Vingegaard wins Vuelta stage two to take red jersey
Two-time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard won the second stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Sunday, prevailing in a steep climb to the finish line with a final push to take the red jersey from Jasper Philipsen.
Denmark's Vingegaard, a member of the Visma-Lease a Bike team, shook off a crash involving several riders about 26km from the finish in the 157km ride from Alba to Limone Piemonte, and followed Lidl-Trek's Giulio Ciccone before overtaking the Italian in the final seconds.
"It's been a while since my last victory, I'm super happy with how I felt and how the team did today. Also super happy to have the red jersey," Vingegaard said.
Hear from the winner:
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 24, 2025
🇬🇧: "You're not going to let a stage win pass. So when I saw the opportunity of course I will take it also. Super happy to take the victory today. It's been a while since my last victory, obviously. But super happy with how I felt and how the team did today.… pic.twitter.com/EpdR6O4KAF
David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) finished third after his teammate Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet, who won the Vuelta's mountains classification in 2020, withdrew from the race following a crash during a descent in wet conditions.
Vingegaard, one of the favourites coming into the race, was happy to remain in the peloton as Gal Glivar, Jakub Otruba, Liam Slock and Sinuhe Fernandez formed a breakaway pack, taking a two-minute lead from the rest on mostly flat terrain.
As Martin-Guyonnet became the first rider to quit the race, Vingegaard also fell along with several others at a roundabout.
"I went down pretty hard, but it seems like I didn't hurt myself too bad. I have a bit of bruises, but I think because it was so slippery, I was sliding more so I didn't really get any bad road rash or anything," Vingegaard said.
Once the road turned dry going into the final 10km ascent, the peloton began to reduce the gap to the leading group and caught them halfway up the climb.
Andrea Bagioli tried to set the pace for his teammate Ciccone in the final sprint, but Vingegaard followed closely before making his final move.
Belgium's Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), who finished 155th in the stage, retained the green jersey for the points classification.
The Vuelta continues on Monday with a 139km ride from San Maurizio Canavese to Ceres.
STAGE TWO WINNERS
1. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Visma - Lease a Bike 3:47:14
2. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Lidl - Trek "
3. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama - FDJ "
4. Egan Bernal (COL) INEOS Grenadiers "
5. João Almeida (POR) UAE Team Emirates - XRG +2
6. Felix Gall (AUT) Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team "
7. Jai Hindley (AUS) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe "
8. Juan Ayuso (ESP) UAE Team Emirates - XRG "
9. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Team Visma - Lease a Bike "
10. Tom Pidcock (GBR) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team "
11. Harold López (ECU) XDS Astana Team "
12. Sepp Kuss (USA) Team Visma - Lease a Bike "
13. Ben O'Connor (AUS) Team Jayco AlUla "
14. Valentin Paret-Peintre (FRA) Soudal Quick-Step "
15. Victor Langellotti (MON) INEOS Grenadiers "
16. Harold Tejada (COL) XDS Astana Team "
17. Matthew Riccitello (USA) Israel - Premier Tech "
18. Lorenzo Fortunato (ITA) XDS Astana Team "
19. Marc Soler (ESP) UAE Team Emirates - XRG "
20. Junior Lecerf (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step "
OVERALL LEADERS
1. Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) Team Visma - Lease a Bike 7:56:16
2. Giulio Ciccone (ITA) Lidl - Trek +4
3. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama - FDJ +6
4. Egan Bernal (COL) INEOS Grenadiers +10
5. Tom Pidcock (GBR) Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team +12
6. Jai Hindley (AUS) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe "
7. Santiago Buitrago (COL) Bahrain Victorious "
8. Matteo Jorgenson (USA) Team Visma - Lease a Bike "
9. Juan Ayuso (ESP) UAE Team Emirates - XRG "
10. Marc Soler (ESP) UAE Team Emirates - XRG "
11. Junior Lecerf (BEL) Soudal Quick-Step "
12. João Almeida (POR) UAE Team Emirates - XRG "
13. Valentin Paret-Peintre (FRA) Soudal Quick-Step "
14. Sepp Kuss (USA) Team Visma - Lease a Bike "
15. Ben O'Connor (AUS) Team Jayco AlUla "
16. Jefferson Cepeda (ECU) Movistar Team "
17. Matthew Riccitello (USA) Israel - Premier Tech "
18. Giulio Pellizzari (ITA) Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe "
19. Harold López (ECU) XDS Astana Team "
20. Marco Frigo (ITA) Israel - Premier Tech "
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