Vuelta España Femenina - Stage 3

A day for the durable riders with a fast finish in Castellón

Jump to:

Vuelta España Femenina - Stage 3

Dates 30 Apr
Race Length 130 kms
Start Lucena
Finish Teruel
Race Category Elite Women

Published: 23 April 2024

Stage 3: Lucena/Llucena – Teruel (130.2km, medium mountains)

Remaining within the province of Castellón, the town of Lucena plays host to the peloton as they depart for the third stage of the Vuelta Femenina, and the action begins almost immediately with a short unclassified climb which must be tackled just a couple of kilometres into the stage. This is immediately followed by a steep descent, and these dramatic ups and down so early in the stage will likely invite attacks from opportunists hoping to be part of the day’s early break.

After that, a difficult day lays in wait, as with over 2,300 metres of altitude gain the stage will be a real energy sapper. The profile rises uphill consistently during the middle part of the stage, even though there is only one categorised climb, the Alto Fuente de Rubielos (6.1km, 6.2%). While the organisers have anticipated a potential bunch sprint finish, it seems a tall order, with two further uncategorised climbs to overcome, following an intermediate sprint in Mora de Rubielos. Once the high point of the day has been reached, sprint teams, along with any leaders who have lost time on the climbs, face a frantic 15km chase as the route falls downhill towards the finish line in Teruel, in the province of Aragon. A sprint from a reduced group seems the most likely outcome.

While stage 2 will not have had a significant impact on the general classification – unforeseen circumstances notwithstanding – stage 3 could potentially see small shifts depending on how the race plays out, although it’s still unlikely for the gaps to be very significant.

Words by Katy Madgwick