Vuelta a España 2025 Stage 2 Preview & Betting Tips

Weather: Temperatures in the low 20˚Cs with a chance of rain in the afternoon.

Climbs: Just the one – the summit finish up to the Limone 1400 ski station (9.8km at 5.1%).

Start: Flat or gently rising ground for the first 45km or so.

Finish: The road tilts upwards around 15km before the official climb, drags on for 8km at around 5% before the final 2km bite, where gradients touch double digits.

Stage suits: Puncheurs, climbers and GC contenders with a sharp uphill kick.

Breakaway chances: Under 50%. Everything depends on whether certain teams (notably Q36.5 and Lidl-Trek) commit to chasing or prefer to conserve energy for later days.

What will happen: The final climb isn’t steep enough to create big gaps between the GC contenders, but it should be selective. Expect the breakaway to be reeled in, setting up a reduced-group sprint between the more explosive climbers.

Stage 2 Contenders

Jonas Vingegaard (4/1; 5.0) is the overwhelming favourite to win this year’s Vuelta a España and may want to make an early statement. Often overshadowed by Tadej Pogačar in a sprint, Vingegaard’s uphill kick is still one of the best in the peloton. With just enough gradient at the top, this could be a chance for the Dane to stamp his authority on the race.

Tom Pidcock (7/1; 8.0) is testing out a GC bid in this Vuelta, so he’ll need to demonstrate a patience that so far has been a bit lacking, but there are plenty of uphill finishes where stage wins are also at play. He looked sharp at the Arctic Race of Norway two weeks ago, winning on a short 8% climb, and both he and Q36.5 will eye this stage as a chance to seize the red jersey.

Giulio Ciccone (7/1; 8.0) was forced out of the Giro d’Italia after a heavy crash, but rebounded impressively, winning at San Sebastián and then taking a stage at the Vuelta a Burgos. Officially targeting stage wins and the mountains jersey, he could prove a GC threat if his form holds. With one of the strongest uphill sprints in the peloton, Ciccone is a major player here.

Juan Ayuso (9/1; 10.0) won on a near-identical climb at the Giro d’Italia (9.3 km at 4.5%, finishing with 2.6 km at 9.1%) earlier this year. His build-up has been quiet after crashes and finally an allergic reaction to a bee-sting forced him to abandon the Giro late on, but on his day, few can match his uphill acceleration. UAE Team Emirates-XRG will also have João Almeida (20/1; 21.0) in the mix after an excellent season, though Ayuso is the punchier option for this finale.

Victor Langellotti (25/1; 26.0) is an outsider worth noting. The Monegasque rider impressed with his uphill finish on stage 6 at the Tour de Pologne earlier this month. If he’s well-positioned, he could spring a surprise at big odds.

Stage 2 Bets

This looks made for punchy climbers, and while Jonas Vingegaard and Juan Ayuso are big dangers, it’s Giulio Ciccone and Tom Pidcock who come in with the confirmed form and make most appeal at the prices. Tough to split them — but let’s side with the Brit.

Tom Pidcock 1pt win and 3 places @7/1

Posted 2120 BST Sat 23rd Aug 2025

Prices quoted are correct at the time of writing but are subject to change

Stage 2 Result