With the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France crossed off our list, one Grand Tour remains in 2025: the Vuelta a España.
The Spanish Grand Tour will start overseas this year, with the Gran Salida set to take place in Italy from Saturday 23rd August. From there, the route will meet the Alps early before crossing into Spain for more mountain tests. The Angliru poses the biggest risk in the second week, while the final throws of the race will offer up the race’s only individual time-trial and a final summit finish to Bola del Mundo on Stage 20.
Without the two Slovenians on the start list, the contenders for the red jersey include Jonas Vingegaard, João Almeida, Juan Ayuso and Richard Carapaz. But for those looking to weigh up the options for your fantasy team or place a sneaky bet, we’ve got you covered. We’ll go through the 15 top favourites for the 2025 Vuelta a España – according to the betting odds – taking you through their recent performances to bring you a horse racing-style form guide.
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Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Xavier Pereyron
Jonas Vingegaard requires little introduction. The Danish climber has finished on the podium of six Grand Tours, including the recent Tour de France. He almost won the Vuelta back in 2023, but held off to allow his loyal domestique Sepp Kuss a rare slice of glory. This year, however, Vingegaard looks steadfast in claiming the maillot rojo. He’s the second-best climber in the world right now, but without Tadej Pogačar here, it’s hard to imagine anyone coming between the two-time Tour winner and the Vuelta crown in Madrid.
Jonas Vingegaard
- Age: 28
- Vuelta participations: 2
- Best Vuelta performance: 2nd (2023)
- Odds for victory: 4/11
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 2
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- 2nd: Tour de France
- 2nd: Criterium du Dauphiné
- DNF: Paris-Nice
Other 2025 results
João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
João Almeida has been one of the most successful riders on the WorldTour level this year. He’s bagged three major victories, including a heroic comeback at the Tour de Suisse in June. Almeida’s summer was derailed by a crash on Stage 7 of the Tour de France. He was forced to abandon soon after, leaving him on the sidelines of Pogačar’s fourth Tour victory. Now recovered, he’s been confirmed as one of UAE’s two leaders for the upcoming Vuelta. The Portuguese rider’s record is fairly patchy at the race, with just one top five finish in three attempts. The lack of time-trial kilometres may also be seen as a negative for Almeida, but his diesel engine may come in handy during the first week’s sprinkling of summit finishes.
João Almeida
- Age: 27
- Vuelta participations: 3
- Best Vuelta performance: 4th (2022)
- Odds for victory: 6/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 5
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 5
2025 WorldTour results
- DNF: Tour de France
- 1st: Tour de Suisse (3 stages)
- 1st: Tour de Romandie
- 1st: Itzulia Basque Country (2 stages)
- 6th: Paris-Nice (1 stage)
- 1st: Volta a Catalunya (2 stages)
Other 2025 results
- 2nd: Volta ao Algarve
- 2nd: Volta Comunitat Valenciana
Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates XRG)
Luca Bettini/Getty Images
Juan Ayuso will be the best GC option for home crowds this summer. The Spaniard, who grew up between Barcelona, Valencia and Atlanta, has previously finished on the podium of the Vuelta in his early pro years. Over the past twelve months, he’s continued his upward trajectory with a victory overall at Tirreno-Adriatico and a stage win at the Giro d’Italia. After splitting stitches during the race’s middle week and a subsequent bee sting, the Spaniard was forced to abandon the Corsa Rosa in its final week. Following a prolonged post-Giro break, Ayuso returned to racing in Spain. Bar a domestique role at Clásica San Sebastián, his comeback was met with a podium finish at a one-day race in the north of the country, only behind teammate Isaac del Toro.
Juan Ayuso
- Age: 22
- Vuelta participations: 2
- Best Vuelta performance: 3rd (2022)
- Odds for victory: 6/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 6
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 4
2025 WorldTour results
- 39th: Clásica San Sebastián
- DNF: Giro d’Italia (1 stage)
- 2nd: Volta a Catalunya (1 stage)
- 1st: Tirreno-Adriatico (1 stage)
Other 2025 results
- 2nd: Circuito de Getxo
- 1st: Trofeo Laigueglia
- 1st: Faun Drome Classic
- 10th: Faun Ardèche Classic
Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost)
Luca Bettini/Getty Images
Given the absence of last year’s Vuelta podium finishers, fourth place Richard Carapaz will be the best-placed rider from last year’s race on the start line in Turin. After a weak run-up to the Giro d’Italia, Richard Carapaz surpassed expectations to claim his first Giro stage since 2019. Looking strong in the mountains, he would throw away his runner-up spot after a spat with Isaac del Toro on the final mountain stage. Regardless, the Giro was enough evidence that the Ecuadorian is back to his best. Despite pulling out of the Tour the week before the Grand Départ, Carapaz will go into the Vuelta without any racing in his legs in two and a half months. It’s a risky strategy, but perhaps freshness will prove his greatest asset.
Richard Carapaz
- Age: 32
- Vuelta participations: 6
- Best Vuelta performance: 2nd (2020)
- Odds for victory: 14/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 1
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 1
2025 WorldTour results
- 3rd: Giro d’Italia (1 stage)
- 10th: Volta a Catalunya
- 18th: Tirreno-Adriatico
- 78th: Strade Bianche
Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek)
You may be surprised to see Giulio Ciccone so high on this list. The Lidl-Trek rider is yet to crack the top ten overall at a Grand Tour, and he’s never finished a Vuelta a España before. On the other hand, the Abruzzese rider has been on excellent form over the past month, scoring his first WorldTour classic and a stage victory at the Vuelta a Burgos. In response to his recent flurry of victories in Spain, Ciccone’s odds have been narrowing with the bookies, taking him down to around 16-1.
Giulio Ciccone
- Age: 30
- Vuelta participations: 2
- Best Vuelta performance: DNF (2021, 2024)
- Odds for victory: 16/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 3
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 1
2025 WorldTour results
- 1st: Clásica San Sebastián
- DNF: Giro d’Italia
- 2nd: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- 47th: Milan-San Remo
- 13th: Tirreno-Adriatico (1 stage)
- 2nd: UAE Tour
Other 2025 results
- 5th: Vuelta a Burgos (1 stage)
- 4th: Tour of the Alps (1 stage)
Derek Gee (IPT)
Dario Belingheri/Getty Images
Derek Gee was something of a surprise package at the Giro earlier this year. While others fell down the standings around him, the IPT leader remained steady, eventually finishing the race in an impressive fourth place. Looking further down his results sheet from this year, we can see that this was no fluke. The Canadian is one of the most consistent racers here, having finished within the top five of every stage race he’s entered this year. Now in the national champion’s jersey, Gee will start as many people’s underdog pick.
Derek Gee
- Age: 28
- Vuelta participations: 0
- Best Vuelta performance: N/A
- Odds for victory: 33/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 3
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- 4th: Giro d’Italia
- 4th: Tirreno-Adriatico
Other 2025 results
- 1st: Canadian National Road Race Championships
- 2nd: Canadian National Time-Trial Championships
- 3rd: Tour of the Alps
- 1st: O Gran Camiño (1 stage)
Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious)
Marco Zac/NurPhoto via Getty Images
It’s been a mixed bag for Antonio Tiberi this year. He started the year strongly, reaching the podium at Tirreno-Adriatico. A series of crashes and setbacks hampered his Giro prep. There, he seemed to be in a decent place to reach the top five, but a crash on Stage 14 would see him drop down the standings during the mountainous final week. He appears to have bounced back from that disappointing Giro conclusion. A recent runner-up spot at the Tour de Pologne demonstrates some form, highlighted by a stellar time-trial performance. With that being the Italian’s real strength, he might be slightly disappointed to find out that this year’s Vuelta only has 26 kilometres of individual time-trialing.
Antonio Tiberi
- Age: 24
- Vuelta participations: 3
- Best Vuelta performance: 18th (2023)
- Odds for victory: 30/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 0
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- 2nd: Tour de Pologne
- 40th: Clásica San Sebastián
- 17th: Giro d’Italia
- 3rd: Tirreno-Adriatico
Other 2025 results
- DNF: Tour of the Alps
- 16th: Volta ao Algarve
Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers)
Sara Cavallini/Getty Images
The Vuelta a España is the only Grand Tour missing from Egan Bernal’s collection. However, it’s now been four years since his last Grand Tour victory, and he’s had to overcome a serious injury to make it back onto Grand Tour rosters. At the Giro d’Italia earlier this year, we saw flashes of the old Bernal, with the Colombian appearing very aggressive on the uphills during the first half of the race. Ultimately, his fiesty tactics would burn him out come the final week. If Ineos act more pragmatically though, Bernal could thrive during the testing opening week of this year’s Vuelta.
Egan Bernal
- Age: 28
- Vuelta participations: 2
- Best Vuelta performance: 6th (2021)
- Odds for victory: 40/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 2
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- 7th: Giro d’Italia
- 7th: Volta a Catalunya
Other 2025 results
- 6th: Vuelta a Burgos
- DNF: Clásica Jaén
- 1st: Colombian National Road Race Championships
- 1st: Colombian National Time-Trial Race Championships
Felix Gall (Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale)
Xavier Pereyron
Last year, Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale shocked everyone by finishing in second place overall. To follow up Ben O’Connor’s podium, the French squad have called upon Tour de France top five finisher Felix Gall. Despite poor form in the spring, Gall was impressive at the Tour, with strong results in the Alps during week three. Unlucky for Gall, who often thrives in the final week, the closing stages aren’t well-suited to the Austrian. He’ll therefore have to roll with the punches during the first week and hope for the best.
Felix Gall
- Age: 27
- Vuelta participations: 1
- Best Vuelta performance: 29th (2024)
- Odds for victory: 50/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 0
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- 5th: Tour de France
- 4th: Tour de Suisse
- DNF: Volta a Catalunya
- 18th: Paris-Nice
- 18th: UAE Tour
Other 2025 results
Matteo Jorgenson (Visma-Lease a Bike)
Xavier Pereyron
It was only two years ago when a plucky American domestique won the Vuelta for Visma-Lease a Bike. Idaho’s Matteo Jorgenson will be dreaming of the same scenario as Sepp Kuss when he starts his first Vuelta next weekend. He’s had a busy year, but his form hasn’t been quite as convincing as it was last year. Regardless of that, Jorgenson comes into the Vuelta with the same odds as he had for the Tour de France: 50-1. However, his chances might be inflated by his name rather than his potential leadership opportunities. He’ll be on strict teammate duties for Jonas Vingegaard.
Matteo Jorgenson
- Age: 25
- Tour participations: 0
- Best Tour performance: N/A
- Odds for victory: 50/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 1
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 1
2025 WorldTour results
- 19th: Tour de France
- 6th: Critérium du Dauphiné
- 47th: Tour of Flanders
- 4th: Dwaars door Vlaanderen
- 30th: Gent-Wevelgem
- 9th: E3 Saxo Bank Classic
- 1st: Paris-Nice
Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
Dario Belingheri/Getty Images
Giulio Pellizzari was sensational once Primož Roglič was forced to abandon the Giro back in May. Despite shedding minutes in support of the Slovenian, the 21-year-old Italian cruised to sixth place overall, leaving many to wonder what could have been possible if he were the leader from the start. Well, now’s the time to find out (to some extent). Yes, Jai Hindley’s here, but Pellizzari’s Giro performance has to give the team some confidence coming into this race. He recently bettered his Australian teammate at the Vuelta a Burgos, which should surely serve as a sign of things to come.
Giulio Pellizzari
- Age: 21
- Vuelta participations: 0
- Best Vuelta performance: N/A
- Odds for victory: 50/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 0
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- DNF: Clásica San Sebastián
- 6th: Giro d’Italia
- 57th: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- 16th: Volta a Catalunya
Other 2025 results
Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe)
Tim de Waele/Getty Images
Enough Jai Hindley bashing, let’s look at the 2022 Giro champion’s season so far. The Red Bull rider has had mixed fortunes this year, with several top tens before an early Giro exit. Hindley has only competed once since then. A 25th overall at the Vuelta a Burgos would provide little evidence of form ahead of the Vuelta, a Grand Tour in which Hindley has often underperformed.
Jai Hindley
- Age: 29
- Vuelta participations: 2
- Best Vuelta performance: 9th (2023)
- Odds for victory: 66/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 0
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- DNF: Giro d’Italia
- 5th: Tirreno-Adriatico
Other 2025 results
- 25th: Vuelta a Burgos
- 8th: Tour of the Alps
- 9th: Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana
- 9th: Australian National Road Race Championships
Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep)
Antonio Baixauli/Getty Images
Basque cult figure Mikel Landa has always been there or thereabouts in three-week races. Barring the classic tumble here and there, including this year’s Giro, the Soudal-QuickStep leader is one of the most consistent riders if he stays upright. While his early-season form looks convincing, a recent 18th place finish at the Vuelta a Burgos could leave you worried. That said, it was his first race back since his heavy fall during the opening day of the Giro in Albania. Though he’s never finished inside the top five of the Vuelta, it’s not something that feels too far from reach for the 35-year-old.
Mikel Landa
- Age: 35
- Vuelta participations: 8
- Best Vuelta performance: 5th (2023)
- Odds for victory: 66/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 0
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- DNF: Giro d’Italia
- 4th: Volta a Catalunya
- 7th: Tirreno-Adriatico
- 11th: Strade Bianche
Other 2025 results
Tom Pidcock (Q36.5)
Dario Belingheri/Getty Images
Britain’s Tom Pidcock will return to the race where he made his Grand Tour debut back in 2021. The 26-year-old will be leading Q36.5 Pro Cycling in their debut Vuelta, having done the same at the Giro earlier this year. While the Italian race didn’t quite go to plan for the Yorkshireman, he has demonstrated some decent form throughout 2025. Even this month, he claimed a win at the Arctic Race of Norway, followed by a second spot overall there. Pidcock has shared his ambitions, citing that a top ten overall as the ultimate goal. This will be a big ask, but he’s certainly capable of winning a stage if he ends up jumping in an ambitious move.
Tom Pidcock
- Age: 26
- Vuelta participations: 1
- Best Vuelta performance: 67th (2021)
- Odds for victory: 80/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 5
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- 16th: Giro d’Italia
- 9th: Liège-Bastogne-Liège
- 3rd: La Flèche Wallonne
- 9th: Amstel Gold Race
- 40th: Milan-San Remo
- 6th: Tirreno-Adriatico
- 2nd: Strade Bianche
- 38th: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad
Other 2025 results
- 2nd: Arctic Race of Norway (1 stage)
- 10th: Andorra Clàssica
- 11th: Brabantse Pijl
- 3rd: Vuelta a Andalucia (1 stage)
- 1st: AlUla Tour (2 stages)
Tao Geoghegan Hart (Lidl-Trek)
Tim de Waele/Getty Images
Once a Grand Tour winner, always a Grand Tour winner, right? Well, for London’s Tao Geoghegan Hart, it’s not quite as easy as that. Since moving to Lidl-Trek in 2024, the Brit has struggled to refind his Giro-winning legs. He hasn’t claimed a win in two and a half years, and he has shown no sign of competing for the podium in Madrid. If the Tour de Suisse is anything to go by, on the other hand, he might be on the offensive, searching out breakaway moves.
Tao Geoghegan Hart
- Age: 30
- Vuelta participations: 4
- Best Vuelta performance: 18th (2022)
- Odds for victory: 80/1
2025 victories
- Wins in 2025: 0
- WorldTour wins in 2025: 0
2025 WorldTour results
- 25th: Tour de Suisse
- DNF: Vuelta a Catalunya
Other 2025 results
- 3rd: Tour of Slovenia
- 32nd: Tour of the Alps
- 39th: Faun Drome Classic
- DNF: Faun Ardèche Classic
- 9th: Volta ao Algarve
