Ready for this year’s highest-profile race through the Spanish countryside? Look no farther than the 2025 Vuelta a España, which starts at the end of August. Looking for TV coverage, race details, and which riders to look for at the start line? Keep reading for our complete guide to this year’s race.
The Vuelta a España is almost here!
The 2025 edition of La Vuelta, the final Grand Tour of the road cycling season, will take place from August 23rd to September 14th. The race is known for its difficult, hilly profiles, and this year’s edition is no different.
This year, the Vuelta a España begins in Turin, Italy, and will conclude with a traditional sprint stage in Madrid, Spain. Keep in mind that while La Vuelta is primarily held in Spain, it makes inroads into neighboring countries, too. This year, a visit to Italy for the first three stages will be a special treat for fans and riders alike.
Discovering Spain’s unique Grand Tour.
What makes La Vuelta a special treat for cycling fans? While the Vuelta a España is one of the three most prestigious cycling races in the world, alongside the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia, it has its own unique flair. Known for challenging mountain stages, unpredictable weather, and its passionate crowds, the Vuelta has a reputation as a dramatic and exciting race year after year.
Are you ready to enjoy the infamous rampas inhumanas — Spanish for “inhumane climbs?” Cheer alongside the Spanish fans flocking to the roadside to cheer on their favorites. La Vuelta has a distinct feel from the Tour de France with more of the same great racing action. If you’re a novice cycling fan watching the late season for the first time, you’re sure to enjoy the spectacle this three week race through Spain!
Read more: Wondering how the pros beat the heat? Learn more about the challenges of tackling late summer racing in our recent article.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe route will take viewers all across the host country.
Aside from the first three and a half days held in Italy, the peloton will then see many sights across Spain. A team time-trial will take place on Stage 5, followed by the first significant mountain climbs in the Pyrenees, culminating in a summit finish in Andorra that is likely to be one of the first major GC challenges.
The second week promises more brutal racing, highlighted by two notoriously tough climbs on the Angliru and the Alto de La Farrapona. These will both be part of Stage 14 this year. The final week wil;l mix things up with a 26 kilometer individual time trial, taking place on Stage 18. Fans should be aware of the last big mountain test (and likely the last chance to make big changes in GC) on the Bola del Mundo on Stage 20. The final celebratory stage in Madrid will see us crowning our king for the 2025 edition.
Embed from Getty ImagesStars getting ready for the start line.
Between the Tour de France and the Vuelta, the professional cycling calendar remains busy with several key races. These events often serve as tune-ups for riders targeting the Vuelta or offer a chance for stage-race specialists to find late-season form. Notable events during this period include the Donostia San Sebastián Klasikoa in Spain, the week-long Tour de Pologne in Poland, the Renewi Tour across Belgium and the Netherlands, and the BEMER Cyclassics in Germany. As with years past, the results of these races give a good indication of who is in top form heading into La Vuelta.
Embed from Getty ImagesDespite this, the GC field will be missing some key figures. Defending champion Primož Roglič is not expected to be on the start line. After a mentally and physically Tour de France, the winner of that race, Tadej Pogačar, is also unlikely to attend.
However, Jonas Vingegaard is set to headline the race after a strong second place in the Tour. This would be his first Vuelta in a leader’s role, and a win would be his first overall victory following a second place in 2023. He’ll be supported by a strong cast of Visma Lease-a-Bike faces, including American riders Matteo Jorgenson and Sepp Kuss.
Feeling the heat?
However, it’s not a guaranteed cakewalk for Vingegaard. He will face tough competition from Pogačar’s teammates from UAE Team Emirates, João Almeida and Juan Ayuso. Notable riders outside of the overall classification battle include Mads Pedersen and Tom Pidcock. However, Pidcock has broadcasted an intent to go for a top position in GC rather than pure stage hunting as he has done at Grand Tour in the past. He’ll have to make a strong impression against some of the other GC riders through the field, including Richard Carapaz and Ben O’Connor.
Aside from entertainment value, is La Vuelta an important part of the race calendar? For many riders, yes! It is often the last big chance for many riders to nab a Grand Tour stage win. For rider who have had bad luck or missed goals in earlier races, it’s a good shot to redeem their season. A strong performance at La Vuelta can also segue into the final one-day races of the year, like the Italian classics.
Read more: Remembering the saddest DNFs of the 2025 Tour de France.
Jerseys and awards are a bit different from the Tour de France.
First time viewers of La Vuelta may be curious about the leader’s jersey and any other jerseys up for grabs at this race. Riders at the Vuelta a España compete for several different jerseys, with the overall leader of the general classification wearing a red jersey. Interesting, the “maillot rojo” is fairly recent to the race, with winners before 2010’s edition wearing a gold or orange jersey.
Outside of the GC fight, there are some other prizes up for grabs. Like in the Tour de France, the best climber is awarded a King of the Mountains jersey, which is distinguished by bright blue polka dots on a white field. A green jersey goes to the leader of the points classification, while the white jersey is for the best young rider, similar to the Tour de France. This year, riders born during or after the 1998 calendar year will be eligible for the white jersey. Beyond the main jerseys, other honors include the team classification and a daily combativity award.
Embed from Getty ImagesHow to Watch the Vuelta on TV
Watching by TV? The availability of the Vuelta broadcast will be dependent on your location. TV rights for cycling are owned by different broadcasters across different regions.
Here’s a simple breakdown of a few country-by-country options:
United States: Peacock will broadcast for La Vuelta in the US. The streaming platform offers live coverage, highlights, and replays.
United Kingdom: TNT Sports is the new go-to platform for comprehensive Vuelta coverage since the change from Eurosport/Discovery+ this year.
Australia: SBS On Demand, a free online service, will provide streaming of the race.
Canada: You’ll be able to watch every stage’s coverage on FloBikes this year. This service holds the rights to broadcast most races in Canada.
Other Countries: Check on your local TV listings for the specific region or country. You may also be able to explore online streaming services options depending on your location.
For US fans, Peacock’s coverage of La Vuelta will stay close to their Tour de France coverage.
If you watched the Tour de France on Peacock this year, you may be in luck depending on how you felt about the coverage. In fact, coverage for La Vuelta will likely be very similar to the Tour’s broadcast on Peacock. Full stages and stage replays will both be available. Former cyclists Bob Roll and Christian Vande Velde will provide primary commentary during all 21 stages.
Like last year, Phil Liggett will not be a part of the broadcast team for the Vuelta a España. Paul Burmeister, Brent Bookwalter, and Tejay van Garderen are also not likely to provide commentary for the race based on past years.
Read more: Check out our review of Peacock’s cycling coverage (including what needs to be done better) here.
Embed from Getty ImagesWill you watch the Vuelta a España this year? Let us know which stages and riders you’re looking forward to the most in the comments or on social media! ★
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