Vuelta a Espana 2025: A More Competitive Race Than the Tour de France?
With Tadej Pogacar absent, the 2025 Vuelta a Espana opens the door for rivals like Jonas Vingegaard and Tom Pidcock to shine across its challenging mountainous route.
The Tour of Spain may never match the Tour de France in brand recognition, but this year’s Vuelta a Espana promises unmatched competition and entertainment.
Without Tadej Pogacar—fresh from two Tour de France victories by a combined ten minutes and now targeting the World Championships—the red jersey is wide open.
Jonas Vingegaard, the only rider to have beaten Pogacar at the Tour in 2022 and 2023, arrives as favorite after finishing four minutes behind Pogacar this summer. The Dane, still managing lingering effects from last year’s crash, faces pressure to secure a major win.
Pidcock Eyes Red Jersey
Britain’s Tom Pidcock, now with Q36.5, has impressed this season with wins at the Saudi Tour, a European mountain bike title and strong performances in the Giro d’Italia and the Arctic Race of Norway. Known for his downhill prowess on Alpe d’Huez in 2022, the 26-year-old believes the Vuelta’s varied stages—and one individual time trial—could suit his all-round skills.
A Mountainous Challenge
The 2025 route kicks off in Italy’s Piedmont with rolling hills for the classics specialists, before heading to the Pyrenees, Cantabrian and Basque mountains and the Central System near Madrid. Ten summit finishes, including Alto de Angliru and the Bola del Mundo, promise decisive battles for climbers, while sprinters will find few flat opportunities.
Riders to Watch
Tom Pidcock
Jai Hindley
Juan Ayuso
Joao Almeida
Felix Gall
Egan Bernal
Ben O'Connor
Mads Pedersen
Ethan Vernon
Jake Stewart- Jonas Vingegaard
With Pogacar skipping the Vuelta, rivals like Vingegaard and Pidcock are vying for the red jersey over a punishing mountain route, making this year’s race more open and unpredictable than ever.
This topic was reported by BBC Sport.
Explore useful articles in Sports News as of 22-08-2025. The article titled " Vuelta a Espana 2025: A More Competitive Race Than the Tour de France? " offers in-depth analysis and practical advice in the Sports News field. Each article is carefully crafted by experts to provide maximum value to readers.
The " Vuelta a Espana 2025: A More Competitive Race Than the Tour de France? " article expands your knowledge in Sports News, keeps you informed about the latest developments, and helps you make well-informed decisions. Each article is based on unique content, ensuring originality and quality.