João Almeida took a dramatic victory on stage 13 of the Vuelta a España, outsprinting race leader Jonas Vingegaard at the summit of the Alto de l’Angliru. On a day that was always likely to shape the GC, the Portuguese rider of UAE Team Emirates-XRG set a furious tempo on the most brutal slopes in Spain, eventually forcing a duel with Vingegaard alone. The Dane clung on but never countered, leaving Almeida to claim one of the biggest wins of his career.
Photo Credit: Unipublic / Cxcling / Antonio BaixauliHow the stage unfolded
At 202.7 kilometres, the stage was far longer than recent visits to the Angliru, and it featured more than 3,900 metres of climbing. The peloton was aggressive from the outset, with a large breakaway of around 25 riders forming. Among them were big names such as Mads Pedersen, Nicolas Vinokourov, Jefferson Cepeda and Bob Jungels. Pedersen’s motivation was clear as he scooped up maximum points in the intermediate sprints before sitting up.
Visma | Lease a Bike kept the move within reach, never allowing more than four minutes, with Wilco Kelderman and Dylan van Baarle doing long spells of work. UAE added to the pace later, signalling their intent to back Almeida. As the kilometres ticked down, the break steadily thinned, with Jungels the last man standing by the base of the Angliru.
The day was not without drama. Pro-Palestinian protestors briefly halted the race when they blocked the road in Asturias, forcing the leading trio of Jungels, Vinokourov and Cepeda to stop before police swiftly removed the demonstrators. The peloton regrouped and the race continued, though the interruption reduced the gap for the escapees.
Photo Credit: Unipublic / Cxcling / Antonio BaixauliOn the penultimate climb, the Alto del Cordal, UAE tightened the screws. Felix Großschartner and Jay Vine set a furious pace that saw several riders, including Tom Pidcock, already straining. The descent was technical and treacherous, but the peloton hit the base of the Angliru with the GC group just behind the remnants of the break.
From the bottom slopes, Almeida launched his plan. The Portuguese rider set a pace that quickly dispatched Jungels, Cepeda and the last escapees, while rivals such as Hindley, Kuss and Pidcock struggled to hold on. By the time the gradients bit at 20 percent, only Vingegaard could stay in his wheel.
The pair rode side by side in silence for kilometre after kilometre, neither blinking, while behind Hindley and Kuss formed the main chase. With the fog closing in and the crowds roaring, Almeida held his line through the final switchbacks. He knew the corner well, he said later, and by taking it first he denied Vingegaard any chance of a late surge. The Portuguese rider crossed the line ahead by a bike length, punching the air in relief and delight. Hindley took third just ahead of Kuss, while Pidcock limited his losses with a measured ride to the summit.
Photo Credit: GettyReactions
Almeida was almost overwhelmed at the finish: “This is a special one. Thanks to my teammates, they were key today. They did an amazing job to set it up, and then I just put my pace from the bottom and gave everything. Jonas was always on my wheel, and I was waiting for his attack, but I knew I had to take the last corner first. It’s the hardest climb in the world – crazy, and I’m very sore.”
Vingegaard admitted he had mixed emotions: “I really wanted to win today, especially after all the work my team did, but João was the deserved winner. This is the Angliru, it’s such a mythical climb, and I would have loved to take it. The positive is that together we gained time on the others, but João was super strong.”
Tom Pidcock reflected on his effort after clinging to his podium spot: “It was super tough, just finding the rhythm is unforgiving. I tried to ride my own pace, but it’s like fighting the whole way up. I didn’t lose too much time, and I think I did pretty good. It’s promising for the future.”
His coach Kurt Bogaerts added: “He didn’t blow up, and that’s a very good sign. Seventh on the day, still on the podium – that’s something we can be happy with, and it shows how much he’s grown as a GC rider.”
Vingegaard’s teammate Sepp Kuss, who was dropped with four kilometres to go, summed up the difficulty: “João was very strong, he put down a hellishly hard pace. There are lots of hard stages still to come, and we’ll have to work very hard against him.”
The Vuelta continues on Saturday with stage 14, another summit finish at La Farrapona, ensuring the fight between Almeida and Vingegaard remains wide open.
Photo Credit: Unipublic/Rafa Gómez/Sprint Cycling Agency2025 Vuelta a Espana Stage 13 result
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Main photo credit: Getty
