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La Vuelta a Espana bids farewell to week one of the race and ushers in a challenging week two with Stage 8, where the peloton and General Classification shall warm up for a potentially decisive week.
Beginning in Jerez De La Frontera, the 166.6km stage shall conclude with a finale upon the slopes of the Category 1 Alto Peñas Blancas.
Oddly the stage will feature less cumulative elevation gain than some of the sprint stages, with just 1,575m of elevation gain accumulated.
Ascending the Alto Peñas Blancas to conclude the stage shall more than make up for that oddity however.
Measuring 14.5km in length with an average gradient of 6.6 percent, the Alto Peñas Blancas should sort the wheat from the chaff.
The weather is expected to once again be quite warm for much of the stage, with temperatures (Celsius) currently predicted to be around the high 20s to low 30s.
With the stage hugging close to the coast for some 40km before the ascent of the Alto Peñas Blancas, the coastal winds could cause some havoc on an unfavourable day.
Coming from predicted easterly direction, there could be potential for crosswinds to batter the right flank of the peloton.
The Alto Peñas Blancas is not one consistent and gradual slope however, so the peloton will encounter gradients of up to 12.5 percent.
The opening two kilometres of the Alto Peñas Blancas happens to be where the steepest gradient is, commencing with a gradient of 11.5 percent.
There is a section of roughly 2km of low gradients below 5 percent, located with 3km of the climb ridden, where the cyclists can try and recuperate slightly.
However, the climb soon resumes the hurt with the gradient never slipping below 6 percent as sections of 8-9 percent welcome the riders back to reality for roughly two to three kilometres.
Before the climb settles in to a consistent gradient of between 6-7 percent for the majority of the ascent remaining, with the final kilometre at a gradient of just under 6 percent, at precisely 5.83 percent.
With the 38.7 kilometre individual time trial on the horizon, anyone who is currently behind Maillot Rojo wearer Vincenzo Nibali of Astana may want to make a move.
The Stage 11 individual time trial arguably suits Nibali the most with its mix of climbing and descending.
With the Italian supposedly not yet even at his peak, as he aims to peak in week three, he should only get stronger.
Arguably both Alejandro Valverde of Movistar and Joaquim Rodriguez of Team Katusha should be looking to reduce the time gap to Nibali.
On paper Nibali should extend his lead over the two Spaniards in the time trial, so the two shall need to minimise their loses one way or another.
With bonuses seconds up for grabs at the finishing line, finishing upon the stage podium could be their best bet if they cannot escape the Italian.
With pre-race team leader for Team Sky Sergio Luis Henao practically out of the running without a massive performance somewhere.
The burden of expectations will be upon fellow Colombian Rigoberto Uran, who was runner up to Nibali in the Giro d’Italia this year.
On paper Uran has the skill set and ability to compete with the best, so should he be feeling great on the day he could be a contender for the stage victory and 10 bonus seconds.
There are several other General Classification hopeful who may also be in contention for the stage victory.
Nicolas Roche of Team Saxo-Tinkoff maybe a dark horse on current form if he covets possessing the Maillot Rojo.
However, there is the chance that Astana could try and let the breakaway cycle to victory to burn up the bonus seconds available to the first three finishers of the stage.
Though the other teams will have something to say about that.
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