{"id":115993,"date":"2025-09-03T15:45:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-03T15:45:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/115993\/"},"modified":"2025-09-03T15:45:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T15:45:12","slug":"la-vuelta-a-espana-2025-the-international-adventure-continues-cycling-west","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/115993\/","title":{"rendered":"La Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a 2025: The International Adventure Continues &#8211; Cycling West"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>            Stages 4-9: From the Alps to Andorra and Back to Spain<\/p>\n<p>VALEDEZCARAY, Spain (31 August 2025) \u2014 What began as an Italian adventure transformed into a continental tour de force, as La Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a 2025 wound its way through four nations in the opening week. From the Alpine passes of France to the Pyrenean principality of Andorra, before returning to Spanish soil, the race\u2019s most international edition in history delivered drama, surprises, and the kind of tactical chess match that defines Grand Tour cycling.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingwest.com\/?attachment_id=40623\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-40623 nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40623\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250826LV1032-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\"  \/><\/a>La Vuelta 2025 \u2013 4th stage \u2013 Susa &gt; Voiron (206,7 km) \u2013 26\/08\/2025 \u2013 Unipublic\/Antonio Baixauli\/Cxcling Creative Agency. Courtesy ASO<br \/>\nStage 4: Turner\u2019s Last-Minute Glory<br \/>\nSusa \u2192 Voiron, 206.7km (26 August 2025)<\/p>\n<p>The longest stage of this edition beckoned as La Vuelta bid farewell to Italy and crossed into France, carrying the peloton over the legendary Col de Montgen\u00e8vre and Col du Lautaret before descending toward Voiron. At nearly 3,000 meters of elevation gain, it promised to be a war of attrition.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Five riders\u2014Louis Vervaeke (Soudal Quick-Step), Sean Quinn (EF Education-EasyPost), Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Kamiel Bonneu (Intermarch\u00e9-Wanty), and Mario Aparicio (Burgos Burpellet BH)\u2014escaped early and tackled the day\u2019s significant climbs. Nicolau, hunting polka dots, took first points atop the Exilles climb, but Vervaeke countered at the Col de Montgen\u00e8vre, marking La Vuelta\u2019s 13th visit to France.<\/p>\n<p>As the race descended toward Le Bourg d\u2019Oisans, the breakaway\u2019s four-minute advantage evaporated under pressure from Mads Pedersen\u2019s Lidl-Trek squad. The peloton swept up the escapees with 91 kilometers remaining, setting the stage for a nervous run-in to Voiron.<\/p>\n<p>In the finale, an unlikely hero emerged. Ben Turner, the young Briton called up to Ineos Grenadiers at the last minute after Lucas Hamilton\u2019s withdrawal, delivered a masterclass in opportunism. Despite being left without his lead-out train, Turner punched clear in the closing meters to claim his first Grand Tour victory.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingwest.com\/?attachment_id=40630\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-40630 nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40630\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250826LV1042.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\"  \/><\/a>La Vuelta 2025 \u2013 4th stage \u2013 Susa &gt; Voiron (206,7 km) \u2013 26\/08\/2025 \u2013 Unipublic\/Antonio Baixauli\/Cxcling Creative Agency. Courtesy ASO<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know what to say to be honest!\u201d Turner exclaimed. \u201cIt\u2019s a crazy week, like super crazy! I wanted to come to the Vuelta. The team sent me to Renewi and then they said they did need me. Of course I said yes, I\u2019d do anything to race these races.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Behind the celebrations, a more significant story unfolded. David Gaudu\u2019s tactical awareness in positioning himself perfectly for the sprint finish earned the Groupama-FDJ leader his first-ever Grand Tour leader\u2019s jersey. With Jonas Vingegaard finishing 42nd and Gaudu 25th\u2014crucially placing eight riders between them\u2014the Frenchman claimed La Roja on a tiebreaker.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor sure it was on my mind this morning but I didn\u2019t really know if I\u2019d fight for positions in the bunch sprint,\u201d Gaudu reflected. \u201cThe team did an incredible job, and this jersey is for them.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stage 4 Results<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nBen Turner<br \/>\nINEOS Grenadiers<br \/>\n4:50:14<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nJasper Philipsen<br \/>\nAlpecin-Deceuninck<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nEdward Planckaert<br \/>\nAlpecin-Deceuninck<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nEthan Vernon<br \/>\nIsrael \u2013 Premier Tech<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nJenthe Biermans<br \/>\nArk\u00e9a-B&amp;B Hotels<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nMads Pedersen<br \/>\nLidl-Trek<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nFabian Christen<br \/>\nQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nOrluis Aular Sanabria<br \/>\nMovistar Team<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nGustavo Silva Coussan<br \/>\nCaja Rural-Seguros RGA<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nNiccol\u00f2 Buratti<br \/>\nBahrain Victorious<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>General Classification After Stage 4<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nDavid Gaudu<br \/>\nGroupama-FDJ<br \/>\n15:45:50<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nJonas Vingegaard<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nGiulio Ciccone<br \/>\nLidl-Trek<br \/>\n+0:08<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nEgan Bernal<br \/>\nINEOS Grenadiers<br \/>\n+0:14<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nTom Pidcock<br \/>\nQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team<br \/>\n+0:16<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nJai Hindley<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+0:16<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nSantiago Buitrago<br \/>\nBahrain Victorious<br \/>\n+0:16<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nMatteo Jorgenson<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+0:16<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nSepp Kuss<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+0:16<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nJuan Ayuso<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n+0:16<\/p>\n<p>Jersey Holders After Stage 4<\/p>\n<p>Red Jersey (La Roja) \u2013 Overall Leader: David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ)<br \/>\nGreen Jersey \u2013 Points Classification: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)<br \/>\nBlue &amp; White Polka-dot Jersey \u2013 King of the Mountains: Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA)<br \/>\nWhite Jersey \u2013 Best Young Rider: Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)<\/p>\n<p>Stage 5: The Team Time Trial Reshuffles<br \/>\nFigueres \u2192 Figueres, 24.1km (27 August 2025)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingwest.com\/?attachment_id=40624\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-40624 nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40624\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250827LV4003.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\"  \/><\/a>La Vuelta 2025 \u2013 5th stage \u2013 Figueres &gt; Figueres (24,1 km Team Time-Trial) \u2013 27\/08\/2025 \u2013 Rafa Gomez, Unipublic\/Rafa G\u00f3mez\/Sprint Cycling Agency. Courtesy ASO<\/p>\n<p>The transition to Spain brought with it the most technical challenge of the opening week: a team time trial around Figueres that would reset the general classification hierarchy. The 24.1-kilometer test against the clock represented the 17th TTT of the 21st century in La Vuelta, and the power meters would tell the story of who possessed genuine Grand Tour credentials.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>UAE Team Emirates-XRG set the gold standard with a blistering performance that averaged 56.8 km\/h. Juan Ayuso, Jo\u00e3o Almeida, and their teammates delivered a masterclass in collective power, finishing eight seconds clear of Visma-Lease a Bike\u2019s polished operation. The time gaps would prove crucial in reshaping the overall standings.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe knew we would be fighting for the win, but there\u2019s a lot of good teams here, and we need to be realistic,\u201d said Jo\u00e3o Almeida. \u201cIn the end, I think we did a perfect job and we deserve it as well. We had a plan, we did it perfect. Everybody was super strong.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Jonas Vingegaard, the eight-second deficit represented opportunity rather than defeat. The Dane reclaimed La Roja as David Gaudu\u2019s Groupama-FDJ squad could only manage ninth place, losing 24 precious seconds in the process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFirst of all, we did a super good job with the team,\u201d Vingegaard reflected. \u201cMaybe we went a bit slower than the other teams in the middle part of the stage. I\u2019m super happy to be back in the red jersey, it\u2019s a beautiful jersey.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The technical nature of the course caught out several contenders. Lidl-Trek\u2019s solid third place kept Giulio Ciccone in contention, while Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe overcame Matteo Sobrero\u2019s crash to slot into fourth.<\/p>\n<p>Stage 5 Results (TTT)<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates<br \/>\n25:26<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+0:08<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nLidl \u2013 Trek<br \/>\n+0:09<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+0:12<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nINEOS Grenadiers<br \/>\n+0:16<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nMovistar Team<br \/>\n+0:17<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team<br \/>\n+0:17<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team<br \/>\n+0:22<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nGroupama \u2013 FDJ<br \/>\n+0:24<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nLotto<br \/>\n+0:27<\/p>\n<p>General Classification After Stage 5<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nJonas Vingegaard<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n16:11:24<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nJuan Ayuso<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates<br \/>\n+0:08<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nJo\u00e3o Almeida<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates<br \/>\n+0:08<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nMarc Soler<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates<br \/>\n+0:08<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nGiulio Ciccone<br \/>\nLidl \u2013 Trek<br \/>\n+0:09<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nDavid Gaudu<br \/>\nGroupama \u2013 FDJ<br \/>\n+0:16<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nMatteo Jorgenson<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+0:16<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nJai Hindley<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+0:20<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nGiulio Pellizzari<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+0:20<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nEgan Bernal<br \/>\nINEOS Grenadiers<br \/>\n+0:22<\/p>\n<p>Jersey Holders After Stage 5<\/p>\n<p>Red Jersey (La Roja) \u2013 Overall Leader: Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma | Lease a Bike)<br \/>\nGreen Jersey \u2013 Points Classification: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)<br \/>\nBlue &amp; White Polka-dot Jersey \u2013 King of the Mountains: Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA)<br \/>\nWhite Jersey \u2013 Best Young Rider: Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)<\/p>\n<p>Stage 6: Andorran Drama Unfolds<br \/>\nOlot \u2192 Pal, Andorra, 170.3km (28 August 2025)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingwest.com\/?attachment_id=40625\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-40625 nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40625\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250828LV1025.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\"  \/><\/a>La Vuelta 2025 \u2013 6th stage \u2013 Olot &gt; Pal. Andorra (170,3 km) \u2013 28\/08\/2025 \u2013 stage winner Jay Vine (UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG) \u2013 Unipublic\/Antonio Baixauli\/Cxcling Creative Agency. Courtesy ASO<\/p>\n<p>Andorra, the fourth country to welcome La Vuelta 2025, would prove to be the stage where the race truly ignited. With 3,500 meters of elevation packed into 170.3 kilometers, the route to the Pal ski resort promised fireworks\u2014and delivered them in spectacular fashion.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The day belonged to Jay Vine, the Australian climber whose local knowledge of Andorran roads proved decisive. Racing before his family and establishing a temporary home advantage, Vine escaped from a strong ten-rider breakaway that included Torstein Tr\u00e6en (Bahrain Victorious), Pablo Castrillo (Movistar), and Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana).<\/p>\n<p>Vine\u2019s attack came before the Alto de La Comella, and he used the technical descent\u2014his daily training ground\u2014to establish a gap that would prove unassailable. His solo effort up the final 9.6-kilometer climb at 6.3% gradient delivered his third La Vuelta stage victory.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI got the call to do this race about four weeks ago. It was not on my schedule originally,\u201d Vine revealed. \u201cSo to be able to win in Andorra, in front of my son, of my wife, it\u2019s unbelievable, and incredibly motivating. The last 5k, all I could think about is: \u2018This is for you Harrison, this is for you.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Behind Vine\u2019s emotional triumph, the real drama unfolded in the chase group. Torstein Tr\u00e6en, the Norwegian who had been lurking in the shadows, delivered the performance of his career to finish second and claim La Roja. His 54-second deficit to Vine was more than compensated by the four minutes and nineteen seconds he gained on the main field of contenders.<\/p>\n<p>The final kilometers witnessed a fascinating tactical battle. Giulio Ciccone\u2019s Lidl-Trek squad set a fierce pace that dropped Juan Ayuso with six kilometers remaining\u2014a critical blow to the young Spaniard\u2019s ambitions. Ciccone himself launched an attack inside the final three kilometers, with only Jonas Vingegaard and Jo\u00e3o Almeida able to respond, but their efforts came to nothing as they finished together.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt feels a bit unexpected,\u201d Tr\u00e6en admitted. \u201cA few days ago, I was talking with the other Norwegian rider here, Johannes [Staune-Mittet]. I was talking about a Norwegian GC, and he said: \u2018You\u2019re a loser, because you\u2019re so close on the actual GC.\u2019 And I said: \u2018When I take the red jersey after the Andorra stage, I don\u2019t think you\u2019ll call me a loser anymore!&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stage 6 Results<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nJay Vine<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n4:12:36<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nTorstein Tr\u00e6en<br \/>\nBahrain Victorious<br \/>\n+0:54<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nLorenzo Fortunato<br \/>\nXDS Astana Team<br \/>\n+1:10<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nBruno Armirail<br \/>\nDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team<br \/>\n+1:15<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nPablo Castrillo Zapater<br \/>\nMovistar Team<br \/>\n+1:52<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nJames Shaw<br \/>\nEF Education \u2013 EasyPost<br \/>\n+2:05<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nLouis Vervaeke<br \/>\nSoudal Quick-Step<br \/>\n+2:15<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nRamses Debruyne<br \/>\nAlpecin-Deceuninck<br \/>\n+2:19<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nAlexander Ryan<br \/>\nEF Education \u2013 EasyPost<br \/>\n+2:42<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nJo\u00e3o Almeida<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n+4:19<\/p>\n<p>General Classification After Stage 6<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nTorstein Tr\u00e6en<br \/>\nBahrain Victorious<br \/>\n20:25:46<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nBruno Armirail<br \/>\nDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team<br \/>\n+0:31<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nLorenzo Fortunato<br \/>\nXDS Astana Team<br \/>\n+1:01<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nLouis Vervaeke<br \/>\nSoudal Quick-Step<br \/>\n+1:58<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nJonas Vingegaard<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+2:33<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nJo\u00e3o Almeida<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n+2:41<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nGiulio Ciccone<br \/>\nLidl-Trek<br \/>\n+2:42<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nMatteo Jorgenson<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+2:49<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nJai Hindley<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+2:53<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nGiulio Pellizzari<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+2:53<\/p>\n<p>Jersey Holders After Stage 6<\/p>\n<p>Red Jersey (La Roja) \u2013 Overall Leader: Torstein Tr\u00e6en (Bahrain Victorious)<br \/>\nGreen Jersey \u2013 Points Classification: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)<br \/>\nBlue &amp; White Polka-dot Jersey \u2013 King of the Mountains: Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates XRG)<br \/>\nWhite Jersey \u2013 Best Young Rider: Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe)<\/p>\n<p>Stage 7: Ayuso\u2019s Redemption Ride<br \/>\nAndorra la Vella, Andorra \u2192 Cerler, Huesca, 4,211m elevation gain (29 August 2025)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingwest.com\/?attachment_id=40626\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-40626 nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40626\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250829LV1033.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\"  \/><\/a>La Vuelta 2025 \u2013 7th stage \u2013 Andorra la Vella.Andorra &gt; Cerler. Huesca La Magia (188 km) \u2013 29\/08\/2025 \u2013 Stage Winner Juan AYUSO (UAE TEAM EMIRATES XRG) \u2013 Unipublic\/Antonio Baixauli\/Cxcling Creative Agency. Courtesy ASO<\/p>\n<p>The second-highest elevation day of the entire race would prove to be Juan Ayuso\u2019s moment of redemption. After the previous day\u2019s collapse in Andorra, the young Spaniard delivered a masterclass in long-range attacking that showcased both his tactical acumen and his resilient character.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Ayuso\u2019s audacious move came 22 kilometers before the summit of the Port del Canto, the day\u2019s opening climb. Riding solo over the 24.7-kilometer ascent at 4.4%, he established a foundation for what would become one of the most impressive individual performances of the race.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s one of my best victories, because of how difficult it was,\u201d Ayuso reflected. \u201cThe peloton, especially Visma, didn\u2019t want to let me get away, so I had to ride the first hour of the race alone, because I knew I had to go for it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Behind him, the chase was fierce but fragmented. Jay Vine bridged across on the descent, followed by a select group including Mads Pedersen, Sean Quinn, and several other opportunists. The resulting 12-rider breakaway established a maximum advantage of 4\u201910\u201d as they worked together through the valley roads.<\/p>\n<p>Vine\u2019s pursuit of polka-dot points saw him take maximum points at both the Creu de Perves and L\u2019Espina climbs, while Pedersen\u2019s tactical awareness earned him 20 points at the intermediate sprint in Benasque\u2014a crucial score in his defense of the green jersey.<\/p>\n<p>The final ascent to Cerler\u201421.1 kilometers at 5.8%\u2014became Ayuso\u2019s personal stage. His attack with 11 kilometers remaining initially brought Marco Frigo (Israel Premier Tech) with him, but when the young Spaniard accelerated again inside the final ten kilometers, no one could match his pace.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter winning my first Grand Tour stage at the Giro, to win a stage here in La Vuelta, which for me is my favourite race, and especially the way I won it today, I think it\u2019s something I will always remember,\u201d Ayuso said.<\/p>\n<p>In the peloton, the tactical maneuvering continued. Jo\u00e3o Almeida\u2019s attack inside the final five kilometers brought an immediate response from Jonas Vingegaard, with Giulio Ciccone following closely. However, Torstein Tr\u00e6en\u2019s remarkable resilience saw him match their pace to retain La Roja by the narrowest of margins.<\/p>\n<p>Stage 7 Results<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nJuan Ayuso Pesquera<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n4:49:41<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nMarco Frigo<br \/>\nIsrael \u2013 Premier Tech<br \/>\n+1:15<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nRa\u00fal Garc\u00eda Pierna<br \/>\nArk\u00e9a-B&amp;B Hotels<br \/>\n+1:21<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nHarold Tejada<br \/>\nXDS Astana Team<br \/>\n+1:28<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nSean Quinn<br \/>\nEF Education \u2013 EasyPost<br \/>\n+1:28<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nKevin Vermaerke<br \/>\nTeam Picnic PostNL<br \/>\n+1:28<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nEduardo Sep\u00falveda<br \/>\nLotto<br \/>\n+1:28<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nBrieuc Rolland<br \/>\nGroupama-FDJ<br \/>\n+2:17<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nMarc Soler<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n+2:30<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nTom Pidcock<br \/>\nQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team<br \/>\n+2:35<\/p>\n<p>General Classification After Stage 7<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nTorstein Tr\u00e6en<br \/>\nBahrain Victorious<br \/>\n25:18:02<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nJonas Vingegaard<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+2:33<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nJo\u00e3o Almeida<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n+2:41<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nGiulio Ciccone<br \/>\nLidl-Trek<br \/>\n+2:42<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nLorenzo Fortunato<br \/>\nXDS Astana Team<br \/>\n+2:47<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nMatteo Jorgenson<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+2:49<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nJai Hindley<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+2:53<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nGiulio Pellizzari<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+2:53<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nEgan Bernal<br \/>\nINEOS Grenadiers<br \/>\n+2:55<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nFelix Gall<br \/>\nDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team<br \/>\n+2:58<\/p>\n<p>Jersey Holders After Stage 7<\/p>\n<p>Red Jersey (La Roja) \u2013 Overall Leader: Torstein Tr\u00e6en (Bahrain Victorious)<br \/>\nGreen Jersey \u2013 Points Classification: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)<br \/>\nBlue &amp; White Polka-dot Jersey \u2013 King of the Mountains: Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates XRG)<br \/>\nWhite Jersey \u2013 Best Young Rider: Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe)<\/p>\n<p>Stage 8: The Sprinters\u2019 Brief Return<br \/>\nMonz\u00f3n Templario \u2192 Zaragoza, 163.5km (30 August 2025)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingwest.com\/?attachment_id=40627\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-40627 nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40627\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250830LV1063.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\"  \/><\/a>La Vuelta 2025 \u2013 8th stage \u2013 Monz\u00f3n Templario &gt; Zaragoza (163,5 km) \u2013 30\/08\/2025 \u2013 Jasper PHILIPSEN (ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK) \u2013 Unipublic\/Antonio Baixauli\/Cxcling Creative Agency. Courtesy ASO<\/p>\n<p>After two punishing mountain stages, the flatlands of Arag\u00f3n offered a welcome respite for the climbers and a rare opportunity for the sprinters to reclaim center stage. The route to Zaragoza\u2014marking the 50th time the Aragonese capital has hosted a stage finish\u2014promised to be a straightforward affair, though in La Vuelta, nothing is ever quite that simple.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>Three Spanish riders seized the initiative from the gun: Sergio Samitier (Cofidis), particularly motivated as the stage passed through his hometown of Barbastro, Joan Bou (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), and Jos\u00e9 Luis Faura (Burgos-Burpellet-BH). Their maximum advantage peaked early at 4\u201910\u201d, but with none posing a threat to Torstein Tr\u00e6en\u2019s overall lead, the sprint teams were content to control the gap.<\/p>\n<p>The finale played out exactly as the sprinters\u2019 teams had scripted. Bou and Samitier managed to drop Faura in the final circuits around Zaragoza, but their brave effort ended with 17 kilometers remaining as the inevitable reunion took place.<\/p>\n<p>Jasper Philipsen, winner of the race\u2019s opening stage in Novara, proved that his early-season form remained intact. Despite becoming separated from his Alpecin-Deceuninck lead-out train in the chaotic finale, the Belgian\u2019s raw speed carried him to victory ahead of Elia Viviani (Lotto) and Ethan Vernon (Israel Premier Tech).<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe won, so there\u2019s nothing to complain about!\u201d Philipsen said. \u201cI lost my teammates\u2019 wheel. I think they did an incredible lead-out again but I was not there. My legs felt like concrete but I managed to win so I\u2019m really happy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For Mads Pedersen, the intermediate sprint points represented a small consolation in an otherwise frustrating day. The Lidl-Trek captain secured 13 points to strengthen his green jersey position, though his relegation to outside the top ten in the stage finish highlighted the growing competition in the points classification.<\/p>\n<p>Stage 8 Results<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nJasper Philipsen<br \/>\nAlpecin-Deceuninck<br \/>\n3:43:48<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nElia Viviani<br \/>\nLotto<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nEthan Vernon<br \/>\nIsrael \u2013 Premier Tech<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nArnaud Marit<br \/>\nIntermarch\u00e9 \u2013 Wanty<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nAlexis Foldager<br \/>\nTeam Jayco Alula<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nBryan Coquard<br \/>\nCofidis<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nMikkel Mihkels<br \/>\nEF Education \u2013 EasyPost<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nThomas Gruel<br \/>\nGroupama-FDJ<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nFabian Christen<br \/>\nQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nBen Turner<br \/>\nINEOS Grenadiers<br \/>\n+0:00<\/p>\n<p>General Classification After Stage 8<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nTorstein Tr\u00e6en<br \/>\nBahrain Victorious<br \/>\n29:01:50<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nJonas Vingegaard<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+2:33<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nJo\u00e3o Almeida<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n+2:41<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nGiulio Ciccone<br \/>\nLidl-Trek<br \/>\n+2:42<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nLorenzo Fortunato<br \/>\nXDS Astana Team<br \/>\n+2:47<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nMatteo Jorgenson<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+2:49<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nJai Hindley<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+2:53<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nGiulio Pellizzari<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+2:53<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nEgan Bernal<br \/>\nINEOS Grenadiers<br \/>\n+2:55<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nFelix Gall<br \/>\nDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team<br \/>\n+2:58<\/p>\n<p>Jersey Holders After Stage 8<\/p>\n<p>Red Jersey (La Roja) \u2013 Overall Leader: Torstein Tr\u00e6en (Bahrain Victorious)<br \/>\nGreen Jersey \u2013 Points Classification: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)<br \/>\nBlue &amp; White Polka-dot Jersey \u2013 King of the Mountains: Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates XRG)<br \/>\nWhite Jersey \u2013 Best Young Rider: Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe)<\/p>\n<p>Stage 9: Vingegaard\u2019s Decisive Strike<br \/>\nAlfaro \u2192 Estaci\u00f3n de Esqu\u00ed de Valdezcaray, 13.2km final climb (31 August 2025)<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingwest.com\/?attachment_id=40628\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-40628 nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40628\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250831LV1048.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\"  \/><\/a>La Vuelta 2025 \u2013 9th stage \u2013 Alfaro &gt; Estacion de Esqui de Valdezcaray (195,5 km) \u2013 31\/08\/2025 \u2013 Jonas VINGEGAARD (TEAM VISMA | LEASE A BIKE) \u2013 Unipublic\/Antonio Baixauli\/Cxcling Creative Agency. Courtesy ASO<\/p>\n<p>The final examination before the first rest day would prove to be the most decisive yet, as Jonas Vingegaard finally unleashed the form that had made him a two-time Tour de France champion. The Dane\u2019s imperious solo victory at Valdezcaray ski resort not only claimed his second stage win of the race but also moved him tantalizingly close to La Roja.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>The day began with typical La Vuelta chaos as numerous riders attempted to establish the break. Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers) and Archie Ryan (EF Education-EasyPost) finally succeeded in breaking free, later joined by Michel Hessmann (Movistar), Liam Slock (Lotto), and Kevin Vermaerke (Picnic PostNL).<\/p>\n<p>The quintet\u2019s maximum advantage of 2\u201945\u201d never threatened the overall contenders, with Tom Pidcock\u2019s Q36.5 squad and Lidl-Trek controlling the pace. As intermittent showers added an extra element of difficulty, the breakaway was neutralized at the base of the final 13.2-kilometer climb.<\/p>\n<p>Vingegaard\u2019s moment came with devastating suddenness. Matteo Jorgenson\u2019s brutal acceleration 11 kilometers from the summit provided the perfect launchpad for his leader\u2019s assault. When Vingegaard went clear, only Giulio Ciccone could initially respond\u2014but even the Italian climber cracked ten kilometers from the line.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe moment I put my team at the front on the last climb is the moment when we decided to make today a GC battle,\u201d Vingegaard explained. \u201cI felt super great all day, I asked them if they could speed up, they did, and I tried. To be honest, maybe I didn\u2019t do my homework well enough. I thought I was closer to the finish when I attacked and then I was surprised to see the 10-km-to-go banner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Behind the dominant winner, Tom Pidcock\u2019s acceleration in the finale brought him second place alongside Jo\u00e3o Almeida, both finishing 24 seconds down. Felix Gall limited his losses to just over a minute, while the remaining GC contenders\u2014including race leader Torstein Tr\u00e6en\u2014crossed the line 1\u201946\u201d behind Vingegaard.<\/p>\n<p>For Tr\u00e6en, it was a day of survival rather than celebration. The Norwegian\u2019s remarkable week in red looked set to end until crucial assistance from other riders in the closing kilometers helped him maintain his slender advantage.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAt the end of the climb I was thinking I will not be in the red jersey, so I\u2019m obviously quite happy that I got some help and managed to hold on,\u201d Tr\u00e6en admitted. \u201cAt one point, I got help from two Jumbo guys, so it felt a bit like maybe they didn\u2019t want Jonas to have the jersey yet.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Stage 9 Results<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nJonas Vingegaard<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n4:32:10<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nTom Pidcock<br \/>\nQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team<br \/>\n+0:24<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nJo\u00e3o Almeida<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n+0:24<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nFelix Gall<br \/>\nDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team<br \/>\n+1:02<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nRa\u00fal Garc\u00eda Pierna<br \/>\nArk\u00e9a-B&amp;B Hotels<br \/>\n+1:46<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nMarc Soler<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n+1:46<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nGiulio Ciccone<br \/>\nLidl-Trek<br \/>\n+1:46<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nMikel Landa<br \/>\nEF Education-EasyPost<br \/>\n+1:46<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nJai Hindley<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+1:46<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nLorenzo Fortunato<br \/>\nXDS Astana Team<br \/>\n+1:46<\/p>\n<p>General Classification After Stage 9<\/p>\n<p>Place<br \/>\nRider<br \/>\nTeam<br \/>\nTime<\/p>\n<p>1<br \/>\nTorstein Tr\u00e6en<br \/>\nBahrain Victorious<br \/>\n33:35:46<\/p>\n<p>2<br \/>\nJonas Vingegaard<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+0:37<\/p>\n<p>3<br \/>\nJo\u00e3o Almeida<br \/>\nUAE Team Emirates XRG<br \/>\n+1:15<\/p>\n<p>4<br \/>\nTom Pidcock<br \/>\nQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team<br \/>\n+1:35<\/p>\n<p>5<br \/>\nFelix Gall<br \/>\nDecathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team<br \/>\n+2:14<\/p>\n<p>6<br \/>\nGiulio Ciccone<br \/>\nLidl-Trek<br \/>\n+2:42<\/p>\n<p>7<br \/>\nLorenzo Fortunato<br \/>\nXDS Astana Team<br \/>\n+2:47<\/p>\n<p>8<br \/>\nMatteo Jorgenson<br \/>\nTeam Visma | Lease a Bike<br \/>\n+2:49<\/p>\n<p>9<br \/>\nJai Hindley<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+2:53<\/p>\n<p>10<br \/>\nGiulio Pellizzari<br \/>\nRed Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe<br \/>\n+2:53<\/p>\n<p>Jersey Holders After Stage 9<\/p>\n<p>Red Jersey (La Roja) \u2013 Overall Leader: Torstein Tr\u00e6en (Bahrain Victorious)<br \/>\nGreen Jersey \u2013 Points Classification: Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)<br \/>\nBlue &amp; White Polka-dot Jersey \u2013 King of the Mountains: Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates XRG)<br \/>\nWhite Jersey \u2013 Best Young Rider: Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull \u2013 BORA \u2013 hansgrohe)<\/p>\n<p>As La Vuelta 2025 heads into its first rest day, the race has already delivered more drama and international flavor than many complete editions. From Ben Turner\u2019s unlikely triumph in France to Jay Vine\u2019s emotional victory in Andorra, from UAE Team Emirates-XRG\u2019s TTT dominance to Torstein Tr\u00e6en\u2019s unlikely stint in red, the opening week has set a standard that the next two weeks will struggle to match.<\/p>\n<p>With Jonas Vingegaard lurking just 37 seconds behind Tr\u00e6en and the real mountains still to come, the battle for La Roja remains beautifully poised. The international adventure may be giving way to a Spanish conclusion, but in La Vuelta, the only certainty is uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cyclingwest.com\/?attachment_id=40629\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-40629 nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40629\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/20250831LV1035.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"799\"  \/><\/a>La Vuelta 2025 \u2013 9th stage \u2013 Alfaro &gt; Estacion de Esqui de Valdezcaray (195,5 km) \u2013 31\/08\/2025 \u2013 Unipublic\/Antonio Baixauli\/Cxcling Creative Agency. Courtesy ASO<\/p>\n<p>(Visited 42 times, 42 visits today)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Stages 4-9: From the Alps to Andorra and Back to Spain VALEDEZCARAY, Spain (31 August 2025) \u2014 What&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":115994,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[569],"tags":[64,63,784,85,39562],"class_list":["post-115993","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-cycling","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-cycling","tag-sports","tag-vuelta-a-espana"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115993","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115993"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115993\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}