La Vuelta - Stage 9 Predictions & Betting tips - International

Prediction published on 29/08/2026, 07:28  by Matthew Newman | Modified on 29/08/2026 at 17:07

Stage 9 of La Vuelta is the final one before the first rest day on Monday. This is a difficult climbing day with six categorised climbs, including to the finish on the Alto De Aitana. It is terrain that will leave everything out there, perfect for Jay Vine.

The Vuelta has been blown wide open by the loss of Tadej Pogacar after a crash on Stage 8 but leaves the way clear for his teammate Jay Vine to take over as the UAE talisman. He is a very smart climber in his own right and can climb with the best of them. Expect him to be busy on this stage. 

Félix Gall has taken over as the new favourite to win La Vuelta and he has a great opportunity to make his mark on the race with a big ride on this stage. He is a grinder of a climber rather than a hugely explosive sort but with the final climb being spread out over 22km of terrain, this is the sort of test that suits him. 

The new leader of the race is Enric Mas. He chased home Pogacar a few days back to put himself in that position having been the runner-up in La Vuelta on three separate occasions in the past. This is now a huge chance for him to show that he can get over the line at the end of the three weeks. 

This could prove a good opportunity for the likes of Oscar Onley to attack as well. He was fourth in the 2025 Tour de France and has more than enough natural climbing ability to lay it up with these. Primoz Roglic is second in the standings and as a four-time winner of this race, he is a huge threat if he can tap back into that level of form for another two weeks at the age of 36.