There’s an undulating profile today, but despite the race heading through the Sistema Central mountain range, no categorised climbs. That makes it an afternoon on which there is likely to be a series of attacks and potentially a breakaway making it all the way. But with two tough mountain stages to come over the weekend and an individual time trial on Monday, the sprinters will want to ensure a bunch finish on the fifth occasion a Vuelta stage has finished in Talavera de la Reina.

GT’s tips
"With two big mountain stages and the individual time trial after today, the big GC guys probably won’t want to particularly go for it today, but there are another 60 or 70 who will. There’s a good chance that a breakaway will stay away, and there will be attacks right from the start. There’s not too many sprinting opportunities, so the sprinters’ teams might target today. But when the profile is up and down like this, it’s hard for everybody, it’s tough going. Anything could happen."
Find out more about what Geraint Thomas is up to at his website www.geraintthomas.com
