Stage 3 Predictions & Betting tips - Vuelta - Spanish tour

Prediction published on 18/08/2024, 14:26  by Matthew Newman | Modified on 18/08/2024 at 14:31

Stage 3 of La Vuelta is a slightly tougher day in terms of hills than Stage 2 but it is still liable to be a day when the sprinting types come to the fore. We had a successful prediction on Stage 2 so let's get stuck into Monday's stage of La Vuelta

All of the money prior to Stage 2 on Sunday afternoon was for Wout Van Aert. That was misplaced as he was outsprinted by Kaden Groves in a stage that predictably came down to the fastest men in the peloton.

Van Aert was not helped by being left in front by his Visma-Lease A Bike team further from the line than was ideal, having to start his sprint and proving vulnerable to Groves' extra gears as the line loomed.

The first category two climb of La Vuelta, comes up before the halfway mark of Stage 3 with a category four later on in the stage. Some of the sprinters might struggle with the category two but it is a slow and steady climb over 17km with an average gradient of 3.3%.

Once the cat four is passed, there is a long flat run to the finish, so it should be another stage where Van Aert and Groves will fight out the finish. Corbin Strong was the man who got the closest to them in Stage 2.

The New Zealander rides for Israel Premier Tech and is having the best year of his career. Just a 24-year-old, he could be approaching the peak of his powers. His is another name that clearly needs to be considered.