La Vuelta 2024:- Stage 4: Plasencia – Pico Villeurcas, 170.4km ***Spoilers***
Stage 4: Plasencia – Pico Villeurcas, 170.4km
Tuesday 20th August.
Start Time: 12-05BST.
La Vuelta returns to home soil on the fourth day of action. The edition’s first mountain stage consists of 170 km and includes four point-incurring mountain passes. The riders set off from Plasencia for an intriguing first part of the race. It will be complicated right from the start, with a Category 2 climb and Alto de Piornal (Category 1) within the first 50 km. The Piornal debuted in 2022 (Remco Evenepoel victory) and Pico Villuercas in 2021 (Romain Bardet victory). The stage finishes uphill in the remote Extremadura region, which borders on Portugal. La Vuelta ventured twice into the sweltering Extremadura region in the last four years to try out unprecedented climbs.
Profile.
![stage-4-vuelta-24[1].jpg](https://forum.bikeradar.com/uploads/K55C00DPCTNN/stage-4-vuelta-24-5b1-5d.jpg)
Map.
![stage-4-route[1].jpg](https://forum.bikeradar.com/uploads/3NQBO8KCFHCJ/stage-4-route-5b1-5d.jpg)
The Climbs.
![stage-4-piornal[1].jpg](https://forum.bikeradar.com/uploads/I3O51CW8ARD9/stage-4-piornal-5b1-5d.jpg)
The finish climb is the Pico Villuercas, a brutal test of 14.6 kilometres at 6.2% with double-digit gradients for several kilometres. Moreover, these steepest sectors are on a narrow corrugated concrete track.
![stage-4-villuercas[1].jpg](https://forum.bikeradar.com/uploads/1HF3Q0SL1J9J/stage-4-villuercas-5b1-5d.jpg)
Final Kilometres.
The final 5 kilometres find the gradients getting progressively steeper and the road condition worsens. The final part is merely a narrow corrugated concrete track with relentless double-digit gradients and a maximum tilt of 20%. After 2.9 kilometres at 13.4% the torture lessens until it evens out to 2.1% after the flamme rouge.
What to Expect.
Given the way this stage has been set up and as it’s still early in the Vuelta, the most likely scenario is that the breakaway will battle it our for the stage honours. A change of red jersey wearer is also on the cards.
Plasencia
Plasencia has already hosted two La Vuelta departures.
39,247 inhabitants
Plasencia, a historical city within the Province of Cáceres, dazzles with its Medieval architecture and cultural charms. This town was inhabited by Romans and Arabs until the 12th century, when King Alfonso VIII reconquered it. Its centenary walls continue to protect the city and its historical city centre. In La Vuelta 24, the Jerte Valley capital will be the race’s entry point into Spanish territory during a stage that will feature the edition’s very first high-altitude finale.
Tortilla de Patata
Introduced in 1817, folklore says that tortilla de patata was created by general Tomás de Zumalacárregui in order to feed his hungry army, as food supplies were scarce at the time. The key ingredients used in the dish are thinly sliced potatoes and eggs, so it is basically a very thick potato omelette that resembles a frittata when finished.
![9f97f71d4af84228bf7290556613ecec[1].jpg](https://forum.bikeradar.com/uploads/6UCQ498J6O2G/9f97f71d4af84228bf7290556613ecec-5b1-5d.jpg)
Dehesa de Extremadura
Dehesa de Extremadura is a cured ham and shoulders made of pure-bred Ibérico-pigs meat produced in the provinces of Cáceres and Badajoz. The manufacturing process takes at least 18 months for hams and 12 months for the shoulders and consists of salting, resting, curing and aging.
![1ff1f3584a8f4ea6b311316fe1eee3f5[1].jpg](https://forum.bikeradar.com/uploads/RQXRVCEZ4NC9/1ff1f3584a8f4ea6b311316fe1eee3f5-5b1-5d.jpg)
Villuercas
Villuercas Peak has already hosted a La Vuelta finish-line once before.
641 Inhabitants.
The challenging slopes towards Villuercas Peak marked an important milestone during La Vuelta 21: it was the first time Extremadura hosted a high-altitude finale for the Spanish tour. In 2024, the climb will once again feature in the La Vuelta route, but will do so with a new slope starting at the locality of Navezuelas. This will be the first big test for the riders in the running to win the race.
![PHOTO-2020-07-05-12-54-26[1].jpg](https://forum.bikeradar.com/uploads/0LPP3MBPJADK/photo-2020-07-05-12-54-26-5b1-5d.jpg)
Comments
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Bora are riding, so the break looks doomed.
Matt Stephens just won today’s hyperbole award, when he said (without irony) that next week he will be at home, listen to Carlton Kirby’s dulcet tones!
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Higher part of the final climb looks horrible.
did the Spannish employ the same road designers as the Brits- never heard of a hairpin and go straight up as steep as possible?!
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It’s terrible and to make matters worse, it’s currently 40C on the road.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
La Vuelta special - yeah, let's just turn left here
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Baking hot
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
Are Bora giving UAE to much of a free ride ?
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
The breakaway just about to hit the final climb.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Just turned the sound up to hear the opinion being given that Van Aert might hold onto the race lead today. Just after he'd dropped out the back of the peloton.
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Come on tao ...bit of late season form magic
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
There's a lot of people left in the peloton for going into that turn.
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UAE up the pace….
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
UAE burn off Bora
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
Kuss out of position
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
UAE and Bora fairly Russian for the finish line there.
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Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
The Vuelta have once again brought out their YTS cameramen especially for today.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.1 -
Good luck figuring out who’s who, between Kirby and this cameraman.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Roglification incoming
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Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
Another too early finishing celebration gifts it to Roglic.
The young man will learn.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
A bit of a disaster for Adam Yates.
A total disaster for Ineos.
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
Stick a fork in Ineos' a$$ and turn them over: they're Vuelta's done.
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Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
Tao and Jay Vine finished together - 7'-40" down.
So, maybe go for a stage win in week 3?
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.0 -
There's a few GC pretenders got flushed out today. Dunbar, Carapaz and Oatabix are KoM or stage hunters now, surely?
Quite impressed by Mas. He normally starts his charge in week 3.
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Cake is just weakness entering the body0 -
I still can't get my head around these amateur night finishers who throw away all their hard work.
“You may think that; I couldn’t possibly comment!”
Wilier Cento Uno SR/Wilier Mortirolo/Specialized Roubaix Comp/Kona Hei Hei/Calibre Bossnut0 -
Maybe
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
I really don't think 17-20% prolonged (ie2-3 kms) sections of climbing add anything to a race. For most it is pure survival, and the gaps that can open up can end the race as something competitive.
The Lotto guy is an idiot for starting to celebrate before the line and paid the price for it.
Disappointing from Adam Yates, but Almeida hung in with Roglic and is clearly the UAE team leader.
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I don’t think the Lotto guy would have got it even if he hadn’t started to celebrate.
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Yates looked like a guy who rode the tour hard
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
I think heat was a factor today
"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
Yup! Adam doesn't like the heat. Maybe the Vuelta in August isn't the race for him.
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
Think you are being a little over-dramatic.
Rodriguez did a lot better today than many others who had been touted for the GC
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