Vuelta a Espana: The most important facts in brief
- Stage 2, Sunday, 18 August
- Cascais - Ourem, 194 kilometres, hilly
- Official start: 12:06
- Estimated arrival time: ~ 16:19 - 16:43
- TV broadcast: 14:30 - 17:30 Eurosport 1
- Live stream: Discovery Plus (subject to a charge)
- All stages of the Vuelta a Espana 2024 at a glance
- The favourites
- The start list
Vuelta 2024: Stage 2 - route, elevation profile and map
After the opening time trial, the first mass-start stage of the Vuelta a Espana 2024 awaits on day two. At 194 kilometres, it is also the second-longest stage of this year's Tour of Spain - only the 14th stage is even longer at 200.5 kilometres.
We are still in Portugal. The start is in the coastal town of Cascais. Shortly after the start, the riders turn inland and head roughly northwards for the rest of the day. The terrain between Cascais and the day's finish in Ourem is characterised by two climbs. Immediately after the start, the riders head up the Alto do Lagoa Azul (4th category). 5.7 kilometres with an average gradient of 4.6 per cent await the peloton. On the way, there are more short undulations to master, which would probably be labelled as mountain classifications in many other tours - but not in the Vuelta.
The stage finale features the second mountain classification on the Alto da Batalha (4th category). To reach the culmination point at an altitude of 381 metres 19 kilometres before the finish, the pros have to climb 7.1 kilometres with an average gradient of 3.3 percent. From there, the route leads over a plateau and then slightly downhill to the finish.
Sporting assessment of the 2nd stage
Attackers will use the climb to the Alto do Lagoa Azul shortly after the start as a welcome launch pad for a breakaway attempt. Nevertheless, they are unlikely to have much chance of winning the stage on this day, as it is the first of a few opportunities for the sprinters at the Vuelta a Espana 2024.
Although two short waves await in the finale before the Alto da Batalha, these in combination with the mountain itself should be difficult enough at best to cause difficulties for the pure flatland sprinters. Afterwards, there should still be enough fast men to decide the victory in the first sprint finish of the Vuelta among themselves.
Schedule, TV coverage & live stream of stage 2 of the Vuelta a Espana 2024
The neutral start will take place at 11:50. Around 16 minutes later, kilometre 0 should be reached. The finish is expected at 16:19 with an average speed of 46 km/h, 16:30 with 44 km/h and 16:43 with 42 km/h.
Eurosport will broadcast all stages of the Vuelta a Espana 2024. Stage 1 will be shown free-to-air on Eurosport 1 from 2.30 p.m.* Including post-stage coverage, the broadcast will run until 5.30 p.m. A live stream on the internet is also available from the paid provider Discovery Plus.
* Transmission times are subject to change.
