Filippo Ganna earned his second career Vuelta a España victory in Thursday’s only individual time trial of the 2025 edition, giving Ineos three triumphs in 18 stages. Late on Wednesday race organizer ASO announced that the route would be more than halved amid security concerns. It was the third stage of the 80th edition that had been reduced because of protests. Jonas Vingegaard lost 10 seconds of his race lead to João Almeida. Pier-André Côté had a cracking chrono, coming 11th.

Ganna was top dog in March’s Tirreno-Adriatico time trial.

The Course

Originally the chrono was 27 km around Valladolid, but it was shortened to 12.2 km. The intermediate time check points were at the 4 km and 8 km marks.

Early leader Daan Hoole posted 13:19, but since Ganna started soon after, the Dutchman didn’t have much time to enjoy the hot seat, as the Italian was 19 seconds faster. For a while Côté, who overtook his minute man, had the provisional third best time, 13:19. Mads Pedersen and Stefan Küng could beat Ganna’s intermediate times, but they couldn’t usurp the two-time world chrono champion.

Blue polka dot-clad Jay Vine missed out on the top spot by one second.

In the GC race, the tightest gaps were 36 seconds between Pidcock and Jai Hindley for the podium, 50 seconds between Vingegaard and Almeida for the red jersey and 1:08 between Giulio Pellizzari and Matthew Riccitello for the white jersey.

Currently fifth place in the Vuelta, Pellizzari was also sixth in the Giro.

Time Check 1 saw Almeida on a good run, two seconds faster than the man in red. Time Check 2 revealed another second lost to the Portuguese. Ten seconds would be the final loss.

At the finish line Pidcock was quicker than Hindley by three seconds. Pellizarri found Riccitello six seconds closer after Thursday.

Don’t let Friday’s lack of categorized climbs lull you into believing it’s one for the sprinters.

2025 Vuelta a España Stage 18
1) Filippo Ganna (Italy/Ineos) +13:00
2) Jay Vine (Australia/UAE-Emirates) +0:01
3) João Almeida (Portugal/UAE-Emirates) +0:07
11) Pier-André Côté (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) +0:19
118) Nickolas Zukowsky (Canada/Q36.5) +1:38

2025 Vuelta a España GC
1) Jonas Vingegaard (Denmark/Visma-Lease a Bike) 64:53:55
2) João Almeida (Portugal/UAE-Emirates) +0:40
3) Tom Pidcock (Great Britain/Q36.5) +2:39
4) Jai Hindley (Australia/Red Bull) +3:18
106) Pier-André Côté (Canada/Israel-Premier Tech) +3:01:54
117) Nickolas Zukowsky (Canada/Q36.5) +3:15:14