Vuelta 2024 Favourites stage 8: Hilly race with punchy finale

foto: Cor VosThe riders tackle approximately 2,700 metres of climbing over a course of 158.7 kilometres. The finale of La Vuelta's 8th stage is a 4.8 kilometres drag at 7.1% to the Ermita Virgen de la Cabeza in the Sierra de Cazorla. GC riders or breakaway artists? (Slideshow route/profile)

The first 100 kilometres take place on the rolling roads to the east of starting venue Úbeda. An unclassified climb of 2.4 kilometres at 5.2% stands out, making it a gentle way to prepare for the decisive last phase of the race.

Most of the climbing comes in the last 60 kilometres. It starts with the Puerto Mirador de las Palomas, an ascent of 7.3 kilometres at 5.7%. Halfway down the descent, the riders pass through finish venue Cazorla. Still 40 kilometres to go at that point.

The road starts to rise again with 27 kilometres remaining. During 15 kilometres it’s a mishmash of false flat sections and short descents. Two uphill stretches stand out a little. The first climbs 1.2 kilometres at 6.4% and the second 1.9 kilometres at 5.2% – so, nothing too extreme.

With 9 kilometres to go, the riders descend to the base of the final climb. It’s a 4.8 kilometres drag at 7.1%, but that statistic is misleading. The first kilometre goes up at 17.3% and the second at 3.4%. Then it’s back up to the double-digit gradient. After that, the gradient levels out again before ramping up to 13.5% in the final 800 metres.

Favourites 8th stage 2024 Vuelta a España

*** Dylan Teuns, Jhonatan Narváez, Victor Lafay, Pelayo Sánchez
** Primoz Roglic, Lennert Van Eetvelt, Mattias Skjelmose, Richard Carapaz
* Filippo Zana, Pavel Sivakov, Matthew Riccitello, Pablo Castrillo, Cristián Rodríguez

Another interesting read: route 8th stage 2024 Vuelta.