The Vuelta a España 2025 has completed its opening nine stages, and as the peloton pauses on the first rest day, fans already have plenty to talk about. The race began with a historic Italian start, crossed into France and Andorra, and has now arrived in Spain after a week filled with sprints, mountain drama, and tactical battles.
For full team rosters, bikes, and stage-by-stage schedule, check our Vuelta a España 2025: Teams, Riders & Bikes Ultimate Guide.
One of the highlights of this opening week was the Team Time Trial in Figueres. Once a fixture of all three Grand Tours, the TTT has disappeared from the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, making its inclusion in the Vuelta all the more special. The team time trial is cycling at its most choreographed: riders rotating in perfect harmony, fluid, fast, and focused, pushing their machines to the limit. With advanced time trial bikes cutting through the air, the TTT remains one of the sport’s most beautiful disciplines.
Week 1 Winners
Jonas Vingegaard – The Benchmark
The two-time Tour de France champion arrived in Torino with ambition and hasn’t disappointed. Vingegaard set the tone early, winning Stage 2 in Italy, and then reinforced his dominance with a solo victory on Stage 9 after the race crossed the Pyrenees. He sits second overall but looks the strongest of the GC contenders, well positioned to take control in week two.
João Almeida – Calm and Calculated
Despite Vingegaard’s fireworks, João Almeida remains just 38 seconds behind after three of the race’s ten summit finishes. The Portuguese rider has played the long game, relying on his steadiness and time trial ability. With the mountains of week two ahead, especially the Angliru (Stage 13), Almeida remains the Dane’s closest challenger.
Tom Pidcock – The Wildcard Contender
Riding for the ProTour team Q36.5 Pro Cycling, Tom Pidcock has exceeded expectations. Racing cleverly, he has placed himself among the GC contenders by the end of week one. The question remains: can he survive the high mountain block of week two? Regardless, his position proves the wildcard invitation was well deserved.
Sprinters – Philipsen vs Pedersen
The sprint rivalry between Jasper Philipsen and Mads Pedersen has lived up to expectations. Philipsen has already claimed two stage wins, but Pedersen holds the green jersey thanks to his consistency and ability to score points on harder stages. Ethan Vernon (Israel–Premier Tech) has also emerged as a challenger, while veteran Elia Viviani rolled back the years with a powerful sprint on Stage 8. Only to be edged out by Philipsen in the final meters.
Jay Vine – Polka Dots Again
Australian Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates – XRG), winner of the KOM jersey in 2024, is back in the spotlight. Vine has already won two stages — the TTT with his team and then a mountain stage in Andorra, celebrated with his wife and baby at the finish. He leads the polka dot classification with 34 points, but with the toughest climbs still ahead, the race for the mountains jersey is wide open.
Week 1 Losers
Juan Ayuso – Emotion Over Strategy
The much-anticipated in-team rivalry at UAE between Ayuso and Almeida tilted dramatically on Stage 6, when Ayuso cracked and lost significant time. That cost him both GC hopes and the white jersey. To his credit, Ayuso bounced back to win Stage 7 the very next day, showing his talent and fighting spirit. At just 22, he remains a star in the making but still needs more experience to control his emotions across three weeks.
Ben O’Connor – Below Expectations
Riding for Team Jayco AlUla, Ben O’Connor ends the first week in 15th place, 3:53 down on the red jersey. It’s a disappointing position given his team’s expectations of a top-five GC finish. With the hardest mountain stages still to come, O’Connor faces an uphill battle to rescue his Vuelta and must hope for renewed strength in week two.
The Battle for Red
At the rest day, the red jersey is a surprise: Torstein Træen (Bahrain Victorious) leads with a time of 33:35:46, holding a 37-second advantage over Vingegaard and 1:15 over Almeida. Pidcock and Gall round out the top five.
Top 5 GC at Rest Day 1
- Torstein Træen (Bahrain Victorious) — 33:35:46
- Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) — +0:37
- João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) — +1:15
- Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) — +1:35
- Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) — +2:14
Key takeaway: Træen has been outstanding, but Vingegaard looks the most dominant. Almeida remains dangerous, and Pidcock has added an unexpected layer of intrigue. Week two’s brutal climbs will decide whether the surprise leader can hang on.
For fantasy players, week one has already shaken up expectations: see our Ultimate Vuelta a España 2025 Fantasy Guide for updated jersey battles and tips.
Jersey Check
- Red (GC): Torstein Træen (Bahrain Victorious)
- Green (Points): Mads Pedersen (Lidl–Trek)
- Polka Dots (KOM): Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates – XRG)
- White (Young Rider): Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe)
What’s Next: Week 2 Focus
The second week is where the Vuelta 2025 will truly be decided.
- Stage 13 – L’Angliru: The steepest and most feared climb in Spain, where only the very best survive. Expect fireworks in the GC battle.
- Stage 14 – La Farrapona: A back-to-back mountain test that will punish any weakness left from the Angliru showdown.
With Almeida still close, Pidcock surprising, and Træen fighting to defend red, week two promises relentless drama.
Final Thoughts
The opening week of the Vuelta a España 2025 has been everything fans hoped for: sprints decided by centimeters, high-mountain drama, and the return of the team time trial’s beauty. Jonas Vingegaard looks set to dominate, but João Almeida, Tom Pidcock, and Torstein Træen have ensured that the battle for red remains far from settled. Meanwhile, the green, polka dot, and white jerseys are each alive with competition.
As the riders rest their legs on September 1, the race is perfectly poised. The road to Madrid is long, and the most decisive stages still lie ahead.