The Vuelta a España moves deeper into the Pyrenees on stage 7, with a summit finish at Cerler returning to the race for the first time since 2005. At 188km from Andorra la Vella to the Aragonese ski resort, this is the longest stage of the race so far and comes immediately after the high-altitude finish at Pal. It is a punishing profile with nearly 4,000 metres of climbing and four categorised ascents, and with fatigue already mounting after the Andorran test, gaps are likely to open among the GC contenders. For riders chasing red, this is the first real opportunity to land a decisive blow, while for others, it could signal the start of a long fight for survival.
2025 Vuelta a España stage 7 details
Date: Friday 29th August
Distance: 188km
Start location: Andorra la Vella
Finish location: Cerler
Start time: 12:15 CEST
Finish time: 17:28 CEST
The stage opens with a sharp descent out of Andorra la Vella before climbing directly onto the Port del Cantó, a 24.7km category 1 ascent that averages just over 4% but hides much steeper ramps within its irregular slopes. It is a demanding start and will likely set the tone for a fierce battle to establish the day’s breakaway. Riders targeting the move will need climbing legs from the start, and any hesitation could mean missing the split.
After a long and technical descent, the peloton faces a rolling valley section before two back-to-back climbs begin to sap the legs. The Puerto de la Creu de Perves, a category 2 ascent at 5.7km, is followed almost immediately by the Coll de l’Espina, another category 2 test averaging around 6.5%. While these mid-stage climbs are unlikely to decide the winner, their proximity will tempt aggressive teams to send riders up the road, forcing rivals to burn energy ahead of the finale.
From Benasque, the road turns towards Cerler for the final climb, a 12.6km category 1 ascent averaging 5.4%. The opening kilometres are the steepest and represent the best chance for attacks, while the more gradual upper slopes reward measured pacing and energy management. Cerler has history at the Vuelta, most recently in 2005 when Roberto Heras won here en route to overall victory, and while the race has not returned since, the ski station remains a selective summit where the strongest climbers are likely to rise to the top.
Contenders
A well-timed breakaway could succeed if the group contains riders far enough down on GC to be given freedom. Jay Vine, Eddie Dunbar and Pablo Castrillo are all strong candidates, while Carlos Verona and Chris Harper could bring Giro-winning confidence into this stage. However, the bigger teams may see an opportunity to tighten control, especially UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Visma-Lease a Bike and Lidl-Trek, who each have riders capable of winning from the favourites’ group.
Among the GC contenders, Jonas Vingegaard is expected to mark rather than attack outright, while UAE have the luxury of multiple cards with João Almeida and Juan Ayuso. Egan Bernal has shown glimpses of returning to his best form and thrives on long, steady climbs like Cerler, while David Gaudu, Jai Hindley and Matteo Jorgenson all pose serious threats if the pace softens in the valley. For Lidl-Trek, Giulio Ciccone has been vocal about targeting stages like this and has the explosive acceleration to make the difference on the steep lower slopes.
Will Torstein Træen be able to keep the red jersey on his shoulders too? Bruno Armirail will try to close down the 31 second he is behind with Lorenzo Fortunato hovering at 1’01” too with a shot.
Prediction
Giulio Ciccone to win stage 7. The steep opening ramps and Lidl-Trek’s ability to control the run-in make this a day perfectly suited to his strengths.
