Date: Friday 12 September
Distance: 162km
Start location: Rueda
Finish location: Guijuelo
Start time: 13:50 CEST
Finish time: 17:21 CEST
Of the three Grand Tours, the Vuelta a España is the one most often affected by hot temperatures. Energy-sapping days in the saddle while exposed to the searing sun is an extra factor for the riders hoping to compete for the red jersey to overcome, especially in the nation’s south.
This year, however, the organisers have stuck almost exclusively to the north, with the race only now entering the nation’s central region today, and the south avoided altogether. Today has the potential to be a hot one, too, with temperatures in Rueda being reliably high in the summer; although they are tempered by cooler winters and sharp drops in temperature during the night, a climate that helps give the renowned Verdejo wines grown here their fresh and aromatic flavours.
From Rueda the riders travel further south to a finish at Guijuelo, along flat terrain, but at an altitude that never dips below 700m. In Rueda, this high-altitude climate helps slow the ripening process of the wine, allowing it to develop complex flavours while retaining its acidity, while in Guijuelo, it’s the main reason for its ham. While the pigs are farmed
elsewhere further south, the ham is brought to Guijuelo to be processed, benefiting from the cooler temperatures here for its slow curation.
The flat terrain will come as a welcome change to many of the riders given all the climbing they have been obliged to do lately, but it won’t guarantee a bunch sprint. There are several factors that could play into the hands of whatever breakaway goes clear at the start of the stage. There might not be a single classified climb to be completed, but the road does still undulate. The route also takes the riders through some exposed roads as they travel through the region of Salamanca, which does mean there’s a chance of crosswind action should the wind blow. And the finish itself is not quite for the pure sprinters, rising at a barely perceptible but still potentially pivotal gradient for the final 3km.
Much will depend on how much appetite there is in the peloton among the sprinters. Their teams will have to work hard to control the race, given the number of other riders and teams who will see this as one final chance to bag a stage win before tomorrow’s return to the mountains and the usual breakaway graveyard of the Madrid circuit finale.
Contenders
The leader in the points classification, Lidl-Trek's Mads Pedersen won stage 15 from the breakaway and could use the same tactic on stage 19. Or Lidl-Trek might try to control the stage to keep things together for Pedersen to show his sprint at the line.
If the break is caught then Pedersen would have to match Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin - Deceuninck), winner of stage one and eight. Likewise Ineos Grenadiers' Ben Turner won stage four with a turn of speed that was too good for the rest. With Egan Bernal's victory on stage 16 and Filippo Ganna's time trial triumph on stage 18, the squad has been enjoying a successful Grand Tour in Spain.
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Ethan Vernon of Israel-Premier Tech has been second twice in sprints in the Vuelta and if he can survive to the finish then he will be one to watch. As could his teammate Jake Stewart.
The Movistar duo of Orluis Aular and Iván García Cortina would be ones to watch in the finish. Likewise the veteran Elia Viviani (Lotto) is canny, but he would have to be on some good form to make it to the finish.
Some will try their hand from the breakaway. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) has been active throughout this and with one win already, he could look to add another stage to his palmarès.
Other riders who could win from a breakaway include Nico Denz (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe), Michał Kwiatkowski, Magnus Sheffield and Bob Jungels (Ineos Grenadiers), Gijs Leemreize (Team Picnic PostNL) Stefan Küng (Groupama - FDJ).
Prediction
We think Mads Pedersen will double up and take his second stage win of the race.
