La Vuelta Ciclista a España 2025 Stage 17

September 10, 2025 The 134KM from O Barco de Valdeorras to El Morredero for Stage 17 is not a pure hockey stick profile but it's not far off. There are five shallow climbs along the route, all around 5%, but they will serve to soften up the GC guys for what's to come. The intermediate sprint comes with 43KM to go through the town of Almazcara as the riders continue South, across the Sil River, into Ponferrada. Once in Ponferrada, the riders start the final uncategorized climb of the day, a 2.8KM climb at 5.7%. After a short descent, the final 20KM are all uphill. The classified part of the Alto de El Morredero is 8.8KM at 9.5% but that doesn't tell the whole story. The middle 5KM average 11% which will be more than enough for another proper GC shake up with only a few days remaining in the race. The weather closed in with light rain coming down at the sign on in O Barco de Valdeorras and continued through the first hour of racing. A group of 12 riders got clear and with 100KM to go, they had almost 2 minutes on the peloton being led once again by Dylan van Baarle and Wilco Kelderman of Visma-Lease a Bike. Unlike yesterday however, the gap was kept tight and at the top of the third category Paso de las Traviesas with 68KM to go, the gap was just 90 seconds. The gap increased to 2 minutes through the intermediate sprint at 43KM to go but the peloton were not relenting. The bunch was strung out in single file and riders were starting to fall off the back into the gruppetto. After the intermediate sprint, Gijs Leemreize of Picnic-PostNL and Luca Van Boven of Intermarché-Wanty snuck off the front of the break. Harold Tejada of XDS-Astana and Jonas Gregaard of Lotto attacked and came across but the move brought everyone across and the group was back together with 38KM to go. Through Ponferrada, the break was still in one piece but their gap was getting trimmed. As the road started tipping up, Antonio Tiberi of Bahrain Victorious went on the attack to maintain the 1 minute advantage for as long he could. Tejada came across and Gregaard was dragging Leemreize and Sergio Samitier of Cofidis up but Redbull-Bora Hansgrohe were lighting up the bunch behind with a big acceleration. Only Leemreize and Samitier made contact with Tiberi and Tejada at 14KM to go but the bunch was just 30 seconds behind and closing. Samitier was the last one caught at just under 12KM to go as Redbull-Bora Hansgrohe continued their assault on the mountain for Jai Hindley. Visma-Lease a Bike took over control and led into the classified climb of El Morredero with 8.8KM to go. Just outside of 6KM to go, Hindley put in a probing move that briefly got rid of second overall João Almeida of UAE-XRG. Almeida clawed his way back on to make a favorites group of six riders. Giulio Pellizzari started riding for Hindley again as they entered the burnt landscape on top of the mountain after recent forest fires blackened the summit. Pellizzari attacked at 4KM but Matthew Riccitello of Israel-Premier Tech was quick to cover the move. Pellizzari went again 500M later and this time he was alone. Riccitello tried a few times to burst away from the group but Hindley played the teammate role and closed down the American on each attempt. Pellizzari went under 1KM to go with 35 seconds as the chase group were marking each other out. The Italian crossed the line for his first professional win, 16 seconds ahead of Tom Pidcock of Q36.5 who attacked in the last 250M to take second place. Hindley was third at 18 seconds with race leader Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike at 20 seconds, Almeida at 22 seconds, and Riccitello at 26 seconds. The top 9 places in GC remained the same but Vingegaard added a few seconds to his lead on Almeida which now stands at 50 seconds.