- Start time: 14:00 CEST
- Finish time: 17:22 CEST
- How to watch stage 12 of the Vuelta a España
Stage 12 of the 2025 Vuelta a España from Laredo to Los Corrales de Buelna is a short but punchy day of racing through the winding lanes and backroads of Cantabria.
It is the second day in the medium mountains of the second week, though the 2,393m of altitude gain in the 144.9km stage is considerably less than what riders took on through Wednesday's stage 11 starting and finishing in Bilbao.
The break has plenty of opportunity to launch, however there is no guarantee the overall favourites, who came to the fore on stage 11, will not want to push again on Thursday. Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) certainly didn't hold back then, but will the longer stretch from the final climb to the fast run to the finish line could act as more of a deterrent this time, or just perhaps fuel the fire?
The first big climbing challenge o f the day comes with the category 2 Puerto de Alisas, with the 8.6 kilometre climb with an average gradient of 5.8% peaking at 41.4km into the day of racing.
It is then by no means a flat run, but the next big test is also the final one with the 7 kilometre long category 1 ascent of the Collada de Brenes reaching its peak at 23km to go. Mid-climb ramps of up to 15% on the climb with an average gradient of 7.9% could provide the perfect opportunity for a launch, particularly when combined with the ultra-fast descent to the finish that follows immediately afterwards.
Still, whether or not it is a rider from the break or one of the overall favourites at the head of the pack, the common factor will that they will be hoping the stage victory is up for grabs this time. The final three kilometres of Wednesday's stage were neutralised due to the safety risk posed by protesters at the finish line.
That led race leader Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) to yesterday ponder whether we might have already seen the last stage winner of the 2025 edition of the Vuelta a España back on stage 10.
"It's unpredictable what will happen in the coming days. I hope we can keep racing, because this is the wrong place for them to protest," Vingegaard told Danish TV channel TV2. "What do they want from us cyclists? I can't do anything."
Climbs
- Puerto de Alisas (cat.2) km. 41.4
- Collada de Brenes (cat. 1) km. 122 - time bonus
Sprints
- Barros, km. 103.2
