The 2023 Vuelta a España peloton embarks today on the ninth stage, a challenging 184.5-kilometre stretch that begins in Cartagena and culminates in Alto Caravaca de la Cruz. Classified as a medium mountain stage, this day offers a couple of categorized summits that promise to shake up the general classification.
Today's race starts from the port city of Cartagena on the Mediterranean coast. The runners begin with a flat segment of approximately 48 kilometers before facing their first significant climb of the day, the Puerto Casas de Marina la Perdiz. This First Category ascent has a length of 12.1 kilometers and an average gradient of 5%, and will mark the first serious test for the cyclists.
After this climb, the cyclists will cover undulating terrain, although not particularly hard, passing through the towns of Mula and Calasparra. In Cehegín, the intermediate sprint stage of the day, the race resumes its mountainous character.
Just seven kilometers from the finish line, the runners will face the last climb of the day, the Alto Caravaca de la Cruz, a Second Category ascent with a distance of 8.1 kilometers and an average slope of 5.4%. This last ascent is seen as the last battlefield where the attackers have a clear opportunity to excel, while less strong climbers could find difficulties.
Primoz Roglic has been the winner of the eighth stage of La Vuelta. The Slovenian achieved his first victory in the current event in a sprint that could be opted for any runner, but finally Evenepol and Ayuso could not catch up with him.
In the ninth stage, the peloton of the Vuelta a España 2023 will travel 184.5 kilometers between Cartagena and Alto Caravaca de la Cruz.
The day will begin at 10:39 a.m. on Sunday, September 3, and can be seen on television on RTVE and Eurosport and can also be followed live on the La Vanguardia website.
