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Thursday, September 11, 2025
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2024 Tour de France | 2024 Giro d'Italia
I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road. - Stephen Hawking
Les Woodland's book Paris-Roubaix: The Inside Story - All the bumps of cycling's cobbled classic is available in print, Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.
Current racing:
- August 23 - September 14: Vuelta a España
Upcoming racing:
- September 12: Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec
- September 13: Memorial Marco Pantani
- September 14: Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal
Latest completed racing:
- September 2 - 7: Tour of Britain
- 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
We posted the race organizer's report with the results.
Here's the report from stage winner Giulio Pellizzari's Team Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe:
A triumph in style: Giulio Pellizzari takes his first pro win by winning Stage 17 of the Vuelta a España – as a solo rider, in a Grand Tour, and wearing the White Jersey of Best Young Rider.
With this victory, the young Italian confirms his outstanding Grand Tour potential. Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe had made its ambitions for the day clear early on. On the run-in to the final climb, the team took full control of the race, setting the pace from 20 kilometers out and positioning its leaders perfectly.
On the steep final kilometers, the group of contenders was reduced to just six riders – with Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe still represented by both Jai Hindley and Giulio Pellizzari. While attacks came and went, Pellizzari launched the decisive move 3.5 kilometers from the finish.
Riding solo, he crossed the line on Alto de El Morredero with a 16-second lead, sealing a victory that was the result of perfectly executed teamwork.
Giulio Pellizzari wins Vuelta stage 17. Sirotti photo
Patxi Villa, DS for Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe at the Vuelta a España: “We knew that right at the bottom of the climb, a high pace could do real damage. The team was fantastic, the guys worked really well. Since Giulio was a bit further back in the overall standings, we decided to send him up the road for the stage win. It worked out perfectly: Giulio was outstanding, and Jai did a tremendous job behind, controlling the group. I think it was brilliantly executed – exactly the kind of tactical play you have when you hold two strong cards at the front.”
With his stage win, Giulio Pellizzari consolidates his fifth place in the overall standings and extends his lead in the Best Young Rider classification to more than a minute. Jai Hindley remains in fourth place overall – just 36 seconds off the podium.
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Here's the Vuelta report from GC leader Jonas Vingegaard's Team Visma | Lease a Bike:
Jonas Vingegaard finished fourth in the seventeenth stage of the Vuelta a España on Wednesday. The Dane crossed the line in an elite group just behind stage winner Giulio Pellizzari and increased his lead in the general classification by two seconds.
Jonas Vingegaard finishes fourth in stage 17. Sirotti photo
The seventeenth stage unfolded in a similar way to the day before. Right after the start in O Barco de Valdeorras, a twelve-man breakaway went up the road. Dylan van Baarle and Wilco Kelderman set the pace at the front of the peloton. With the summit finish on Alto de El Morredero - a first-category climb - looming, the Dutch duo kept the escapees within reach.
At the foot of the final climb, the breakaway was caught, leaving the general classification contenders to battle it out. After strong work from Matteo Jorgenson, Sepp Kuss, and Ben Tulett, only an elite group remained. A few kilometers from the finish, Pellizzari launched the decisive attack. Seconds later, Vingegaard crossed the line in fourth place. The Dane gained two seconds on João Almeida, giving him a 50-second lead in the general classification.
“The differences were really small today”, Vingegaard says afterwards atop Alto de El Morredero. “We had hoped for the victory beforehand, but I didn’t have my best day. You just need to survive those days, and I managed to do so. To still gain two seconds on Almeida is of course a nice bonus.”
Sports director Jesper Mørkøv analyzes: “Our goal today was indeed to go for the stage win. Dylan and Wilco once again did fantastic work. Then we had four riders up front for a long time and were well positioned. Jonas didn’t have his best day, but he was able to respond to the attacks. We still have the red jersey and are in a strong position in the general classification. We can be proud of that.”
Tomorrow, an individual time trial awaits. In Valladolid, the riders face a 27-kilometre course. The final weekend will then bring one more summit finish and two flat stages. “Hopefully I’ll have a good day on the time trial bike tomorrow. It’s almost completely flat. We’ll see, but I’m looking forward to it”, Vingegaard concludes.
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Stage 17 second-place Tom Pidcock's Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team posted this Vuelta report:
Stage 17 of La Vuelta a España turned into a showdown for the GC contenders on the Alto de El Morredero (8.8km at 9.5%) after 143.2km of racing from O Barco de Valdeorras. With mountain winds gusting above 40km/h and temperatures averaging 18°C, the race became one of excitement.
Tom Pidcock once again rose to the challenge, finishing second on the stage behind Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe) at an average speed of 39.594 km/h.
Tom Pidcock finishes second in Vuelta stage 17. Sirotti photo.
The final climb saw repeated accelerations. Hindley, Almeida and Vingegaard all tested the group, but Tom covered each move with composure. Pellizzari launched the winning attack with four kilometres remaining, carving a lead of nearly half a minute. Behind, the favourites hesitated, and the gap held.
In the final kilometre, Tom surged clear of the GC men to take second place, just ahead of Hindley and Vingegaard.
After the finish, Tom reflected on the balance between chasing stage wins and fighting for the GC podium:
“I think that’s the sacrifice when riding for the podium – I sacrificed the stage. It could have been really nice, it’s a bit of a shame. But we’re racing for the podium and you have to make some sacrifices. We were all alone in the final apart from the Bora boys, who showed it.”
With his performance on El Morredero, Tom strengthens his grip on third overall in the general classification and keeps Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team in podium contention as La Vuelta enters its decisive final days.
Here's the Vuelta report from Brandon Rivera's Team INEOS Grenadiers:
Brandon Rivera rode hard to represent the INEOS Grenadiers in the breakaway on stage 17 at the Vuelta a Espana.
The Colombian was able to force his way into a 12-man move after a rapid start to the stage. A number of riders, including the likes of Magnus Sheffield and Michal Kwiatkowski, attempted to go clear during the early going.
Rivera's group were never afforded a stage-winning advantage by the peloton, with Visma | Lease a Bike controlling the gap at around 1:45 for much of the day.
Riders racing in the rain early in the stage.
The group were swept up on the early slopes of the Alto de El Morrederro. It was at this point that Egan Bernal, stage winner 24 hours earlier, settled into his own rhythm to the finish.
The finale saw Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe) take the victory solo on the first-category summit, while Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) retained his 50-second overall lead.
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And here's the Vuelta stage 17 report from Team Soudal Quick-Step:
Alto El Morredero (8.8km, 9.7%) isn’t one of Spain’s iconic climbs, like Lagos de Covadonga or L’Angliru, but it’s definitely one of the hardest, which could be seen again Wednesday afternoon, when the race visited it just for the second time in history.
A beast of a climb, boasting some savage gradients especially in the first part, El Morredero sparked a selection as soon as the small peloton hit its ramps, minutes after the breakaway had been caught. As if the steep gradients weren’t enough, the riders had to face also the vicious headwind that drenched the red jersey group with each kilometer done on the first-category ascent.
Seemingly endless hills to get over in Northern Spain. Sirotti photo
T-Rex Quick-Step’s best placed rider in the standings, Junior Lecerf left everything out there, once again producing a strong effort on the way to this never-ending climb, where Giulio Pellizzarri (Red Bull-bora-hansgrohe) took the win after an attack with two kilometers to go. It was one of the toughest days of the season’s Grand Tour, but the 22-year-old Belgian fought admirably to limit the damage and keep his dreams of finishing in the GC top ten alive. Going into Thursday’s individual time trial held on the streets of Valladolid, Lecerf is 11th overall and third in the youth classification.
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