Breakaways and crosswinds threaten Mas in Albacete

The Vuelta a Espana returns after its first rest day with a 184.7-kilometre stage from Alcaraz to Elche de la Sierra. The entirely Albacete-based route contains close to 3,000 metres of climbing, very few genuinely flat sections and a succession of narrow, twisting roads that should favour an aggressive race.

The three classified climbs are Peralejo, Ayna and Socovos, all category 3. None is hard enough to transform the general classification alone, but their accumulation could make the stage difficult to control. Socovos is crested 22 kilometres from the finish, followed by irregular terrain and a technical approach to Elche de la Sierra.

Crosswinds may be an additional threat on exposed sections. Movistar must keep Enric Mas near the front even on a day that does not initially appear decisive for the overall. The Spaniard leads Primoz Roglic by 1:18, Felix Gall by 1:39, Oscar Onley by 2:20 and Richard Carapaz by 3:26.

A large breakaway has a strong chance if the sprinters' teams do not cooperate. UAE Team Emirates-XRG has promised to race aggressively for stage victories after Tadej Pogacar's withdrawal, while riders such as Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen could also benefit from the rolling terrain. The outcome will depend on the composition of the early move and the wind.

The neutralised start is scheduled for 12:45 CEST and the finish is expected around 17:17. Live television coverage in Spain begins at 14:50 on Teledeporte and RTVE Play, with La 2 joining from 16:15.