Vuelta a España 2024 Round-Up: The final Grand Tour of the season finished on Sunday with Primoz Roglič winning his fourth Vuelta a España. The Slovenian didn’t get it all his way and we say the emergence and confirmation of some different names. Here are the ups and down of the 2024 Spanish tour.
The 2024 Vuelta Teaser
*** You can see the PEZ ‘Vuelta Route Preview’ HERE. ***
*** See the PEZ ‘Vuelta Favourite Riders’ choice HERE. ***
The 2024 Vuelta a España Team’s Presentation
Many predicted that Primoz Roglič would win this year’s Vuelta a España, but the Spanish Grand Tour was still exciting to watch with its summit finishes and tough days, the sprinters were not to happy, but the fans were mostly enthralled. The loss of Wout van Aert took away some of the interest, but there was still much to watch. Ben O’Connor fought to keep the red jersey longer than we expected and the small Kern Pharma team was punching much higher than they or anyone else thought they could. All in all, the 2024 Vuelta had everything we want form a three week race – Bring on the 2025 Vuelta a España.
Stage 1: McNulty Takes First Vuelta Red!
Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) claimed the first red jersey of the 2024 Vuelta a España. The UAE Team Emirates American clocked the fastest time in the 12 kilometre opening time trial from Lisboa to Oeiras. He narrowly beat Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) and Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike).
Stage 1 extended highlights:
Stage 2: Groves In The Vuelta Sprint Groove!
The second stage of the 2024 Vuelta a España was won by Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) in a sprint from a decimated bunch, due to a late crash. Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), finished in second place and took the red leader’s jersey from Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates), who won the first stage time trial.
Stage 2 highlights:
Stage 3: Victory Van Aert In Red!
Wout van Aert is a winner again. The Visma | Lease a Bike rider flew to the victory in the third stage of the Vuelta a España. The Vuelta overall leader in his red jersey, beat stage 2 winner, Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck). Jon Aberasturi gave Euskaltel-Euskadi a podium place after a day in the break. Van Aert now leads the overall by 13 seconds from Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates) and took the Green jersey from Groves.
Stage 3:
Stage 4: Roglič Romps Into Red!
On a hot, first mountain stage of the 2024 Vuelta a España, Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) pushed his wheel across the finish line first. The Slovenian beat Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Dstny) in a spectacular finale, by a wheel. The final climb also showed the form of the other GC men: Last year’s winner, Sepp Kuss, Richard Carapaz and Adam Yates were all missing from the front group.
Stage 4 highlights:
Stage 5: Bittner Bites Wout In Seville!
Pavel Bittner surprisingly won the fifth stage of the Vuelta a España. After a stage of 170 kilometres, the young sprinter of dsm-firmenich-PostNL was the fastest in a long sprint in the streets of Seville. In an exciting finale, Bittner beat Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) by a very small margin. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was third. Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) is still the overall leader.
The final K of stage 5:
Stage 6: O’Connor Solos To Stage And Overall Lead!
Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale) stormed to the stage win on the sixth stage of the 2024 Vuelta a España and took the red jersey with a lead of nearly 5 minutes on Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe). The Australian had lost time to the other favourites in the first mountain stage, went with the early break, before he soloed to the finish in Yunquera for a double result.
Onboard stage 6:
Stage 7: Wout Wins His Second Stage Sprint!
Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) won the seventh stage of the Vuelta a España in Cordoba. The Belgian beat Mathias Vacek (Lidl-Trek) and Pau Miquel (Kern Pharma) in a sprint from a reduced leading group after a thrilling finale. Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) held the overall lead without much problem.
Highlights stage 7:
Stage 8: Roglič Pulls Back Time With Stage Win!
Vuelta a España Stage Report: The eighth stage of the 2024 Vuelta a España was won in Cazorla by Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe). The Slovenian was the strongest on the short, steep final climb. Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R) was looking strong in his leader’s red jersey at the start of the climb, but eventually lost almost a minute to Roglič. Enric Mas (Movistar) and Mikel Landa (T-Rex Quick-Step) were second and third.
Stage 8:
Stage 9: Adam Yates’ Long Solo Mountain Stage Win!
The tough mountain stage 9 of la Vuelta to Granada was a battle of attrition and a stage win for Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates). In the 178 kilometre stage, the British rider slipped into the break of the day, and then went on a solo of 58 kilometres over the double climb of the Alto de Hazallanas. Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) attacked from the GC group, to fight his way back into the overall. Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R) held the red jersey, although Enric Mas (Movistar) jumped away to take time, but was caught on the final descent.
Stage 9 highlights:
Week #2 Route Preview: Mid-Vuelta Mountain Madness!
Vuelta a España Stages 10 to 15 Route Preview: The second week doesn’t ease off on the climbing with two hilly stages, four mountain stages and three summit finishes. Nothing for the sprinters, but there are a couple of possibilities for the puncheurs in a break. And don’t forget there is still the final tough week.
The first week highlights:
Stage 10: Van Aert Takes His Triple!
Wout van Aert took his third Vuelta’24 stage victory. The Belgian started the break of the day with four other riders. The Visma | Lease a Bike escaped the group with Quentin Pacher (Groupama-FDJ) in the final and was too fast for the French man in the sprint. The favourites didn’t try anything and so overall leader Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R) had no problems keeping his red jersey.
Stage 10 highlights:
Stage 11: Eddie Dunbar Makes Ireland Happy!
Stage 11 of the 2024 Vuelta a España was a stage for a big break and was won by Irishman Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla). After a 166 kilometre stage through Galicia, with four categorised climbs, he was the best from the leading group of over thirty riders. Quinten Hermans and Max Poole finished second and third. In the peloton, red jersey Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R) was under pressure from Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Enric Mas (Movistar) on the last, steep climb. The Australian leader lost almost 40 seconds to his biggest competitors.
Onboard stage 11:
Stage 12: Emotional Stage Win For Pablo Castrillo!
Pablo Castrillo won stage 12 of the Vuelta a España on Thursday. The 23-year-old Spaniard was the strongest of a leading group of ten on the final climb to Manzaneda. This was his first victory as a professional. For the small Spanish Kern Pharma team it was also an emotional victory as the president of the Kern Pharma company, Manola Azcona, had passed away during the night.
Extended highlights of stage 12:
Stage 13: Wonderful Solo Win For Woods!
Michael Woods won the thirteenth stage of the Vuelta a España from a big break. The Canadian champion of Israel-Premier Tech soloed to victory on the steep final climb of Puerto de Ancaras. Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) was the best of the GC riders, the Slovenian dropped the others, including the red jersey, Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale), who managed to hold onto the overall lead by just 1:21.
Highlights of stage 13:
Stage 14: Groves Gets The Better Of Van Aert!
Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won stage 14 of the Vuelta a España in Villablino. Despite this being a hilly stage with a long climb in the finale, the stage ended in a bunch sprint. Groves out-sprinted points and KOM leader, Wout van Aert, who couldn’t finish the hard work of his Visma | Lease a Bike team. Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) finished in the bunch to keep the overall lead.
Stage 14:
Stage 15: Castrillo Stuns As O’Connor Holds On To Red!
The tough stage 15 had a brutal summit finish on Cuitu Negru and was won by Pablo Castrillo of the Kern Pharma team. After 143 kilometres, the Spanish rider fought through the mist to cross the finish line first. He dropped his break companions, Aleksandr Vlasov (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates) on the steep finale with ramps of up to 24%. GC leader Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) lost time to Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Enric Mas (Movistar), but the Australian still holds the overall lead.
Stage 15 highlights:
Week #3 Route Preview: The Battle For Red Rages On!
Week 3 map
Vuelta a España Stages 16 to 21 Route Preview: As we enter the third week of la Vuelta’24, Primoz Roglič is poised to take the overall lead, but Ben O’Connor is putting up a strong defence of his red jersey and Enric Mas, Richard Carapaz and Mikel Landa are all biting at his heels. The final week will be explosive.
The best of the second week:
Stage 16: Soler Soars As O’Connor Fights For Red!
Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates) appeared out of the mist to take his first stage victory in the 2024 Vuelta a España. In wet conditions, the Spaniard was the strongest of a group of escapees on the climb to the Lagos de Covadonga. Among the favourites; Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) again lost time to the other GC men, but the Australian managed to keep red jersey (by 5 seconds). During the stage, Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike) crashed and had to abandon the race.
Highlights of stage 16:
Stage 17: Groves Goes First In The Rain!
Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won the seventeenth stage of la Vuelta in Santander. The 141.5 kilometre stage ended in a bunch sprint in the rain after a late attack by Victor Campenaerts (Lotto Dnsty) and Enzo Leijnse (dsm-firmenich-PostNL) was pulled in the final kilometre. Nothing changed on GC: Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) kept the red jersey and his 5 second lead over Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe).
Extended highlights stage 17:
Stage 18: Triple Kern Victorious – O’Connor Still In Red!
Urko Berrade (Kern Pharma) won the eighteenth stage of the Vuelta a España. The Spaniard won from a big break, giving his team a third Vuelta victory. Mauro Schmid (Jayco-AlUla) and Pau Miquel (also Kern) finished second and third. Among the favourites, Mikel Landa, Adam Yates and Sepp Kuss had a bad day. They lost a lot of time after the race was split on the climb of the Puerto Herrera. Ben O’Connor remains the overall leader.
Onboard stage 18
Stage 19: Roglič Roars Into Red!
Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hangrohe) stamped over the finale of the nineteenth stage to take the win and the overall lead in the 2024 Vuelta a España. The Slovenian finished off the work of his team on the tough final climb of the Alto de Moncalvillo. David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) and Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) finished second and third after they caught Enric Mas (Movistar), who had tried to chase Roglič. Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) lost well over a minute and is now second to Roglič with two stages to go.
Stage 19 highlights:
Stage 20: Irish Eyes Are Smiling – Dunbar Wins Queen Stage!
Vuelta a España Stage Report: Eddie Dunbar (Jayco AlUla) took his second stage win in the 2024 Vuelta a España. The Irishman held off the favourites on the murderous climb of the Picón Blanco. Enric Mas (Movistar) crossed the line in second place. Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) finished third, 3 seconds behind Mas and will start the final time trial in Madrid on Sunday with a 2 minute lead over Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale).
Stage 20 highlights:
Final Stage 21: Küng TT King – Roglič The Vuelta Emperor!
Vuelta a España Stage Report: Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) is the final overall winner of the 2024 Vuelta a España. This is his fourth Spanish Grand Tour win, tying him with Roberto Heras. The Slovenian took more time from his opponents in the final stage 21 time trial in Madrid. Ben O’Connor (Decathlon-AG2R-La Mondiale) and Enric Mas (Movistar) held onto their second and third places on the podium. The stage winner was Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ), after many years of trying to win a GT time trial.
Stage 21 highlights:
Red Jersey’s minute by Carrefour – Stage 21 – La Vuelta 2024
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