Vuelta a España 2025 Stage 8 Preview & Betting Tips

Weather: Dry, with temperatures in the high 20s °C.

Key climbs: None.

Stage suits: Sprinters.

Breakaway chances: The first half of the route is slightly lumpy, which may give baroudeurs some hope. However, with sprint opportunities scarce in this Vuelta, teams with fast men are unlikely to let this one slip away.

Finish (see map above): Riders will see the finish before a 22km circuit around the city. The run-in follows the riverside for about 2km, then swings left at a large roundabout just before the flamme rouge. From there, the road drags slightly uphill before levelling off into a flat, wide final 500m.

Likely scenario: Bahrain-Victorious will need to ensure no GC threat sneaks into the break, but sprint teams should help control things and bring it back for a bunch finish. Forecast crosswinds of around 10km/h look too light to play a role.

Stage 8 Contenders

Jasper Philipsen (10/11; 1.91) – Admitted his legs weren’t great after being beaten on stage 4, though he likely would have won had he secured the inside line he was calling for. The fastest sprinter here with the best leadout; despite the short odds, he still looks good value.

Ethan Vernon (7/2; 4.5) – Boxed in on stage 4 while carrying good speed. Looks the best of the rest and should be in the mix again.

Mads Pedersen (7/1; 8.0) – Riding powerfully and eager to defend green jersey points, though on a flat finish he may struggle to match Philipsen and Vernon’s raw speed.

Casper Van Uden (11/1; 12.0) – Yet to threaten here but showed at the Giro that he can win on his day.

Ben Turner (16/1; 17.0) – Took stage 4 with a smartly timed launch that trapped Vernon and Philipsen. Repeating that trick will be much harder and the flatter finish doesn’t suit.

Elia Viviani (22/1; 23.0) – Came close on the opening day, but a win looks a long shot for the veteran.

Orluis Aular (33/1; 34.0) – Suited better to hillier or uphill finishes but has shown decent speed.

Stage 8 Verdict

Jasper Philipsen is the clear favourite to win stage 8. Given his pedigree and the sprint opposition, it’s surprising he isn’t shorter than 10/11. That reflects his form not being at its absolute peak, but on paper he should still be too strong for the rest.

Stage 8 Bets

Jasper Philipsen 2pts win @10/11 (1st)

Posted 2007 BST Fri 29th Aug 2025

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

Stage 8 Result