Vuelta España Femenina - Stage 2

A rolling sprint stage to open the road stages

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Vuelta España Femenina - Stage 2

Dates 29 Apr
Race Length 118 kms
Start Buñol
Finish Moncofa
Race Category Elite Women

Published: 23 April 2024

Stage 2: Buñol – Moncófar (118.4km, hilly)

The first road stage is in a fitting location given the start town’s connection with the colour red. Buñol is famous for its annual Tomatina festival, where inhabitants quite literally paint the town red, engaging in a traditional tomato fight every August. The women of the Vuelta Femenina will hope to end the day in a different kind of red, as they take on a typically undulating day beginning on the outskirts of Valencia and heading north into the Province of Castellón, on Spain’s north-east coast.

The stage heads downhill for around the first 15km, which will make it difficult for the day’s early break to form. Some uncategorised climbing follows which should offer an opportunity for hopefuls to escape the bunch. From there, around 45km on bumpy terrain will likely see an easement in the main group ahead of the day’s only categorised climb, the Puerto de L’Oronet (5.9km, 4.3%). While it’s likely to split the bunch temporarily, the fact that there are 40km still to ride following the climb may well deter riders hoping to make late attacks. Instead, it’s more likely that teams with sprint ambitions will regroup at the front of the bunch and control the arrival into Moncófar.

There is an intermediate sprint at 91km in Alfara de la Baronia, for riders looking to open their account in the green points jersey competition, and from there, the race will be on to take the win in the first individual stage of this year’s race. Around 8km of almost completely flat roads will provide a relatively straightforward run-in to the popular tourist resort of Moncófar, and we will likely see a bunch sprint finish as the race speeds towards the finish line situated on the Mediterranean coast.

Words by Katy Madgwick