Vuelta a Espana
Vuelta a Espana coverage from Cycling Weekly, with up to date race results, rider profiles and news and reports.

The Vuelta a España 2025, the 80th edition of the race, will be the final Grand Tour of the season, with the race following the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France in the WorldTour calendar.
The route for the 2025 edition looks tailor-made for Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), who hasn't ridden the race since making his Grand Tour debut there in 2019. Meanwhile, four-time Vuelta winner Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) has ruled out a tilt at a record-breaking fifth title, instead targeting the Giro d'Italia.
With just one fully flat stage, 10 summit finishes (including eight category 1s), another ascent of the fearsome Angliru and a mountainous time trial, this is another one for the hardiest of climbers.
A far cry from 2025's Tour de France route, which takes place entirely within French borders, the Vuelta takes a jaunt around Europe before settling down in Spain. Beginning in Turin, Italy, the race pays a visit to France and Andorra for its most international edition (by number of countries visited) since 2009.
It's also an extremely northern edition of the race, with the traditional closing stage in Madrid marking its furthest venture south.
Andorra plays host to the first major GC battle, a summit finish in Pal, kicking off a tough weekend in the Pyrenees and a densely-packed mountainous second week. After a couple of stages for the puncheurs the highest mountains return, including the Alto de l'Angliru on - to add insult to injury - the longest stage of the race, a 202km slog up to the legendary peak.
The climbing is broken up by a flat ITT for the specialists in Vallodolid on stage 18, but then it's back to the high mountains once more on the penultimate stage, with a summit finish on the 2,200m-tall Puerto de Navacerrada.
Here's all you need to know ahead of the last Grand Tour of the season.
- 2025 Vuelta a España route
- 2025 Vuelta a España start list - TBC
- 2025 Vuelta a España contenders - TBC
Vuelta a España 2025: Key details
Date | 23 August 2025 to 14 September 2025 |
Total distance | 3265km (2,029 miles) |
Number of stages | 21 |
Start location | Torino, Italy |
Finish location | Madrid, Spain |
UCI Ranking | WorldTour |
Edition | 80th |
Total climbing | TBC |
2024 winner | Primož Roglič |
TV coverage (UK) | Eurosport, Discovery+ |
TV coverage (US) | Peacock |
Vuelta a España 2025: Stage-by-stage
Stage | Date | Start location | Finish location | Distance | Terrain |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
One | 23 August | Torino | Novara | 200km | Flat |
Two | 24 August | Alba | Limone Piemonte | 157km | Flat, uphill finale |
Three | 25 August | San Maurizio Canavese | Ceres | 139km | Medium mountains |
Four | 26 August | Susa | Voiron | 192km | Medium mountains |
Five | 27 August | Figueres | Figueres | 20km | TTT |
Six | 28 August | Olot | Pal. Andorra | 170km | Mountains |
Seven | 29 August | Andorra la Vella | Cerler. Huesca la Magia | 187km | Mountains |
Eight | 30 August | Monzón Templario | Zaragoza | 187km | Mountains |
Nine | 31 August | Alfaro | Estación de Esqui de Valdezcaray | 195km | Hilly, uphill finale |
Ten | 2 September | Parque de la Naturaleza Sendaviva | El Ferial Larra Belagua | 168km | Flat, uphill finale |
11 | 3 September | Bilbao | Bilbao | 167km | Medium mountains |
12 | 4 September | Laredo | Los Corrales de Buelna | 143km | Medium mountains |
13 | 5 September | Cabezón de la Sal | L'Angliru | 202km | Mountains |
14 | 6 September | Avilés | Alto de la Farrapona. Lagos de Somiedo | 135km | Mountains |
15 | 7 September | A Veiga/Vegadeo | Monforte de Lemos | 167km | Medium mountains |
16 | 9 September | Poio | Mos. Castro de Herville | 172km | Medium mountains |
17 | 10 September | O Barco de Valdeorras | Alto de El Morredero. Ponferrada | 137km | Medium mountains |
18 | 11 September | Valladolid | Valladolid | 26km | ITT |
19 | 12 September | Rueda | Guijuelo | 159km | Flat |
20 | 13 September | Robledo de Chavela | Bola del Mundo. Puerto de Navacerrada | 156km | Mountains |
21 | 14 September | Alalpardo | Madrid | 101km | Flat |
Vuelta a España: The jerseys
The red jersey of the Vuelta's general classification leader is now well established (it was previously gold, but changed in 2010). The leader of the mountains classification wears a polka-dot jersey, but its large blue spots mean it's very different to the one that riders in the Tour de France wear. The points leader's green jersey is lime green, while the jersey for best young rider (born after 1 January 1998), is white – familiar from the Tour de France.
There are other awards on offer as well, including the teams classification and a daily combativity award. Embellished jersey numbers, rather than jerseys, are on offer for this.
Riders in the general classification in particular will be interested in the bonus seconds that are available throughout the race. There are 10, 6 and 4 seconds for finishing first, second and third on a stage, plus 3, 2 and 1 seconds at nine different intermediate sprints throughout the race and 10 separate bonus uphill sprints.
Vuelta a España 2025: The teams
There will be 22 teams riding the 2024 Vuelta a España, including all 18 WorldTour teams and four second-tier ProTeams. Full details are yet to be confirmed.
Vuelta a España: Past winners
2013: Chris Horner (USA) RadioShack–Leopard
2014: Alberto Contador (Esp) Tinkoff–Saxo
2015: Fabio Aru (Ita) Astana
2016: Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team
2017: Chris Froome (GBr) Team Sky
2018: Simon Yates (GBr) Mitchelton–Scott
2019: Primož Roglič (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma
2020: Primož Roglič (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma
2021: Primož Roglič (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma
2022: Remco Evenepoel (Bel) Quick Step-Alpha Vinyl
2023: Sepp Kuss (USA) Jumbo-Visma
2024: Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe
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Colombian climbing star and former Vuelta a España winner Lucho Hererra could be investigated over murders of four people
A judge has called for an investigation into the former Vuelta winner who is alleged to have worked with paramilitary groups in Colombia
By Tom Thewlis Published
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'The energy within our team is electric' - Tom Pidcock and Q36.5 invited to Vuelta a España
Pidcock's team one of three wildcard invites to this year's Vuelta
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Extra wildcard team approved for Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España
Number of teams to increase from 22 to 23 at men's Grand Tours
By Tom Davidson Published
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Michael Woods aims to shine at GP Montréal after disappointment last time out
Woods buoyed by recent Vuelta a España stage win as he gets set to race back on home turf
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Primož Roglič crowned Vuelta a España champion as Stefan Küng wins the final stage time trial
Küng flies around the course to win the final stage as Roglič seals a record-equalling fourth overall victory in Madrid
By Joseph Lycett Published
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Who won each classification at the Vuelta a España 2024?
The full general classification, along with the latest stage result, and the standings for the other jerseys
By Cycling Weekly Published
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Primož Roglič takes GC lead with solo mountain win on stage 19 of the Vuelta a España
The Slovenian was on imperious form on the Alto de Moncalvillo summit finish
By James Shrubsall Published
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Urko Berrade wins solo from the breakaway on stage 18 of the Vuelta a España
Berrade grabs Equipo Kern Pharma’s third stage win at the Spanish team’s home Grand Tour
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Kaden Groves seals hat-trick with victory on stage 17 of the Vuelta a España
Australian stamps dominance in Wout van Aert's absence
By Tom Davidson Published
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Pablo Castrillo claims mammoth stage 15 victory atop Cuitu Negru as O'Connor keeps red
Spaniard emerges victorious out of blanket fog in the Asturias as O'Connor retains red jersey despite Roglič attack
By Flo Clifford Published
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Cian Uijtdebroeks withdraws from Vuelta a España with Covid-19
Young Belgian struggled early in the race but looked back to his best on Saturday's stage 14
By Flo Clifford Published
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Kaden Groves beats Wout van Aert in two-up sprint on Vuelta a España stage 14
Visma-Lease a Bike controlled the action all day for Van Aert but the Belgian couldn't hold off Groves in Villablino
By Flo Clifford Published
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Wildcard Pablo Castrillo denies Max Poole to take Vuelta a España stage 12 victory
Spaniard takes emotional victory with hard-fought solo mountain break, Ben O'Connor holds on to GC lead
By James Shrubsall Published
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Ben O'Connor's Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale handed four yellow cards at Vuelta a España
The race leader's team were penalised for obstruction on Wednesday
By Adam Becket Published
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Eddie Dunbar escapes to victory on stage 11 of the Vuelta a España as Primož Roglič takes time back on Ben O'Connor
Huge break decides day in Galicia as race leader ships over 30 seconds to chasers
By Adam Becket Published
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As one Vuelta a España rider soldiers on with symptoms, has the Covid bubble burst?
Isaac Del Toro will continue to ride while others fall by the wayside
By James Shrubsall Published
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The Vuelta a España is chaos, and proof you shouldn’t try to be too clever in cycling
Ben O’Connor could win the whole race after being gifted the lead by Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe last week
By Adam Becket Published
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Tweets of the week: The Vuelta a España's surreal supermarket visit
Long live Carrefour, unless you're a Lidl or Intermarché ultra
By Tom Davidson Published
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Ben O'Connor rides into the red jersey with breakaway win on stage 6 of the Vuelta a España
O’Connor achieves Grand Tour treble with Vuelta stage win and takes over the overall race lead from Primož Roglič
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Vuelta a España crosses new frontier with stage start in supermarket
Stage six will begin from within Carrefour Jerez Sur, the first time this has ever been done, astonishingly
By Adam Becket Last updated
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Pavel Bittner pips Wout van Aert to win bunch sprint on stage 5 of the Vuelta a España
21-year-old takes just third career victory on Grand Tour debut
By Tom Davidson Published
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Primož Roglič edges sprint on Pico Villuercas to win stage 4 of Vuelta a España
Three-time Vuelta winner takes over the overall lead after beating Lennert van Eetvelt and João Almeida
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Wout van Aert sprints to victory on stage 3 of the Vuelta a España
Belgian takes first win since returning from injury
By Tom Davidson Published
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Groves wins stage 2 of La Vuelta a España as Van Aert moves into overall lead
Australian fastest of all in uphill sprint in Ourém. Van Aert finishes second, Strong third.
By Dan Challis Published
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Brandon McNulty takes Vuelta a España lead after opening time-trial win
American blasts to the win over 12km coastline course ahead of Mathias Vacek and Wout van Aert
By Dan Challis Published
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Primož Roglič heads to Vuelta a España in pain and with unknown objectives after Tour de France crash
Three-time Vuelta winner suffered back fracture and was forced to abandon the Tour in July
By Tom Thewlis Published
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Vuelta a España 2024 complete start list: All the teams announced for the three-week race
All the teams and riders for the 79th edition of the Spanish Grand Tour
By Adam Becket Last updated
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Recovered from Covid, Sepp Kuss set to defend his Vuelta title
After a Covid infection derailed his Tour de France appearance, the American is recovered, training well and will race the Spanish Grand Tour, Grischa Niermann, Visma - Lease a Bike coach, confirms.
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
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Tour de France stage winner leaves hospital, one month after being hit by car driver
Lennard Kämna to fly home to Germany to begin rehabilitation after incident in Tenerife last month
By Tom Thewlis Published