Purito Rodríguez warns of extremely dangerous stage 9: "I think it may be the most complicated stage that we are going to find throughout the Vuelta a Espana"

The Vuelta a España 2024, after 4 stages, has already started to take shape as far as the fight for the general classification is concerned. Primoz Roglic already has the red jersey after triumphing on the first high mountain day. The Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe rider may have put himself as the man to beat in this race, but according to Joaquím Rodríguez he will have an even harder day of racing this week.

Among the candidates to compete for the overall victory over Roglic are João Almeida, who is second at 8 seconds behind the Slovenian, Enric Mas, provisional third at 32 seconds from the red jersey dragging the result in the initial time trial, where he is not a specialist. Mikel Landa, 9th but at 58 seconds and offering a very positive performance in the final climb on Tuesday to Pico Villuercas, and Antonio Tiberi, current 4th, among others...

If the Pico Villuercas has already left some "casualties" in the fight for the red jersey as Richard Carapaz or Adam Yates, Sunday's stage in Granada will be even more important, decisive according to legendary former Spanish rider Joaquim Rodríguez.

Purito has explained, in statements for TVE, why Sunday's Vuelta will be key, before the arrival of his first rest day: "The stage of Granada is going to do a lot of damage because of the route and especially because of what we are having, the intense heat. It is a stage in which very high temperatures are expected in the first week and I think it may be the most complicated stage that we are going to find throughout the Vuelta a España".

Stage 9 will feature the very steep Alto de Purche and double ascent of the Alto de Hazallanas, which averages almost 10% but features several kilometers substantially above that, with plenty hairpins. It is truly a brutal stage, which only doesn't get more attention because the race will later on still feature gruesome days of climbing with summit finishes in places like Cuitu Negru, Lagos de Covadonga and Picón Blanco.