Former US champion Quinn is racing his first grand tour since a knee surgery this spring and roared into Monday’s main breakaway to win most combative prize.
Quinn was on the attack Monday and won the most combative prize. (Photo: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)
Updated August 25, 2025 01:51PM
Sean Quinn didn’t waste time making the most of his Vuelta a España comeback.
The 2024 U.S. champion is in the Spanish grand tour after a long recovery from knee surgery this spring.
The EF Education-EasyPost star jumped into an early move in Monday’s 134.6km stage from San Maurizio Canavese to Ceres. The lumpy profile was ideal terrain for a breakaway, and Quinn didn’t miss the chance.
“It’s always nice, it was worth the shot. It didn’t work out today, but we know that if we keep trying, it will work out, so let’s keep going for it,” Quinn said after the stage. “We knew a lot of teams were motivated for a reduced group sprint at the end, I think we needed a few more numbers at the front to have a chance against the peloton. After the climb we were only two. It was hard for us to work it out today, but we’ll keep trying.”
The day’s main obstacle saw Quinn and Arkea B&B’s Alessandro Verre hold on over the Cat. 2 Isiglio climb midway through the stage. Starting the day at 1:28 back, Quinn even rode into the virtual red jersey as the lead hovered at 2:18 before Lidl-Trek started to twist the knife.
With 35km to go, Verre — who recaptured the King of the Mountains jersey — was neutralized by the bunch, leaving Quinn to savor his last few kilometers OTF.
Quinn was eventually reeled in with just under 20km to go.
The upside? After 110km in the breakaway, he won the day’s most combative prize.
Quinn: ‘I thought I’d never race again’
Sean Quinn made Monday’s breakaway count. (Photo: Dario Belingheri/Getty Images)
Quinn’s 2025 campaign was derailed with surgery on his right knee earlier this year. According to a team vlog, the operation involved removing a plica and reducing an inflamed pad, forcing Quinn off the bike for months during recovery.
Quinn only returned to racing at the Tour of Austria in July and was tipped to race the Vuelta after Richard Carapaz pulled out.
Monday’s stage was only Quinn’s 13th day of racing in 2025.
“There were definitely times this past year when I thought I would never race my bike again, because of my knee,” Quinn said in a team vlog. “That definitely showed me some fragility and reminded me that every race I do could be my last, whether I like that or not.
“Sometimes, cycling is so hard physically and mentally that maybe late in the season, you’re ready to go home or ready to throw in the towel when you’re suffering in a race, but I have learned that I need to treat every race as if it could be my last one,” he said. “This year, I’ll get to go to one stage race. So, I have to grab it with both hands and make the most of it.”
Quinn took those lessons into this Vuelta, and vows to keep pushing the accelerator.