Vuelta a España 2024 - Stage 11 preview

On paper, this has the look of a day for the break, but this is also the kind of stage that could very easily spiral into a full-blown general classification day. It’s certainly going to be difficult for any one team to control affairs. The overall contenders will be vigilant and some might even be eyeing an opportunity.

With 2,900 metres of climbing spread across the stage and its four climbs – two second-category and two third-category – there's certainly potential for red jersey contenders to launch attacks and gain time.

Race leader Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) successfully avoided any potential pitfalls on the hilly ground of stage 10 with his team controlling the pace over the late first-category test.

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The Australian and his French squad will be hoping to do the same again here in order to maintain their healthy 3:53 lead over second-placed Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) for another day.

Of course, the remainder of the general classification contenders lie even further adrift, with just Enric Mas (Movistar) and Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) the only other men lying within five minutes of the lead. Could that provoke those riders further back to seek more chances – wherever they can find them – to make up time?

After two early lumps, the third-category Puerto San Xusto, coming after 42km, is another hill that shouldn't have a real impact on the stage outcome beyond helping to wear down the legs of some.

At 81km and 118km into the day respectively, the two second-category ascents of the Puerto Aguasantas, are also unlikely to decide the outcome of the day or provoke major GC gaps. That may well be saved for the final hill of the day, the short but steep third-category Puerto Cruixeiras (2.9km at 8.9%), which lies just 8km from the finish of the stage at the Campus Tecnológico Cortizo on the outskirts of A Coruña.

It may not look like the most dangerous stage of the race, but there's certainly a sting in the tail here, and the race's top overall contenders will have to remain on guard as they tackle the final climb of stage 11.

Stage 11 climbs

• Puerto San Xusto (10.2km at 4.2%) cat 3, km 42.4
• Puerto Aguasantas (5.7km at 6.1%) cat 2, km 81.2
• Puerto Aguasantas (5.7km at 6.1%) cat 2, km 117.9
• Puerto Cruxeiras (2.9km at 8.9%) cat 3, km 158.5