Vuelta a España 2024 stage 19 preview - A return to the relentless Moncalvillo summit finish gives 'no breathing space' to GC contenders

Stage profile of the 2024 Vuelta a Espana
Stage 19 of the 2024 Vuelta a España (Image credit: Lavuelta)

The curtain goes up on the final battle for overall victory in the 2024 Vuelta a España on Friday with a stage on paper very similar to the one which began the second week of high mountains' challenges - but don't be fooled. Friday's stage is much, much tougher.

Back on stage 12, the first hard day of week 2 of the 2024 Vuelta, the peloton trekked across rugged but not overly difficult terrain in Galicia to a lone classified climb, the category 1 summit finish at Alto de Manzaneda. That stage profile is mirrored with what they face on Friday, with a single final category 1 ascent, the Alto de Moncalvillo, only preceded by one minor difficulty, the mid-stage category 3 Puerto de Pradilla.

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.

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