Hugo was a hero until Philipsen found his Calle
For what it's worth, it could be worth more than a seemingly unnoticed passage might suggest. Over the past few weeks, Juan Ayuso hasn't made many statements, and it was João Almeida, appointed co-leader of UAE Team Emirates but "adopted" as the team's leader, who has been the face of the team's objectives following a successful Tour with Tadej Pogacar's fourth career victory. Having recovered from his crash in the Tour de France, despite the difficulties it caused in preparing for the year's final grand tour, Almeida has been embracing his ambition of a podium finish , putting Jonas Vingegaard and the Visma-Lease a Bike "train" as his main rival . Regarding his relationship with his Spanish teammate, "everything is calm."
"Relationship with Ayuso? We get along well. We've had some minor friction in the past, but things always work out in the moment, and things get resolved. It's natural for things like this to happen sometimes, but overall, we get along well and we're aiming for success as a team, winning stages, and also trying to win the Vuelta. I think everything has to go well. Any leadership issues? I don't think so. There has to be mutual respect, obviously. Since we have a very strong opponent [Vingegaard], if we can play two cards to tire our opponent, I think it will be a great advantage. There's that positive side," commented João Almeida in the run-up to the start of the Vuelta, this year in Turin .
Looking at the special features published by Spanish newspapers this Saturday about the race, the "logic" ended up being contradicted. At Marca, for example, the main favorites were Jonas Vingegaard, Mikel Landa, Thomas Pidcock, Egan Bernal, Antonio Tiberi, Jai Hindley, and... Juan Ayuso. João Almeida, no sign of him. And the impression was that part of the neighboring press believed the Spaniard would take the spotlight at Emirates against Visma, despite it being clear that the structure was set up to support a co-leadership with the Portuguese rider, who had beaten Vingegaard this year in the Volta ao Algarve, Paris-Nice, and the opening individual time trial of the Tour. "The preparation was strange. I didn't run much, we'll see how I am. If I can be a bet for the team in the Vuelta, perfect; if not, I'll dedicate myself to helping João. If I don't make it to the general classification, I'll try to help," commented Juan Ayuso before Day 1 in Turin. Always with an "if"...
This would be one of the main questions of the Vuelta. On the one hand, would anyone be able to stop Vingegaard, who showed excellent form in the Tour but had no chance of responding to the extraterrestrial Tadej Pogacar? On the other, would it be like how João Almeida and Juan Ayuso would get along at UAE Team Emirates? They've had some clashes in the past, but before the Portuguese rider became a natural leader in races without Pogacar (something that was evident with Jan Christen in the Tour de Suisse), not to mention the Spaniard's progress, which he achieved in 2025 until his retirement at the Giro. Finally, who would be capable of challenging the two theoretically strongest teams, among a wide range of names determined to spring a surprise? That's what would be seen over the course of 21 days, not yet in this first one.
Stage 1 of #LaVuelta25 is here, let's ride???? #WeAreUAE pic.twitter.com/npgOb4L0pr
— @UAE-TeamEmirates (@TeamEmiratesUAE) August 23, 2025
The 180-kilometer link between Turin and Novara in the first stage of the Vuelta had a third-category mountain stage in between but was expected to feature a sprint finish, with Jasper Philipsen emerging as the main theoretical favorite ahead of Mads Pedersen for the final victory in what served as a first appetizer for what will arrive on Monday, already a medium-mountain stage (this Sunday, the link between Alba and Limone Piemonte should also not pose any major problems for the peloton, which has felt a lot of support from the Italian fans since the official presentation of the teams).
???????????????????????????? – ???????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????
???? AND WE'RE OFF! Here is the start of #LaVuelta25 ! ????
???? Start stage 1️⃣ of #LaVuelta25 ! pic.twitter.com/Sw8hcBDKFx
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
Right from the start, a group of six breakaway riders formed, including Pepijn Reinderink, Nicolas Vinokurov, Joel Nicolau, Koen Bouwman, Hugo de la Calle, and Alessandro Verre. A high average speed of 49 km/h quickly established a lead of over a minute and a half among a peloton intent on protecting itself from any setbacks and thinking about everything that lay ahead. Even so, and with some surprise, the breakaway, which had held a lead of less than two and a half minutes, was neutralized 85 kilometers after the intermediate sprint, with Reinderink triumphing.
???? – 167 km | Stage 1⃣ – Stage 1⃣
⚔️ First breakaway of #LaVuelta25 !
???? Take the first escape from #LaVuelta25 !
????????? Pepijn Reinderink????????? Nicolas Vinokurov????????? Joel Nicolau????????? Koen Bouwman????????? Alessandro Verre
???????? Hugo de la Calle
???? https://t.co/zqaO4Bw62K pic.twitter.com/vqh6AcQikV
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
⛰ An Italian takes over the KOM jersey in Italy! Verre crests La Serra and will be the first mountain's classification leader! ????
⛰ See the corona on your head and the only port of the journey and will be the first leader of the mountain! ????
⛰ 3️⃣ ???????? ????????????????????
1️⃣ ????????? Alessandro Verre -… pic.twitter.com/pSSkzOMOF2
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
????- 90.5 km | Stage 1️⃣ Stage 1️⃣
???? Here come the attacks!
Lead the first escape attacks!
???? ????????????????????????????????
1️⃣ ????????? Pepijn Reinderink | @soudalquickstep – 20 p. – 6"2️⃣ ???????? Nicolas Vinokurov | @XDSAstanaTeam – 17 p. – 4"
???? @skoda_es | #LaVuelta25 pic.twitter.com/n44fnEmODp
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
All that remained was Hugo de la Calle, a Burgos rider who was going solo in an attempt that was destined for failure, even if it was a narrow one-minute margin over the peloton, which rolled along smoothly, except for Giulio Ciccone, who suffered a setback and had to expend more energy than intended to catch up with the group. The resistance lasted until 38 kilometers from the finish, at which point the Spaniard was eventually "swallowed" by the peloton. The moment was approaching when Visma showed what it was capable of, with Victor Campenaerts putting in two explosive kilometers that split the peloton before the sprinters' teams took the lead, with Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck winning comfortably.
???? – 85 km | Stage 1⃣ – Stage 1⃣
????The peloton accelerates and swallows up most of the breakaway – Hugo de la Calle is the last man standing!
⚔️ The peloton accelerates and only survives during the escape and debutante Hugo de la Calle ( @BurgosBH ) #LaVuelta25 pic.twitter.com/FuZcZyrcIa
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
???? ???????? ??????????????? ???????????????? ???̀ ???????? ???????????????????????????
???? Hugo de la Calle, the lone rider 25" ahead of the peloton.
???? Hugo de la Calle, alone with 25" on the peloton. #LaVuelta25 | ???? @cxcling pic.twitter.com/yC7vAwb2f2
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
???? Piedmont // Piedmont #LaVuelta25 | ???? @cxcling pic.twitter.com/jXkmtidXXP
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
???? No holding off the Ghebreigzabhier train! De la Calle gets caught with 38k to go
???? Hugo de la Calle, back to a peloton led by Ghebreigzabhier ( @LidlTrek ) #LaVuelta25 pic.twitter.com/ob3CBA5KDS
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
????- 10 km | Stage 1️⃣ Stage 1️⃣
???? The teams are gathering their sprint trains at the front – the race is on!
???? The teams put their trains in front of the Novara sprint! #LaVuelta25 pic.twitter.com/yZpTD5BROK
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
"The team was very strong, but I had to start the sprint with almost a kilometer to go. After my crash in the Tour, I was very disappointed to have to abandon, and in this Vuelta, there aren't really many opportunities for sprinters to make a difference, which makes everything more complicated. I've had some bad luck this season, but I've also achieved some very nice victories," commented the Belgian after his victory ahead of Ethan Vernon (Israel) and Orluis Aular (Movistar). Mads Pedersen finished a modest 14th, while João Almeida finished 71st, behind teammate Ivo Oliveira (31st). Philipsen also took the red jersey, just four seconds ahead of Ethan Vernon and Pepijn Reinderink thanks to his time bonuses.
???? Top 10 GC after stage 1⃣ | step 1⃣ ??????????????????????????????????????????
+ info ➡️ https://t.co/q34yjajohW #LaVuelta25 pic.twitter.com/rbYXtmDPo8
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 23, 2025
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