Stage 2 Predictions & Betting tips - Vuelta - Spanish tour

Prediction published on 17/08/2024, 13:09  by Matthew Newman | Modified on 17/08/2024 at 14:51

Stage 2 of La Vuelta 2024 is a rolling 194km through Portugal. There are a couple of Category 4 climbs for the riders to negotiate on their way to the finish in Ourem. The summit of the second climb is less than 20km from the finish, which is factored into our prediction. 

The Alto Da Batalha is 7.1km at a gradient of 3.3% so even the sprinters should get over without too much of an issue. That suggests that it is going to be the speedsters who will fight out the finish.

Wout Van Aert could win this with a punchy attack on the final climb or in an outright sprint. He is a remarkable rider who has a unique skill set which brings him classic and tour stage success. At the Olympics, however, he found himself marked out of the road race. The other teams will not want to allow Team Visma-Lease A Bike to control the tempo late on.

The Vuelta does not give sprinters many chances. As such, Kaden Groves is the only man ranked in the top 20 sprinters in the world who is in the starting lineup. Stages 2, 3 and 5 are the only ones that will be ringed by the sprinters, with 3 more of a puncheurs terrain. 

Groves won three stages last year for Alpecin Deceuninck on his way to winning the green jersey for accumulating the most sprint points. He will like his chance of claiming the green on stage 2.

Bryan Coquard of Cofidis is the other main sprinter in the race. He never managed better than seventh in any stage of the Tour de France this year, but his consistency saw him finish third in the green jersey standings. This is easier sprint company.