2025 Vuelta a España

[yaco55]

Reportedly had a fall a couple of days ago. Guess the effects caught up with him on the Angliru.

Cracked ribs.

 

[eth-dog]

The ITT tomorrow night looks to be vital for the Almeida vs Jonas clash. Tonight there might be a small GC gap but expect the break to win. Jai vs Pidcock the other interesting battle for third.

 

[Orange Agent]

Unfortunately the race has turned into a farce. Feel for the riders who are completely innocent and have put in months of training. Be good if the protestors did some research into who they are protesting against.

 

[NorthernBastard]

Regardless of the politics and the organization of the race and possible failures in their part, it's just a real shame the race is being interrupted.

Hopefully it resolves and Jai can chase a podium on some long hard days this week.

 

[Daka]

Almeida got dropped slightly everytime the pace went up on Stage 17 and Jonas isn't atttacking that, to me that shows Jonas is on the limit, have to remember he has the Tour De France in his legs, a lot of these other guys don't.

ITT will be huge tomorrow night. I can't say I am confident in Jonas putting in a good time-trial same with Almeida both look pretty spent.

 

[eth-dog]

Almeida needs to get 30 seconds back tomorrow to be any chance for me. Hindley seems to be stronger than Pidcock in the ITT to the tune of about 1 second per km so third could get very tight tomorrow.

 

[Vader]

The ITT has been cut down from 27.2km to 12.2km, due to the Palestine protesters. This significantly limits the ability of any rider to establish significant time gaps over their rivals.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...uts-time-trial-stage-short-protests/105760290

 

[eth-dog]

The ITT has been cut down from 27.2km to 12.2km, due to the Palestine protesters. This significantly limits the ability of any rider to establish significant time gaps over their rivals.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...uts-time-trial-stage-short-protests/105760290

Ball game for GC apart from a crash. Third could still be interesting.

 

[Daka]

Almeida takes 10 seconds off Vinegegaard in the ITT probably suited him more than Jonas with the shortened course but I think Almeida would have took more time possibly in the longer time-trial aswell. Jonas is fatigued massively imo even if it doesn't fully show it on the steep climbs & sometimes João looks even worse.

I have no doubt that this Vuelta wouldn't have been as close if Vingegaard was fresh.
no way Almeida could have kept up with Tadej & Jonas on Mont Ventoux the pace they climbed it.

I think Almeida has a chance imo, I know 40 seconds will be hard to peg back with just 1 mountain stage left & I know Almeida isn't an explosive rider so it might be hard to drop Vingegaard but this is the most vulnerable I have ever seen Jonas.

If Almeida wants to win he has to take risks on the last mountain stage & attack.

 

[eth-dog]

Almeida takes 10 seconds off Vinegegaard in the ITT probably suited him more than Jonas with the shortened course but I think Almeida would have took more time possibly in the longer time-trial aswell. Jonas is fatigued massively imo even if it doesn't fully show it on the steep climbs & sometimes João looks even worse.

I have no doubt that this Vuelta wouldn't have been as close if Vingegaard was fresh.
no way Almeida could have kept up with Tadej & Jonas on Mont Ventoux the pace they climbed it.

I think Almeida has a chance imo, I know 40 seconds will be hard to peg back with just 1 mountain stage left & I know Almeida isn't an explosive rider so it might be hard to drop Vingegaard but this is the most vulnerable I have ever seen Jonas.

If Almeida wants to win he has to take risks on the last mountain stage & attack.

Jonas has it unless he crashes.

 

[Daka]

Jonas has it unless he crashes.

I hope so, I want him to have this on his CV, I want to see him do the Giro next year like he expressed and complete the Grand Tour Slam.

I feel like if you lost it from him what would that do to you mentally?

 

[eth-dog]

Interesting to see UAE's tactics. Do they let Vine go up the road for the two Cat 3's and then drop back in the peloton? Vervaeke needs to win the first 4 and finish top 2 on the last to win it. With no points from Vine. I would let him go up the road tbh.

 

[NorthernBastard]

Interesting to see UAE's tactics. Do they let Vine go up the road for the two Cat 3's and then drop back in the peloton? Vervaeke needs to win the first 4 and finish top 2 on the last to win it. With no points from Vine. I would let him go up the road tbh.

Vine could go up the road early and seel it, then put the clutch in?

End of the day UAE are there for GC, not polka dots, so they may not risk.

Hopefully ref bull throw it all at Pidcock

 

[eth-dog]

Vine could go up the road early and seel it, then put the clutch in?

End of the day UAE are there for GC, not polka dots, so they may not risk.

Hopefully ref bull throw it all at Pidcock

I think he chases them if the break isn't formed in time at the first. He should win it still

 

[eth-dog]

Jay will want the break to be clear come the Cat 1

 

[eth-dog]

Jay Vine B2B KOM jerseys.

 

[Daka]

Jonas Vingegaard wins stage 20 ON BOLA DEL MUNDO & the Vuelta.

A statement was made, he is clearly the best climber in this field even under Tour De France fatigued.

Would love to see him now complete the set & do the Giro in 2026.

 

[eth-dog]

Jonas Vingegaard wins stage 20 ON BOLA DEL MUNDO & the Vuelta.

A statement was made, he is clearly the best climber in this field even under Tour De France fatigued.

Would love to see him now complete the set & do the Giro in 2026.

I don't think it'll be next year tbh. Maybe 2027. Grand Tour fatigue is a thing, even over the course of 2 years. Unless he plans on skipping the Tour, which I would be surprised about.

 

[Daka]

I don't think it'll be next year tbh. Maybe 2027. Grand Tour fatigue is a thing, even over the course of 2 years. Unless he plans on skipping the Tour, which I would be surprised about.

He has already expressed he wants to do the Giro next year, I think the team will want him to prioritize the Tour but in saying that I personally think he should do the Giro, Tour double like Pogacar did in 2024 he won't be favorite anyway for the Tour.

 

[eth-dog]

He has already expressed he wants to do the Giro next year, I think the team will want him to prioritize the Tour but in saying that I personally think he should do the Giro, Tour double like Pogacar did in 2024 he won't be favorite anyway for the Tour.

There's not being favourite and there's making sure you can't win. If he does the Giro, his only chance at winning is Pogi crashing.

 

[two blue tiger]

Any jersey win in a GT is a great thing to have on the CV - well done Jay Vine.

 

[Vader]

What was really impressive was how he won it last night. If Jonas won the stage (which he did), Vine knew that they'd be tied on points, with Jonas claiming the jersey on countback - if Vine failed to score any points.

Vine had to work like a dog on the front of the lead group, setting up an attack by Almeida (which never came). Then he had to keep riding hard all the way to the top, needing to finish in a KoM points position on the stage to take his points tally clear of Jonas's.

 

[Daka]

There's not being favourite and there's making sure you can't win. If he does the Giro, his only chance at winning is Pogi crashing.

Giro is still a long time away, plenty of time to recover.

He just has to be careful about his schedule if he does it and maybe not do Paris-Nice like he did this year & skip Critérium du Dauphiné as a lead into the Tour so he is not fatigued.

 

[Daka]

Looks like the final stage of the Vuelta is ruined by protests sigh...

 

[Vader]

Looks like the final stage of the Vuelta is ruined by protests sigh...

Sad, but unsurprising. On a different (but related) note, Ireland and Netherlands are both threatening to pull out of Eurovision if Israel are allowed to participate.

Honestly, I can't see how Eurovision can justify allowing Israel to participate while simultaneously banning Russia over their war in Ukraine.

The only real surprise was that the race made it all the way to Madrid. There was speculation earlier in the week that the race organisers would end it after Stage 20.