PREVIEW | Vuelta a Espana 2024 stage 21 - Primoz Roglic will win in Madrid but can someone surprise in the final time-trial?

The Vuelta a España will come to a close this Sunday in Madrid. The riders will tackle the final time trial in Madrid; the overall classification has a known winner unless something shocking happens but the stage is open for many riders.

The race ends in Madrid again this year but not with a stage suited to the sprinters. Instead, there will be a 25-kilometer time trial where the GC contenders will have their final battle for the overall classification.

The time-trial is not completely flat but there isn't anything too difficult. A few rolling gradients... And the final kilometer will rise at a 2% average gradient, there is an argument to saving the legs a little for the finale which could be decisive for the stage win.

The Weather

A warm afternoon and some southwestern wind. Although we'll be in a completely urban setting it doesn't mean the riders won't feel the difference and the truth is that there may be some headwind throughout the course. It will be rather technical at first as well.

The Favourites

Brandon McNulty won the opening time-trial and it could be argued that the American is a big contender to do it again. He has been under the radar for a while ever since crashing about a week ago but that may not be a bad thing; he knows he can win here and can actually take a second stage win. He will have Mathias Vacek who was second in Lisbon also aiming for a result here and the man who is the strongest of specialists against the clock on paper: Stefan Küng, who has also been putting on tremendous performances during this Vuelta.

Edoardo Affini is also a very strong and powerful rider who was able to save himself during the past few days without Wout van Aert to support and with Sepp Kuss out of the fight for top places. Mattia Cattaneo, Victor Campenaerts, Kasper Asgreen, Nelson Oliveira, Bruno Armirail and who knows... The UAE riders have great TT bikes and so we could see KOM winner Jay Vine and Isaac Del Toro also fighting for a strong result here.

GC Fight - If nothing weird happens, Primoz Roglic wins the overall classification... The stage win is also possible, however he won't be as fresh as some of his other rivals for the stage win. Ben O'Connor has 9 seconds of advantage over Enric Mas and I believe the standings will remain like this whilst the Australian can even extend it if he is able to show his true legs.

Richard Carapaz will finish fourth whilst in the fight for fifth place we've got David Gaudu and Mattias Skjelmose separated by 30 seconds. Honestly I think there will be a position change here as the lightweight Frenchman won't like the flat route and simply doesn't have any recent good result to show that he will be able to defend himself here. Florian Lipowitz, Mikel Landa, Pavel Sivakov and Carlos Rodríguez should all stay in the same position on the Top10.

Prediction 2024 Vuelta a España 2024 stage 21:

*** Brandon McNulty, Stefan Küng
** Primoz Roglic, Mathias Vacek, Edoardo Affini
* Ben O'Connor, Mattias Skjelmose, Mattia Cattaneo, Victor Campenaerts, Nelson Oliveira, Jay Vine

Pick: Brandon McNulty