After a much-needed rest day, the Vuelta returns with a tricky 168km stage from Poio to Mos that could go either way. It’s not a summit finish in the traditional sense, but it’s certainly a day with plenty of climbing – over 3,400m of elevation gain through the twisting, narrow roads of Galicia. With four categorised climbs and a sting in the tail at Castro de Herville, this is a day where opportunists, GC riders, and strong breakaway climbers will all fancy their chances.
2025 Vuelta a España stage 16 details
Date: Tuesday 9th September
Distance: 168km
Start location: Poio
Finish location: Mos
Start time: 13:05 CEST
Finish time: 17:17 CEST
The route picks up where the Vuelta left off in 2021, when Miguel Ángel López famously abandoned on these same roads after losing contact with the GC favourites. Once again, the riders will take on the Alto de Prado and finish on the slopes of Castro de Herville – two short but punchy climbs that follow a longer ascent of the Alto de Groba earlier in the day. That climb, 11.3km at 5.4%, is the longest of the stage and tops out with 58km to go, but it’s the steep ramps that follow which are most likely to cause time gaps.
The terrain is constantly up and down, and teams will need to stay sharp throughout. This is also the most westerly point of the entire race, with the Atlantic coastline close by and narrow local roads making positioning key. The stage finishes in Mos, hometown of 2006 Tour de France winner Óscar Pereiro, and one of the key figures behind today’s route design.
Contenders
Juan Ayuso is the pick of the bunch for UAE Team Emirates-XRG today. The Spaniard has looked sharp throughout the race and this kind of hilly terrain suits his attacking instincts. With João Almeida also still in the hunt for red, UAE have the depth to play multiple cards, and Ayuso may be given the freedom to go for the win.
Jonas Vingegaard remains the rider to beat overall, but after two draining summit finishes, Visma – Lease a Bike might not chase too hard. Tom Pidcock and João Almeida are other GC names who could be in the mix if the group contests the finish. Sepp Kuss and Jai Hindley may play supporting roles, but both are climbing well enough to go for it if the opportunity arises.
If the breakaway sticks, Santiago Buitrago, Michał Kwiatkowski, Marc Soler, and David Gaudu are all strong picks. Gaudu already has a stage win to his name, and this finale suits him. Gijs Leemreize, Giulio Ciccone, and Andrea Bagioli are others to watch from further down the GC, while Pablo Castrillo could shine on home roads.
Prediction
Juan Ayuso to win stage 16. UAE have looked the sharpest team all race and this is a perfect chance for Ayuso to add another stage win to their tally.
