The day in the medium mountains on stage 17 which delivers the second last summit finish of the 2025 Vuelta a España may be just a shadow of what the peloton is in for on the last, but with the opportunities rapidly diminishing through the final week of racing there is every incentive for the GC riders to pour on the pressure through the category 1 finishing climb of the Alto de El Morredero.
The 143.2km stage which starts in O Barco de Valdeorras delivers 3,371m of elevation gain through the day, with plenty of smaller ascents along the way riders to use as a launching point for breakaways.
The biggest of the climbing challenges ahead of the final climb is the category 3 Paso de las Traviesas. This 7.8km climb with a gradient of 4.1% comes at the halfway point and after that the focus of the race, as it continues onto Ponferrada and beyond, will then clearly turning to the final ascent. It is a throwback to 2006, when the race last visited the Alto de El Morredero. Back then he stage culminated in a win for Spanish star racer Alejandro Valverde and gaps were small between the GC contenders.
The situation was, however, entirely different 19 years ago. The climb was situated early in the event, on stage 7, whereas this time riders will be facing up to the 8.8km category 1 climb with an average gradient of 9.7% at a time when there are few chances left to make time on overall rivals.
João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) is sitting 48 seconds back from Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and then there is Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling) in third, 2:38 down on Vingegaard but also just 32 seconds ahead of Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) who has been clear in his intent to get back on a Grand Tour podium at this Vuelta.
So while this stage may have been outlined as one that could suit the escape ahead of the event, particularly with the ever looming threat of stage altering protests, it seems unlikely the overall contenders will entirely discount any opportunity that may arise to chip away at their rivals ahead of the upcoming individual time trial and final ascent of Bola del Mundo on stage 20.
Climbs
- Paso de las Traviesas (cat. 3), km 75.1
- Alto de El Morredero (cat. 1), km 143.2
Sprints
- Ponferrada, km. 116.2 - time bonus
