Vuelta a España stage 17 LIVE – 12 riders up the road as wind threatens summit finish on Alto de El Morredero

This short-ish stage is rattling on.

Nicolau gets the maximum points over the first climb.

Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), 3 ptsSergio Samitier (Cofidis), 2 ptsHarold Tejada (XDS Astana), 1 pt

The break is splitting apart more now as the stronger riders try to push on.

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The gap is coming down on this climb, it’s 1:20 now.

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The sprinters, including Pedersen, are starting to be dropped.

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Visma are still setting the pace on this climb.

In the break, Tiberi is trying to push the pace.

We’re onto the first categorised climb of the day.

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Things are regrouping in the peloton.

Big split in the bunch as the wind blows through an exposed section.

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UAE especially need to take advantage of the finish today, if they want João Almeida to have a chance of closing the 48 second gap to Vingegaard.

The red jersey is the obvious goal for the team. That’s what we’re trying to aim for. We’re running out of days to make an impact on the GC, so we gotta make every day count. Every uphill finish is important for us.

Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)

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The peloton aren’t catching the break, they’re just keeping them close so that the GC riders can contest the finish.

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Bike change for Sepp Kuss, he’s back racing very quickly.

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Sounds like the organisers are hopeful that the finish will be fine, weather wise.

“For now, everything is still going to happen as normal regarding the finish,” Fernando Escartín, Unipbulic race route organiser, told Spanish TV.

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The weather has improved, at least.

It’s nice and sunny now, not raining.

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Already under 90km to go.

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Dylan van Baarle doing what he does every day – controlling the break.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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The gap is currently 1:35 according to the latest timings.

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Visma really aren’t letting this go at all. Two minutes seems the absolute max gap they’re allowing.

The GC riders have missed a few chances to go head to head because of the protests, so there’s even more motivation for today to be a GC day.

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Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe are also grouping at the front.

Time is running out for a rider like Jai Hindley to take enough time to move up onto the podium.

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Part of the problem is that Harold Tejada is in the break, who is only 11 minutes down on GC and could threaten some of the riders in the top 10.

The gap is two minutes at the moment, but Visma are controlling it in the peloton.

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Seems like the break aren’t fully happy with this situation, with 12 of them and a small gap.

Some riders are trying to break things up further.

That first 43km went quickly!

It looks like we have our breakaway of the day, though not sure how much of a gap the peloton are going to give them.

The uncertainty over how the finish could play out is probably making the peloton keep the group close.

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Some blue sky peeking through.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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Aparicio is caught and no longer chasing the break.

The gap is around 1:45, so not fully ballooning just yet.

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As well as protesters, wind could be an issue today. Have heard that this morning, the organisers couldn’t erect the finish at the top of the final climb because of high gusts.

If it doesn’t die down, the finish line could be moved 5km down the final climb.

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Anders Mielke was trying to drum up some positivity at the start.

Ben Turner has a nice new motto for us: “Put a smile on your face, then we can race.”

The chasers have caught the leaders, making in 12 in the lead.

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The chasing group of four are only 10 seconds down on the leaders, so they should join them soon.

Aparicio is a bit further back, but the peloton seem happy to let these riders go away.

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Here’s the leading group of eight, just after they got away.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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Another rider is also chasing, Mario Aparicio from Burgos Burpellet BH.

The leaders are nearly two minutes ahead of the bunch now.

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Yes, four riders are trying to cross the bridge between the peloton and the leaders.

They are: Joel Nicolau (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), Léandre Lozouet (Arkéa-B&B Hotels), Sergio Samitier (Cofidis) and Gijs Leemreize (Picnic PostNL).

The gap is pulling out towards a minute, and I think there’s someone chasing in between the peloton and the break.

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The riders in the lead are:

Brandon Rivera (Ineos Grenadiers), Madis Mikhels (EF Education-EasyPost), Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), Patrick Gamper (Jayco AlUla), Timo Roosen (Picnic PostNL), Harold Tejada (XDS Astana), Luca van Boven (Intermarché-Wanty) and Jonas Gregaard (Lotto).

They have 15 seconds, let’s see if this sticks.

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A group of eight riders have attacked now and have a small gap.

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Here’s Victor Langellotti having a go.

Ineos clearly want to keep the momentum going after Bernal’s win yesterday.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

We could be in for another long battle for the break.

The roads are rolling but the first categorised climb doesn’t come until 75km have already been raced.

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This is also the level of focus I bring to these lives. Locked in.

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Back together again.

15km done so far.

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The peloton has split – around 30 riders are in a big front group.

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Kwiatkowski is reeled back in.

A LOT of breakaways have made it to the finish in this race, so there’s going to be a big fight to get away today. Teams won’t let anything go if they don’t have a rider in it, nor will the GC riders want anyone threatening to be given any gap.

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Kwiatkowski is trying again.

More shaved heads incoming?

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Here’s the riders passing kilometre zero this morning.

That weather does not look enticing.

And we’re racing!

143km to go until the finish atop the steep Alto de El Morredero climb.

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There were Palestinian flags and police at the start this morning.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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A couple of riders, including Jonas Vingegaard, punctured in the same section of road yesterday.

There is some suggestion that thumb tacks (drawing pins) were deliberately placed on the road to cause this.

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Unfortunately we’re being caught in the middle of something that maybe doesn’t even really involve us and at the moment we are kind of just the pawns in a very large chess game.

Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious)

2025-09-10T11:38:46.435Z

Here’s what Jack Haig had to say on behalf of the CPA.

We decided that if there is an incident that we would try to neutralise the race and then that would be it because in the end racing to an undefined finish line is not really fair sport.

Jack Haig (Bahrain Victorious)

2025-09-10T11:37:55.285Z

Here’s some more on the rider vote that took place this morning.

And they’re off for a 4.7km neutral!

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Important duties for the red jersey.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

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Just a few minutes until the riders roll out for the neutral start.

It’s 4.7km long today.

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Hard job to be a commentator on a rainy day, because what team even is this?

Ok, I know, it’s Q36.5 (Image credit: Getty Images)

2025-09-10T11:22:08.526Z

The riders have voted to stop today if more protests disrupt the stage.

According to Daniel Friebe of The Cycling Podcast, the peloton just aren’t keen to race revised finishes like yesterday.