The 2025 Vuelta a Espana continued Friday with stage 19 – a 161.9-kilometer ride in partially hilly terrain on a route from Rueda to Guijuelo. The route would take the riders through Salamanca. Strong crosswinds were expected, so the racing would be nervous, and the peloton might split into echelons during the stage. The Vuelta race was slowly approaching Madrid, where the final stage would be contested on Sunday.

The stage profile appealed to both breakaway experts and powerful sprinters in the peloton and favorites to claim the stage victory in stage 19 of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana included Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck), Orluis Aular (Movistar Team), and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek). Today’s stage would likely be the final opportunity for a successful breakaway to shine on the roads of Spain.

Jonas Vingegaard (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) remained general classification leader of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana after yesterday’s stage 18 of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana. The Dane had, however, lost valuable time to Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) in the time trial, and the time difference between the riders was now only 40 seconds. Great Britain’s Thomas Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) was third in the GC, 02:39 minutes behind GC leader Vingegaard in the red jersey and Jai Hindley (Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe) had closed in on the proud British rider by way of a strong time trial performance.

Stage 19 got off to a fast start after the riders had left the start town of Rueda. Jakub Otruba (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA) formed an attack duo with Victor Guernalec of Team Arkea B & B Hotels. It did not take long before the duo had formed a lead of three minutes in the somewhat hilly terrain. Riders from Team Visma-Lease a Bike were controlling the pace in the main peloton and they were hoping for a relaxing day on the bike while recharging their energy stores before tomorrow’s crucial mountain battle.

Guernalec surprisingly got dropped by Otruba and the Czech rider pressed on solo while the Frenchman got swallowed by the chasing peloton.

Despite racing solo, frontman Otruba had increased his lead to more than four minutes after 35 kilometers in the saddle. Alpecin-Deceuninck and Lotto-Caps riders were now controlling the pace in the main peloton while protecting the interests of their respective sprinters.

75 kilometers of the stage remained, and Otruba was still solo in front – now with a lead of 02:35 minutes over the main peloton, which was taking a relaxed day in the saddle. Alpecin-Deceuninck was still controlling the pace together with Team Lotto-Caps.

The riders were approaching the city of Salamanca, where the intermediate sprint would be contested. With Otruba up the road, multiple teams moved to the front of the main peloton to protect the interests of their sprinters and general classification favorites. The wind conditions could also change, and strong winds could cause splits in the peloton.

Otruba was the first rider to cross the line of the intermediate sprint and earned the most points. Jonas Vingegaard was the first rider from the main peloton to reach the intermediate sprint, and he secured four bonus seconds. Teammate Matteo Jorgenson took third, followed by Mads Pedersen.

Otruba got reeled in by the chasing peloton with 53 kilometers to the finish line and teams such as Ineos-Grenadiers-TotalEnergies and Team Visma-Lease a Bike moved to the front of the peloton to control the action.

Mario Aparicio courageously attacked with Burgos-Burpellet-BH teammate Sergio Chumil, and the two riders formed a front duo but did not open a very significant gap.

Thirty-two kilometers remained and the action in the peloton was intense. The speed was fast, and several teams were fighting for the front positions. The riders passed through Selena. 

Things were status-quo when fifteen kilometers remained of today’s stage 19.

The sprinter teams in the peloton had moved to the front with ten kilometers left and were now lining up their sprint trains.

The riders entered the final five kilometers. Movistar riders were now in front for their sprinter Orluis Aular. Cofidis and Ineos-Grenadiers-TotalEnergies riders were also near the front. Egan Bernal delivered a strong pull for his sprinter teammate.

Lotto-Caps and Bahrain-Victorious riders joined the front action with three kilometers to the finish as did Picnic-PostNL.

Michal Kwiatkowski and Filippo Ganna delivered a strong lead-out effort for their sprinter Ben Turner with two kilometers to the finish line.

One kilometer remained and Alpecin-Deceuninck moved to the front for Jasper Philipsen. The team launched its lead-out. Mads Pedersen moved to the front.

Mads Pedersen launched his sprint as did Jasper Philipsen and Orluis Aular.

Jasper Philipsen proved the fastest rider in the sprint and crossed the finish line as winner of stage 19 for Alpecin-Deceuninck. Mads Pedersen finished second for Lidl-Trek, while Orluis Aular completed the stage podium for Movistar Team.

Jonas Vingegaard remains general classification leader following stage 19. Joao Almeida is second – now 44 seconds behind Vingegaard, while Thomas Pidcock is third, 02:43 minutes behind the leader. Jai Hindley is fourth in the GC, but 03:22 minutes back.

The penultimate challenge on the menu of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana will be Saturday’s stage 20, which will take the remaining riders in the Vuelta a Espana peloton into serious mountain territory on a 164.8-kilometer ride from Robledo de Chavela to Bola del Mundo Puerto de Navacerrada. The stage route will include two Category 3 climbs, oe Category 2 climb, one Category 1 climb, and conclude with an uphill battle on a Beyond Category climb. The 2025 Vuelta a Espana will conclude in Madrid on Sunday.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for complete coverage from the 2025 Vuelta a Espana.