24% Cuitu Negru back on the menu for Vuelta a Espana - Climb to be used for the first time since 2012

Spanish media is advancing the information that the 2024 Vuelta a Espana will include the mythical ascent of the Cuitu Negru. Debuted in 2012, the gruesome mountain gained a strong reputation, and race organizers are keen on taking the peloton back to it's slopes.

The summit of the climb is situated above the Puerto de Pajares, in itself a difficult climb, but the road up to the ski station is one that has left a mark in pro cycling over the past decade. The climb in it's totality is 18.7 kilometers at 7%, but the final 3 kilometers average an inconsistent 13%, with ramps frequently going up 20%.

The climb in itself is brutal, but has been made more iconic due to the GC battle that took place that year in the Vuelta, where Joaquim Rodríguez, Alberto Contador and Alejandro Valverde set the race on fire from early on. Dario Cataldo was the winner of the stage, a day that saw big gaps in the fight for the GC.

The race will pass once again through the tough Asturias region and it is rumoured that not only Cuitu Negru, but the Lagos de Covadonga will also host a summit finish - both were used in the 2012 edition.