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Saturday, September 6, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
Immature poets imitate; mature poets steal. - T. S. Eliot
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Current racing:
- August 23 - September 14: Vuelta a España
- September 2 - 7: Tour of Britain
Upcoming racing:
- September 12: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
- September 14: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
Latest completed racing:
- August 31: Bretagne Classic-Ouest France
- August 26 - 29: Tour Poitou Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine
- August 20 - 24: Renewi Tour
- August 19 - 22: Tour du Limousin
- August 17: Hamburg Cyclassics
- August 17: La Polynormande
- August 12 - 16: Tour of Denmark
- August 15: Circuit Franco-Belge
- August 4 - 10: Tour of Poland
- August 7 - 10: Arctic Race of Norway
We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Joao Almeida'a UAE Team Emirates-XRG:
João Almeida conquered the legendary climb of the Angliru today with a commanding ride to take Stage 13 of the Vuelta a España, adding yet another success to UAE Team Emirates–XRG’s remarkable tally in 2025.
The Portuguese rider was the strongest on the decisive ramps of the Asturian climb, distancing all rivals—including race leader Jonas Vingegaard (Visma Lease a Bike)—in the final sprint to seal an emotional first Vuelta stage victory.
Joao Almeida winning the stage with Jonas Vingegaard right on his wheel. Sirotti photo
The triumph marks the team’s 79th victory of the season and the sixth at this year’s Vuelta.
Almeida: “Yes this is a special one, I still don’t believe it. Thanks to my teammates, they were key today. We did an amazing stage. I just put my pace from the bottom, and I just did the best I could. The last kilometre was on the limits. I guess we’re both on the limits.
"I was waiting for his attack anytime. I thought he might pass me in the finish line, but I knew the finish line from two years ago. So I took the last corner, and then it’s hard to pass. I think this is the hardest time in the world. It’s crazy. I’m very sore.”
The 202km stage from Cabezon de la Sal to the fearsome Alto de l’Angliru was always destined to be decisive, with its trio of punishing climbs in the finale: the Alto de la Mozqueta, Alto del Cordal, and finally the Angliru with pitches over 20%. UAE Team Emirates–XRG rode the stage with discipline and intent. Jay Vine and Felix Grossschartner stayed close to Almeida all day, offering steady pacing and protection as the race splintered.
Meanwhile, Rui Oliveira, who had been part of the day’s breakaway, dropped back to provide an extra layer of support at the critical approach to the Angliru. Vine then set a hard rhythm on the lower slopes of the final climb, thinning out the group of favourites and paving the way for Almeida to measure his effort against Jonas Vingegaard in the last 6km, ultimately pushing on in the closing kilometre to power home for a historic win.
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Here's the Vuelta a España report from GC leader Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Jonas Vingegaard finished second in stage 13 of the Vuelta a España. The Dane of Team Visma | Lease a Bike had to concede only to João Almeida in a sprint for the win on the mythical climb of the Angliru. Vingegaard’s overall lead was never in danger.
Team Visma | Lease a Bike had set its sights on the stage victory, taking control from the very start. A large breakaway was allowed to go clear but never gained much of a gap. By the foot of the Angliru, the last remaining escapees were already within striking distance.
Sepp Kuss emerged in the finale as the perfect teammate for his Danish leader. The American, winner of the 2023 Vuelta, supported Vingegaard until just a few kilometers from the line. When Almeida launched his attack, only Vingegaard was able to follow the Portuguese rider’s wheel.
Almeida set a fierce pace on the steep slopes of the Angliru. On gradients reaching up to 23 percent, he tried to shake of the red jersey, but Vingegaard held firm. Almeida went on to take the stage win, just ahead of the Dane. Kuss crossed the line in fourth place.
Jonas Vingegaard on the Angliru. Sirotti photo
“I have mixed feelings”, Vingegaard admitted afterwards. “Of course, I really wanted to win today as well. But to be fair, João was absolutely the deserved winner. This is the Angliru, a mythical climb. The team worked incredibly hard today. I would have loved to reward them with the victory.”
Vingegaard is already looking ahead to the remainder of the Spanish Grand Tour. “João was very strong today. He has once again proven himself to be a serious contender for the overall. Together we managed to put the other rivals at a significant distance. I’m already looking forward to tomorrow, another tough mountain stage. Alongside my team, I’ll give it my all again”, the Dane concluded.
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Team Soudal Quick-Step posted this Vuelta report:
The mythical Angliru, a climb discovered by la Vuelta in 1999, returned on the route at the end of Friday’s stage. Averaging 10.5% over 12.5 kilometers, the draining Asturian climb made its tenth presence on the route of the season’s last Grand Tour and ended up being an affair between the general classification contenders.
Before the favorites took center stage, a breakaway featuring Gianmarco Garofoli was in the spotlight. The young Italian was one of the strongest riders in the leading group, remaining at the front until 25 kilometers to go, when a depleted peloton caught him. T-Rex Quick-Step had two men there, Mikel Landa and Junior Lecerf, and the Basque did an impressive pace-setting to help his much younger teammate remain in the elite group on the gruelling slopes of the Angliru.
Despite losing contact with the small bunch eight kilometers from the finish, when the punishing gradients and the relentless tempo sparked a selection, the 22-year-old didn’t panic and rode to the beat of his own drum, pacing his effort smartly on the slopes which reached 23% at one point. Lecerf concluded not far from the top ten – an impressive result on one of cycling’s hardest climbs – and retained his place in the overall standings top 15. For the Belgian, another important test will follow on Friday, when the race tackles the Lagos de Somiedo climb.
The peloton 20 kilometers into the stage.
“I felt good from the start of the stage and the team did a great job protecting me and making sure I was in a good position. It’s frustrating that I crashed, but with the help of Max I managed to return to the pack. Mikel was also important on the early slopes of the Angliru, and then, I just rode without going into the red. I am happy with my result here and I look forward to the upcoming stages”, Junior explained at the finish.
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And here's the Vuelta resport from Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Bob Jungels put in a superb ride in the Vuelta a Espana breakaway to lead the race onto the mighty Alto de L’Angliru.
The Luxembourger forged his way into the day’s big move on the flat opening to the stage and proved to the be the strongest of the 25 riders on three back to back late climbs to conclude stage 13.
Jungels and Nicolas Vinokurov (XDS Astana Team) were the last riders remaining from the break, with Jungels forging clear solo on the early slopes. His performance earned him the most combative rider of the day award.
The day's breakaway halfway into the stage.
Egan Bernal retained 12th overall at the summit after settling into his own rhythm from the early slopes of the Angliru. The stage win saw a battle between podium challengers Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) and leader Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike). Almeida was able to edge out the win on the day, while Vingegaard now holds a 46-second overall advantage.
After the stage Jungels said: “We weren’t very optimistic from the start, as we knew it was probably going to be a GC day. Yet, if you don’t try, you never know. I felt very good legs and wanted to be in the break, as I was. I also managed to pull 2 kilometers for Egan in the final climb. It was worth it. It was a good day - just not enough to win.
“The Angliru is one of those iconic climbs in cycling. Everybody is afraid of it yet, on the other hand, we are also happy to do it. It’s brutal, but it’s nice to experience it.
“There were a lot of good riders in the break. I was thinking of a similar situation I had a couple of months ago in Austria, and knew it was my strength to go on a steady, high rhythm throughout the race and sustain it towards the end. It’s just a shame it wasn’t enough.”
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