenge for overall victory at the April 28 to May 5 event. 

Cyclingnews takes a closer look at some of the riders to watch as the battle for red unfolds from the team trial through the Pyrenees to a showdown in the Sierras of Madrid. 

Join Cyclingnews for coverage of the  2024 La Vuelta Femenina , and check in after each race for our full report, results, gallery, news and features.

Demi Vollering (SD Worx-Protime)

Demi Vollering may not have gone into last year's La Vuelta Femenina with a GC mindset, but she soon acquired one after stepping into the red jersey after the first summit finish on stage 4. After losing the lead position on stage 6, partly due to an ill-timed nature break and crosswinds, revenge was on her mind. She took it in the form of victory on the final stage at Lagos de Covadonga, but while that effort may have meant the SD Worx clawed back a significant portion of the gap in the final stage, she still fell nine seconds short of the ultimate prize, the red jersey. This edition, however, is the chance to change that.

To add to that sense of unfinished business is an early season, which has been peppered with podiums, but perhaps not the step on them she was hoping for. Vollering came into La Vuelta Femenina on a tearing run last year, having already swept up five victories for the year, including Strade Bianche and all of the Ardennes Classics. This year she is yet to claim a victory, although that will likely change in the coming days.

The toughening of the route should play into Vollering's hands, with the addition of a third summit finish bound to be a boon for the rider who won both in last year's edition. Plus, even though her main rival may be out of the picture, there will be plenty of obstacles along the way to the stage 8 finish line at the top of the Valdesquí, with a number of old rivals and rising talents lining up and a big target on Vollering's back as the rider to beat.

Elisa Longo Borghini and Gaia Realini (Lidl-Trek)

Lidl-Trek are once again lining up with an enviable mix of experience, new talent and a track-record as a team that knows how to pull together to win races. The Ardennes may not have gone exactly to plan, but as they move from the icy cold conditions to the more temperate climes of Spain, they have a team that has every chance of slotting right back into winning ways. 

After a tough 2023, a rejuvenated Elisa Longo Borghini is leading the team's victory charge so far in 2024, and La Vuelta Femenina offers the chance to reignite the embers. 

The Italian champion has stood on the overall podium of both the Giro d'Italia Women and La Vuelta Femenina, with second in both 2020 and 2022 in Spain. This year could be her chance to finally make it to that top step, especially given the consistency she has shown so far this season, where she has rarely deviated from the top few spots on the results sheet. What's more, Longo Borghini is expected to be lining up in a squad that also includes the 22-year-old Gaia Realini. On her debut at the Vuelta last year stood on the third step of the podium alongside Vollering and Van Vleuten after climbing up the ranks by delivering an impressive effort on the final stage, taking second as the only rider who was even close to being able to keep pace with Vollering.

The two-pronged attack from two former podium placers may be just what the team needs to make it to that top step.

Kasia Niewiadoma and Ricarda Bauernfeind (Canyon-SRAM)

Last year's edition of the Vuelta was the race where Ricarda Bauernfeind gave notice of just what she was capable of, coming fifth overall just months into her first season in the Canyon-SRAM WorldTour team after having made the jump from the development squad. The German rider then quickly consolidated her position as a rider to watch by taking victory on stage 5 of the Tour de France Femmes and finishing ninth overall. What's more, she has shown remarkable consistency in stage races, also finding the top ten last year at the Tour de Romandie Féminin and Tour of Scandinavia. 

The 24-year-old alone is worthy of note as a rider who could be in with a podium chance in Spain, but this year she will also be joined by Kasia Niewiadoma at La Vuelta Femenina, delivering a formidable pairing for the race to spearhead the Canyon-SRAM charge. 

Niewiadoma is on top, clearly in form and fresh from that much sought after win at La Flèche Wallonne Femmes. That provided the best of lead in indications for a rider that, even when things aren't running so smoothly, doesn't seem to know how to deliver a bad GC result across the top Spanish, French and Italian tours. The rider from Poland has two podiums at the Tour de France Femmes, a second at the Giro d'Italia Women and 11 results within the top seven overall across her 12 participations at the three events. Niewiadoma doesn't have a podium at the Vuelta on her palmarès yet but with a powerful squad behind her – which also includes Neve Bradbury as a climbing asset – no step seems out of reach for her at this year's eight-stage race.

Mavi García (Liv-AlUla-Jayco)

Mavi García has been in the top ten of this race and the Tour de France Femmes and also found her way onto the podium of Giro d'Italia Women in 2022. There are also a number of reasons to think that the Spanish rider could level up at this edition of the race. 

For a start, the toughening parcours mean there are more days suited to the 40-year-old who this year made the shift to Liv-AlUla-Jayco with hopes of a resurgence. The UAE Tour was a good sign, with the rider coming third overall. Add to that, the rider said she has "been feeling better than I did last year and, at this stage, I think I can do well in this race." That means a podium target doesn't seem unreasonable, particularly given the first stage should help her along the way. 

Last year, the Australian-based squad perhaps didn't perform as well as they would have hoped in the team time trial, with one of their expected powerhouses, Georgie Howe, crashing early, but in eighth they were still two places ahead of García's old Liv Racing TeqFind team and will hope for more at this year's flat and fast time trial.

To start the Vuelta with an advantage could go a long way to help the Garcia continue into the mountains on the front foot.

Juliette Labous (dsm-firmenich-PostNL)

In the last three years, Juliette Labous has been in the top ten in every edition of La Vuelta Femenina, Giro d'Italia Women and Tour de France Femmes she has completed. 

Last year, she also finally broke through to the podium in Italy, taking second behind a dominant Annemiek van Vleuten. With that step up to a new level at the Giro, she'll now be aiming to do the same at the Vuelta, where she finished seventh last year. 

"I have done a three-week altitude simulation camp over the last month, and I felt really good in training and recently in the races," said Labous. "We’ve worked a lot to improve my GC abilities, so I want to aim for a podium, and we will do everything we can to achieve that goal." It won't be the only ambition for the team, with Charlotte Kool on board for the sprints; however, 19-year-old Nienke Vinke, who finished second at the Tour Down Under in January, could prove a handy ally on the climbs as she debuts at the race.

Riejanne Markus (Visma-Lease a Bike)

It's hard not to fade into the background at a squad that includes Marianne Vos, but Riejanne Markus is one of those riders who can sway the spotlight from time to time. 

The 29-year-old Dutch climber was actually just one spot off the podium at the 2023 edition of La Vuelta Femenina, knocked off the steps on the last stage by the impressive efforts on the final climb of Gaia Realini. 

Markus is a rider who, like García, will be hoping to start with an advantage given her team took the top spot at the opening team time trial last year. The addition of another climbing stage, however, may make it a little harder to chase the podium again given that while she may have fared reasonably on the summit finishes in the past, finishing seventh on both last year's mountain top finales, but they still provide an opportunity for the pure climbers to leapfrog the Dutch rider.

Ashleigh Moolman Pasio and Sarah Gigante (AG Insurance-Soudal)

AG Insurance-Soudal is heading into the Vuelta with an exciting mix of experience and rising talent this year – Ashleigh Moolman Pasio has the proven Grand Tour record, while Sarah Gigante has the promise.

The 23-year-old Australian started the new season with her new team in ideal fashion, claiming the top step of the overall podium at the Tour Down Under with a spectacular victory on Willunga Hill. 

Now it's finally time to learn the ropes of the longer stage races, with a long-awaited debut at the Spanish race after years where injury, health and circumstance have curtailed her European racing. 

Learning at the side of a rider who has taken second in the women's Giro d'Italia twice and also last year delivered sixth at the Tour de France Femmes in 2023 could provide not only a valuable stepping stone for Gigante but also a valuable ally for the seasoned South African.

Honorable mentions

• Évita Muzic (FDJ-SUEZ) came sixth in Spain last year and with a strong lead in, which included a fourth at La Flèche Wallonne, she looks to have every chance of delivering a powerful showing again in 2024.
• With defending champion Van Vleuten out, Liane Lippert – who came fourth at the race in 2022 – is an obvious replacement contender for Movistar but her form is a huge unknown given she is just returning from injury to start the season. Also look out for teammate Olivia Baril who has a mounting list of stage race top ten finishes.
• Ane Santesteban moved to Laboral Kutxa-Fundacion Euskadi at the start of this season to help build the Spanish squad and it's hard to go beyond success at the home tour to get momentum rolling. The climber who finished sixth at the race in 2022 will have every incentive to go all out.

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Simone is a degree-qualified journalist that has accumulated decades of wide-ranging experience while working across a variety of leading media organisations. She joined Cyclingnews as a Production Editor at the start of the 2021 season and has now moved into the role of Australia Editor. Previously she worked as a freelance writer, Australian Editor at Ella CyclingTips and as a correspondent for Reuters and Bloomberg . Cycling was initially purely a leisure pursuit for Simone, who started out as a business journalist, but in 2015 her career focus also shifted to the sport.

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