Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a 2025 riders to watch<\/p>\n
With four-time champion Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d<\/strong> unlikely to start this year, and Olympic gold medallist \u2013 and 2022 overall winner \u2013 Remco Evenepoel<\/strong><\/a> skipping the event to focus on the World Championships, this year\u2019s Vuelta features several riders in contention for a maiden title.<\/p>\n Jonas Vingegaard<\/strong> came close to pulling off a Vuelta\u2013Tour de France double in 2023, when his Team Visma | Lease a Bike teammate Sepp Kuss<\/strong> triumphed in Madrid ahead of him. This time, the Dane should count on the American domestique\u2019s support in his bid for the top step of the podium. However, there will be no duel with his archrival and reigning world champion Tadej Poga\u010dar<\/strong><\/a>, who opted to skip the race after claiming his fourth Tour de France title.<\/p>\n Leading Poga\u010dar\u2019s UAE Team Emirates\u2013XRG will be Portugal\u2019s Jo\u00e3o Almeida<\/strong>, who shone in the first part of the season before crashing out of the Tour with broken ribs. The 27-year-old is expected to be Vingegaard\u2019s biggest challenger, alongside Spain\u2019s young star Juan Ayuso<\/strong>, eager to avenge a disappointing Giro d\u2019Italia and improve on his third and fourth GC finishes at the 2022 and 2023 Vuelta.<\/p>\n Among the contenders is also Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Richard Carapaz<\/strong><\/a>, who reached his fifth career Grand Tour podium at this year\u2019s Giro. Italy\u2019s rising talents Antonio Tiberi<\/strong> (Bahrain Victorious) and Giulio Pellizzari<\/strong> (Red Bull\u2013BORA\u2013hansgrohe) are also looking to continue their progress in a three-week stage race.<\/p>\n