Vuelta 2024 Route stage 20: Villarcayo - Picón Blanco

Saturday 7 September - The riders face an altitude gain of over 4,000 metres on the penultimate day of action. Stage 20 of La Vuelta leads from Villarcayo to the summit of the Picón Blanco. The route takes in six intermediate climbs before the last ascent throws in 7.6 kilometres with an average gradient of 9.3%.

Climbers with no ITT skills should come to the fore, as the stage to the Picón Blanco is the last race in line. The route goes up and down from the start, although the first KOM climb - Las Estacas de Trueba - is crested relatively late, after 35 kilometres. It's a 9.2 kilometres ascent with an average gradient of 3.1%.

A long descent precedes the Puerto de la Braguía (5.8 kilometres at 5.9%), and on it goes to the Alto del Caracol (10.8 kilometres at 5.4%), Portillo de Lunada (14 kilometres at 6.1%), Portillo de la Sia (7.2 kilometres at 6.1%), and Puerto de Los Tornos (11.3 kilometres at 6%).

Following a 15 kilometres section - the first half of which gentle downhill, the second half virtually flat -, the riders move through Espinosa de los Monteros, a village at an elevation of 762 metres. This is the base of the Picón Blanco. The finish climb leads to an abandoned military base at 1,468 metres. The average gradient of 9.1% is biased, as the 7.9 kilometres ascent begins relatively easy before it shows its teeth with double digits material for kilometres on a stretch.

The first three riders on the line gain time bonuses of 10, 6 and 4 seconds, while the intermediate sprint - at the Puerto de Los Tornos - comes with 6, 4 and 2 seconds.

Ride the route yourself? Download GPX 20th stage 2024 Vuelta.

Another interesting read: results 20th stage 2024 Vuelta a España.