NAVACERRADA, Spain — In a spectacular display of teamwork and individual brilliance, Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike claimed an emphatic victory on the brutal slopes of Alto de Navacerrada in Stage 20 of La Vuelta 2025, securing the overall title while teammate Sepp Kuss finished second to deliver a stunning 1-2 finish for the Dutch squad.
The 185.8km stage from Robregordo to Navacerrada saw an aggressive start with multiple attempts to break away. A 30-rider breakaway eventually formed, containing riders from Burgos-BH, Agricola-Seguros, and Ineos Grenadiers. Despite strong collaboration up front, teams including UAE Team Emirates set a fierce tempo in the peloton to keep the escapees within reach.
UAE Team Emirates, working for João Almeida, gradually reeled in the breakaway with a relentless mountain train, led for a key 3km stretch by KOM leader Adam Yates. As the race hit the final 12km climb, Almeida attempted to grind down his rivals with a steady pace but began to fade inside the last 2km.
Tom Pidcock of Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team briefly took over at the front as the gradient steepened, but it was Vingegaard who launched a devastating attack with 1.1km remaining. The Danish rider quickly opened an insurmountable gap, soaring alone to the finish and crossing the line 11 seconds ahead of his closest chasers.
Sepp Kuss, displaying impressive composure, finished in second place, completing a dominant performance for Visma-Lease a Bike.
“It was a hard but beautiful day,” Kuss said after the stage. “We worked really well together with UAE Team Emirates early on. Everyone did their job, and for Jonas to finish it off like that was just incredible.”
General Classification & Jerseys:
Red Jersey (Overall): Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Green Jersey (Points): Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Polka-Dot Jersey (KOM): Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates)
White Jersey (Young Rider): Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ)
The 2025 La Vuelta concludes on September 14 with the traditional processional stage in Madrid, Stage 21.
