Vuelta a España 2023 – Stage 2 preview

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Stage 2: Mataró to Barcelona

Date: August 27

Distance: 181.8km

Stage type: Hilly

Stage 2 of the Vuelta a España brings the peloton to a familiar location in Barcelona's Montjuïc Park, familiar to any riders who take on the Volta a Catalunya on a regular basis.

The stage begins only 40km up the coast in Mataró, but winds inland en route to Barcelona, adding another 142km of roads as the peloton tackles the first categorised climbs of the race – the third-category Coll de Sant Bartomeu (6.6km at 4.5%) and second-category Coll d'Estenalles (12.1km at 3.9%).

There's also the third category, Alto del Castell de Montjuïc, lying at just 3.6km from the finish line. It measures in at 900 metres and an average of 9.4%, meaning the punchers and GC men could come out to play and spoil it for the sprinters.

The climb is tackled multiple times on a closing circuit at the Volta a Catalunya, but just once here. It should be the perfect terrain for Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma) to launch his first attack of the Vuelta as he seeks to win the race for a fourth time.