Stage 1: Philipsen Powers to Opening Victory
Alpecin-Deceuninck executed a perfectly timed lead-out into Novara, neutralizing Trek-Segafredo’s sprint train in the final kilometers. Jasper Philipsen launched from 300 meters out, comfortably holding off all challengers to claim the first red jersey as well as the green points jersey.
Stage 2: Vingegaard's Nerves-of-Steel Climb
Torrential rain marked the early part of the stage, but the real drama unfolded on the final Category 2 climb. Juan Ayuso attacked first inside the last 500 meters, causing Giulio Ciccone to react. Vingegaard, patiently marking the moves, surged past Ciccone on the inside line in the final 30 meters to seize both the stage win and the overall lead.
Stage 3: Gaudu's Steep Slope Surprise
A reduced peloton arrived at the short, sharp Category 4 finish. Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) launched a powerful acceleration around the final bend, seemingly headed for victory. However, David Gaudu, cleverly tucked in his slipstream, emerged in the final 50 meters to overtake the Dane and steal an emotional win for Groupama-FDJ.
Stage 4: Turner Capitalizes on Alpecin's Misfortune
A technical finale with multiple roundabouts disrupted Alpecin-Deceuninck’s lead-out train, leaving their sprinter boxed in. INEOS Grenadiers’ Ben Turner, positioned perfectly behind the chaos, exploded through the gap with 150 meters to go to take a surprise victory.
Stage 5: UAE Team Emirates TTT Masterclass
UAE Team Emirates put on a technical showcase, setting the fastest time at every intermediate checkpoint. Their winning time of 25'26" over the 24.1km flat course was unmatched. While Visma-Lease a Bike finished 8 seconds back, their disciplined ride was enough to put Jonas Vingegaard back into the red jersey.
Stage 6: Vine's Audacious Andorran Escape
Jay Vine attacked from the day's breakaway on the lower slopes of the category 1 climb, stunning his fellow escapees. He time-trialed over the summit and extended his lead on the descent, ultimately finishing a remarkable 1 minute ahead of the chasers and over 4 minutes ahead of the indifferent GC group.
Stage 7: Ayuso's Homecoming Glory
Juan Ayuso was the strongest in a 10-rider breakaway that was allowed a long leash. On the final climb, he simply rode away from his companions, his powerful time trialing ability on full display as he soloed to a hugely popular home-soil victory by a full minute.
Stage 8: Philipsen's Double Delight
In a hectic and messy bunch sprint, Philipsen found himself initially boxed in and out of position. Using his experience and raw power, he fought his way back onto Mads Pedersen’s wheel before launching a blistering sprint past the Dane to secure his second stage win of the Vuelta.
Stage 9: Vingegaard's Mechanical & Majesty
After a quick bike change mid-stage, Vingegaard calmly returned to the peloton. On the brutal 13km Category 1 summit finish, his team controlled the pace before he launched a devastating attack with 3km to go. He instantly dropped Ciccone and Almeida, soloing to a dominant win that cemented his command of the general classification.
