With 11 categorised uphill finishes, more than half the 21 stages featuring long and brutal mountain ascents, the 80th edition of the Vuelta a España will unquestionably appeal to the pure climbers of the peloton.
In between Saturday’s start in Turin and the finish in Madrid on September 14th, the 3,151km race will criss-cross high terrain in four countries – Italy, France, Andorra, and Spain – and showcase many of the Vuelta’s most feared climbs, including the Alto de l’Angliru and the Puerto de Navacerrada.
Exactly the sort of Grand Tour route that will favour the two Irish participants – both Eddie Dunbar and Archie Ryan starting out with possible stage victories in mind. For Dunbar in particular there is no shortage of motivation.
After crashing out of his Tour de France debut in July, retiring after stage seven with a wrist injury, the Cork rider will certainly relish the mountainous terrain. Dunbar claimed two stage wins in last year’s Vuelta, including the penultimate stage between Villarcayo and Picon Blanco when he beat some of the best climbers in the world.
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Dunbar went on to finish 11th overall, having crashed out of the 2023 Vuelta and last year’s Giro d’Italia. He turns 29 next month, and this will also be his last Grand Tour for Team Jayco-AlUla after confirmation earlier this week that he is to move to Swiss outfit Q36.5 Pro Cycling on a two-year deal.
“Grand Tours suit me well because I always get better towards the end, I absorb the workload of a three-week race well,” said Dunbar. “There have been glimpses of what I can do, but due to crashes and illness I haven’t reached my full potential there yet.”
At 23, the Vuelta will be Ryan’s first Grand Tour, but has already established himself as a special climbing talent. Though born in Sydney – his mother is Australian, his father Welsh – he grew up in Wicklow, and developed his riding ability on the upland mountainous terrain of the Wicklow National Park which stretches all around his home in Roundwood.
After a breakthrough season in 2022, finishing fourth in the Tour de l’Avenir (considered the under-23 Tour de France), he later signed with American team EF Education-Easypost, with Ben Healy also among their riders, and has continued to make steady progress.
Last month, Ryan finished second in the Tour of Austria behind Isaac del Toro, the Mexican rider from UAE Emirates XRG, who came close to winning this year’s Giro before tactically blowing it on the penultimate stage.
“There are going to be loads of opportunities,” said Ryan, who has previously won mountain stages in the Tour of Slovakia and the Ronde de L’Isard. “I want to try and get in the break in some of the harder stages and fight for a stage win or two. That’s the goal.
“I think it is going to be a great three weeks. I haven’t done a Grand Tour before, so I’m excited for the experience. It has been a pretty steady run in. I can’t complain. I am in good form and ready to go.”
Dunbar and Ryan won’t have long to test their legs on the climbs, as Sunday’s second stage from Alba to Limone Piemonte finishes with a category two climb, topping out at 1,383m above sea level. Stage seven from Andorra la Vella to Cerler takes in nearly 4,500m of elevation gain, the most of any stage.
Ryan is among four Grand Tour debutants for EF Education-Easypost, their leader being 35-year-old Esteban Chaves from Colombia. In the absence of Tadej Pogacar, the Vuelta favourite will be Jonas Vingegaard, the Danish rider finishing second in 2023.
Dunbar will be surrounded by experienced climbers too, forming a three-pronged leadership for Jayco-AlUla along with Australian’s Ben O’Connor, who finished second last year, and Chris Harper.
After his untimely Tour de France exit, Dunbar will also be keen to make an early impression. He finished fourth in stage six of the Tour, won by Healy after his 42km solo breakaway, and might well have challenged for a stage win if his debut had not been forced to an early conclusion.
The leader’s red jersey is likely to change hands regularly over the opening stages, given the early climbs. Another motivation perhaps for Dunbar, possibly even before the Vuelta enters Spain next Wednesday.
