Stage 2 of the Vuelta a El Salvador 2025 brought the peloton to the eastern city of San Miguel, where a compact 69-kilometre course delivered a fast and chaotic day of racing. With temperatures soaring to 40°C and little shade on the exposed urban circuit, conditions were punishing from the start. The route began at San Miguel’s central park, heading out to the El Papalón roundabout before looping back along the modern periférico Gerardo Barrios, a key bypass road now doubling as an arena for international racing.
The terrain itself wasn’t especially selective, with no major climbs to force splits, but the combination of heat, wind, and high speeds created a nervous atmosphere in the bunch. A large crash mid-stage disrupted the rhythm and reshuffled the front group, temporarily splitting the field and forcing a number of riders to chase back. Roland Cycling were prominent throughout, staying out of trouble and keeping their leaders near the front.
As the race entered its final 10 kilometres, several teams began massing at the front to position their sprinters, but the wide roads and constant pace made it difficult for any single train to dominate. Griffin moved up early and hit the front on the run-in to the finish line, launching her sprint from a long way out — a bold move in the heat and under pressure from faster finishers.
Despite a strong late surge from the Laboral Kutxa pair of Laura Tomasi and Arianna Fidanza, Griffin had already done the damage. Her early acceleration opened enough of a gap to hold off the chase, even as the line approached rapidly on the slightly uphill drag to the finish. The final margins were tight — Griffin clocked 1:41:03, with both Tomasi and Fidanza credited with 1:41:04 — but the victory was never in doubt once Griffin hit the front.
“I went early and just held on as long as I could,” said Griffin after the stage. “It was hot, hectic and honestly, I’m thrilled — my first win as a pro.”
The result marks a breakthrough moment for the Irish rider, who has shown promise with wins at Rás na mBan but had not yet converted that into success at UCI level. Having put in a significant winter training block focused on endurance and sprint sharpness, she now has a tangible reward for that effort.
“I’ve worked a lot on building my engine and trying to become more versatile,” she added. “I still want to keep my finishing kick, but I also want to be useful in more types of races.”
It’s also the second stage win in this year’s race for Roland Cycling, following Tamara Dronova’s performance in the opening time trial prologue in San Salvador. The team continues to make its presence felt as the race heads toward the halfway point.
Next up is stage 3: a 121-kilometre run from Plaza Salvador del Mundo to Usulután. With a longer distance and more open terrain, another reshuffle in the general classification is possible — but Griffin has already made her mark.
2025 Vuelta a El Salvador Stage 2 result
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