Vuelta a España 2024 - Stage 1 preview

Stage 1 of the 2024 Vuelta a España (Image credit: Lavuelta)

For the second time in its history, the Vuelta a España gets under way in Portugal. Back in 1997, the race began with a road stage from Lisbon to Estoril, with Lars Michaelsen claiming the first yellow jersey in a bunch sprint.

This time out, the Vuelta sets out from the Portuguese capital with a 12km individual time trial. The race begins in the district of Belém, famed for its eponymous tower and its production of pastéis de nata. The flat course takes riders along the banks of the Tagus river towards the finish in Oeiras, where the first red jersey of the Vuelta will be awarded.

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