"Time to either set a date or stop talking" - Vuelta a Espana Director keen to see the race visit the Canary Islands

With the route and profiles of the 2024 Vuelta a Espana being revealed next week, race director Javier Guillén has been speaking about his plans for the race, including a potential visit in future to the Canary Islands.

"We want to go there in the long term. That is important to us. It is a specific challenge," Guillén says in conversation with Marca. "I would prefer to do four stages. I would like to see the Vuelta finish there. Maybe it will be 2026. It has been a point of discussion for a long time and therefore it is time to either set a date or stop talking about dates. It's not just me."

Of next year's edition, Guillén is excited at the plans he has to reveal. "It will be a demanding round, like every year. I am happy with last year's route. But next year may be even tougher," he previews. "I don't like transition stages so there will hardly be any. Every stage must be a fight. We will visit every terrain and there will be some surprises."

What is known, is that the race will start in Portugal. "We are happy that we are growing as a race and that we have companions like the Giro and the Tour. That identity will remain that way and we are proud of our profile," he concludes. "However, we must continue to look, with working groups, at what we can improve."