La Vuelta 2024:- Stage 9: Mortil – Granada, 184.5km ***Spoilers***

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
in Pro race

Mortil – Granada, 184.5km

Sunday 25th August

Start Time: 11-35BST.

The 9th stage of the Vuelta is a mountain stage, but at the same time somewhat out of the ordinary. The riders tackle roughly 4,500 metres of climbing, most of it within a span of 67.5 kilometres. The lion's share of La Vuelta's 9th stage is played out in the Sierra Nevada. Departing practically from sea level, the peloton must climb El Purche, a Category 1 climb, before the double climb of Hazallanas, both feature inside the final 50km. La Vuelta last visited Motril in 2017. It was also for a stage start. The race went to Antequera and Tomasz Marczynski won from the breakaway. It is the final day that the riders will face the oppressive heat of Andalucia.

Profile.

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Map.

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The Climbs.

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stage-9-hazallanas[1].jpg

Final Kilometres.

The race concludes with a 23 kilometres downhill into Granada’s city centre. It’s far from technical and plays out on wide roads.

What to Expect.

Given the finale, it is probable that GC riders will go all out for the win. With the amount of climbing and the gradients involved, expect some GC riders to concede significant time. The likes of Roglic will be hoping that he can make significant inroads into Ben o’Connor’s lead.

Motril

Motril has already hosted a La Vuelta stage departure once before, in 2017.

58,798 inhabitants.

Following the race’s departure from Lisbon, Motril will be the first Spanish coastal town to host La Vuelta 24. Motril is a town and municipality located on the Mediterranean coast of Granada, Spain. It is the second largest town in the province.In the Arab Andalusian period it was an important defensive fortress along the coastline of Granada.

It was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs in 1489 and was left almost uninhabited after the Moors were expelled in 1507. It was later repopulated with Christians from the kingdom of Castile it was attacked and destroyed during the War of La Alpujarra in 1569.

In the 16th and 17th centuries, Berber pirates used to attack and destroy the coastline. However, the privileged location of Motril, 2 km off the coast, safeguarded the town, which from then on started a process of growth and non-stop development that led this town to become a first order communication base for the locations nearby the coastline of Granada, and an important link in coasting trade.

It became a town in the reign of King Phillip IV.

Its seafood gastronomy, with the characteristic freshness of its products, includes such dishes as grilled sardine skewers and its typical remojón salad. The chirimoyo, a sweet local treasure, completes the culinary experience.

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Granada

Granada has already hosted 19 La Vuelta finish-lines.

228,682 inhabitants

Granada is a city in southern Spain’s Andalusia region, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's known for grand examples of medieval architecture dating to the Moorish occupation, especially the Alhambra. This sprawling hilltop fortress complex encompasses royal palaces, serene patios, and reflecting pools from the Nasrid dynasty, as well as the fountains and orchards of the Generalife gardens.

With 19 finish-lines already under its belt, Granada has ample experience hosting La Vuelta arrivals. The ancient capital of the Nasrid Kingdom will conclude the first week of racing following a mountain stage. The beauty of La Alhambra, our country’s most visited monument and, without a doubt, Granada’s greatest symbol, shines as it watches over the city, creating a peculiar landscape with the Sierra Nevada in the background.

Remojón

Remojón is a traditional Spanish salad originating from Granada. It’s made with a combination of oranges, salt cod, red peppers, scallions, garlic, olive oil, olives, and wine or sherry vinegar. Although the salad is traditionally made with salt cod, nowadays it’s a bit expensive so people sometimes replace it with tuna and anchovies.

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"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • r0bh
    r0bh Posts: 2,438

    Joao Almeida is a DNS - covid

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463

    I wonder if Yates had it too? His form seems to have fallen off a cliff since the Tour.

  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,656
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21092863#Comment_21092863

    Hasn't he been kissing the tarmac

    Warning No formatter is installed for the format
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,345
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21092860#Comment_21092860

    Pogacar must be kicking himself, assuming he would have been able to avoid Covid.

    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.
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,656

    Huge break up the road with a few minutes. No Bora in it.

    Three UAE who you'd hope are getting up the road in support of their default top GC Del Toro (6'32") but it's probably more a stage shot and chance to ride Yates up from 9 minutes down.

    Wout probably hunting points, but it's a long way to the sprint so maybe there for Kuss if he wants a hand later

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  • Dorset_Boy
    Dorset_Boy Posts: 7,574

    Break down to about 7 riders on the first climb now, but 3 UAE and 2 FDJ.

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21092878#Comment_21092878

    He lost time before that though didn't he?

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463

    Surprised Decathlon (and Bora) let a break that size go, especially with some being relatively close on GC. Could have taken some controlling.

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463

    Yates really riding himself back into this race

  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,927

    Isn't this the second time Almeida has left a GT with covid? Feel like it cost me PTP points before.

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463

    Quite a nasty descent in the way it varies from a massively wide wide three lane road to a narrow single lane road.

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Yates riding back into GC ...UAE came out fighting

    "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 pm
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    https://forum.bikeradar.com/discussion/comment/21092922#Comment_21092922

    I think he had Covid during a recent Giro. 2022 if I am not mistaken.

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Letting UAE back into this race

    "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 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463

    Really hope Yates can keep this going. Bora have realised they need to start committing riders now.

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463

    The Kern Pharma rider is a terrible descender

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Yates has his face on

    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Where's gall

    "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 pm
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726

    Roglic struggling a bit?

    Mas has left him behind.

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Roglic faking or suffering

    "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 pm
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726

    Definitely in trouble. O’Connor sitting on his wheel, but Mas is out of sight

    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Awful testing. Climb

    "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 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463

    This is turning into a really good race. So unpredictable, no rider or team has been able to dominate or control the first week and riders who looked dead and buried have got themselves back into contention. Hope it continues like this for the remaining 2 weeks.

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Timming info has been lacking

    "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 pm
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463

    Could really do with rolling time checks though.

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463

    Yates has lost around 30” to the red jersey group on the climb.

  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Mas is flipping the script

    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Nice pace bike for Mas

    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Both Yates bros are class riders aren't they

    "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 pm
  • mididoctors
    mididoctors Posts: 18,908

    Carapaz on a late charge but it's too late

    "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 pm

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