We review the big favourites for the 2024 Vuelta, which starts on Saturday 17 August in Lisbon and promises great emotions, with a very mountainous route, but also holds opportunities for sprinters with two time trials, especially the one on the last day, 25 kilometres through the streets of Madrid.
After recovering from his fall at the beginning of the Tour de France, Roglic returns to the Vuelta (one of his favourite races) to try to achieve his fourth victory, after injuries and other stronger rivals managed to prevail in 2022 and 2023. He is undoubtedly the big favourite and is very well supported by his new team, which will go all out to win his first grand tour.
Arrival of the 2023 Vuelta a España in Madrid. Credits: UNIPUBLIC / SPRINT CYCLING AGENCY
Sepp Kuss, the brand new winner of the 2023 Vuelta, comes with the intention of revalidating his triumph from the previous edition, the mountainous route can help him, in addition to a very complete team. His recent victory in the Vuelta a Burgos indicates that he is in good shape.
If there is a year where “landismo” wants to dream, it is this 2024. After his exceptional form in the Tour de France, always alongside Remco Evenepoel, Mikel Landa can be one of the protagonists thanks to the number of mountain stages.
On the part of the UAE, two great swordsmen come, Joao Almeida (who will surely want to stand out in the first Portuguese stages) and Adam Yates, the race will put each one in their place. And we cannot forget the young Mexican Isaac Del Toro, one of the sensations of this season.
Carapaz is the figure of EF Pro Cycling, who comes with the intention of contesting the general classification and also chasing stages. We have already seen him do great things in the Spanish round and he will surely be one of the protagonists of the race. The main unknown is how his team will respond.
We cannot forget the assets of Movistar and Ineos, with Carlos Rodríguez and Enric Más, although at a lower level than other favourites, they will look for their assets in the race, trying to win stages and position themselves well in the general classification.