In this roundup of cycling news from the Vuelta and beyond, we take you through stages 3–5, from David Gaudu and Ben Turner stunning the peloton to Jonas Vingegaard reclaiming control in Stage 5’s team time trial — plus below-the-headlines Vuelta news, rider and team updates — and a look at the rider who may have the most popular social media presence of all.
TOP STORY:
- Gaudu’s Upset, Turner’s Breakthrough, Vingegaard’s Return: Vuelta 2025 Ignites
Race News:
- Riders In, Out of Worlds
- Paret-Peintre Leaves Vuelta
- $250K in Bikes Heisted from Visma at Vuelta
- Israel-Premier Tech’s TTT Position Slowed by Protesters, then Restored by Vuelta Organizers
- Jonas Abrahamsen First Up the Wall at the Muur Classic
Rider and Team News:
- The Freeze Has Thawed: INEOS Signs French RR Champ Dorian Godon
- EF Education-Easy Post Moves Tour de l’Avenir Stage Winner Hobbs to the Big Leagues
- Great Britain Cycling Team Announces Lineup for Tour of Britain
- Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team to Close at the end of 2025 Season
- Derek Gee and Israel Premier Tech in Contract Standoff
- What Can We Learn from…Victor Campenaerts’ VLOGs?
Gaudu’s Upset, Turner’s Breakthrough, Vingegaard’s Return: Vuelta 2025 Ignites
Since our last EuroTrash, we’ve seen a pair of eyepopping, heartwarming results — followed by a return to form.
First, in Stage 3, David Gaudu of Groupama–FDJ launched a perfectly timed, perfectly lined uphill dash to steal victory from Mads Pedersen and a surprisingly-sprinting Jonas Vingegaard in Ceres, catching everyone off guard. The win, his first Grand Tour stage triumph since 2020, vaulted him level with Vingegaard in the general classification, though the Dane retained the red jersey on tie-breaker criteria.
Stage 4 was a different kind of race, but offered a similarly surprising result, Ben Turner of Ineos Grenadiers charged through in the final meters to clinch his first-ever Grand Tour stage win, edging out Pedersen, Jasper Philipsen, and the rest of the sprint crew — admittedly a watered-down one for this Vuelta, but nonetheless, few expected Turner’s triumph. (Many, however, found the victory gratifying: Turner, evidently one of the best-liked riders in the pro peloton, was a (very) last-minute call-up to the Vuelta. He’d started the Renewi Tour in Belgium, but when a spot on Ineos’ Vuelta squad opened, he jumped at the chance. After his win, he stated, “I’d do anything to race these races,” and was overcome with emotion to the point of craughing.)
Gaudu inherited the red jersey in Stage 4, by virtue of better placings over Vingegaard, but the donning was short-lived, as the Stage 5 Team Time Trial turned the race in Jonas’ favor: UAE Team Emirates-XRG powered to the win, but it was Vingegaard’s Visma | Lease A Bike squad that delivered under pressure, finishing just eight seconds back. Meanwhile, Juan Ayuso, João Almeida, and Marc Soler vaulted into a tie for second place overall, all just eight seconds behind the leader.
Next up: Stage 6 heads into Andorra—a mountain test primed to shake up the GC with genuine climbing drama.
RACE NEWS
Riders In, Out of Worlds
The World Championships startlist is proving even more fluid than is typical for the end-of-season race, likely thanks to both the allure and concern about riding in the largely uncharted nation of Rwanda.
Here’s our best understanding of who’s in and who’s out — as of press time.
- Ben Healy of Team Ireland seems in. Eddie Dunbar too.
- Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot initially said she won’t ride in Rwanda, opting for Gravel Worlds instead — but recently suggested she’ll particpate after all.
- Aussies Ben O’Connor and Sarah Gigante won’t compete — the latter having recently crashed severely — but Jay Vine and Luke Plapp will contest the time trial, and Michael Matthews and Jai Hindley will start the road race.
- Tadej Pogaçar has signaled — but not committed — his participation.
- Wout is out.
- Mathieu van der Poel will ride at Worlds — Mountain Bike Worlds, that is. (Fool him once…fool him twice…fool him again?)
- Jonas Vingegaard won’t ride in Rwanda, notwithstanding the course being the “toughest ever,” with nearly 18,000 feet of climbing.
- Norwegian riders will likely skip the race week after national team manager Thor Hushovd discouraged participation.
Team USA has announced their squad, including a few riders who have been earning strong World Tour results:
Elite Men
- Will Barta (Boise, Idaho; Movistar Team) – Road Race, Time Trial
- Luke Lamperti (Sebastopol, Calif.; Soudal Quick-Step) – Road Race
- Magnus Sheffield (Pittsford, N.Y.; Ineos Grenadiers) – Road Race, Time Trial
- Quinn Simmons (Durango, Colo.; Lidl-Trek) – Road Race
- Kevin Vermaerke (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.; Team Picnic PostNL) – Road Race
- Larry Warbasse (Traverse City, Mich.; Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team) – Road Race
Elite Women
- Chloe Dygert (Brownsburg, Ind.; CANYON//SRAM Racing) – Road Race, Time Trial
- Ruth Edwards (Nederland, Colo.; Human Powered Health Cycling) – Road Race, Time Trial
Notably missing from this crew: McNulty, Powless and Faulkner.
Pez will be on the ground during the road races in Rwanda, so we’ll be sure to keep you posted as the startlist evolves!
Paret-Peintre Leaves Vuelta
The T-Rex has lost some bite: Valentin Paret-Peintre has left the Vuelta a España due to illness, Team Soudal Quick-Step announced on social media. The Tour de France Mont Ventoux winner sat tenth in the GC after three stages, but fell ill and was forced to drop out during Stage 4.
€250K in Bikes Heisted from Visma at Vuelta
Visma | Lease A Bike’s streak of rough luck continues at this Vuelta a España: The night after sprinter Axel Zingle twice dislocated his shoulder and had his bike stolen while in the ambulance (and after team and race leader Jonas Vingegaard also crashed), 18 of the team’s bicycles, valued at around €250,000, were swiped in Turin. The theft occurred just hours after Vingegaard claimed victory on stage 2 and took the red jersey as overall leader. Police have launched an investigation, while Visma mechanics scrambled to replace equipment before stage 3.
Israel-Premier Tech’s TTT Position Slowed by Protesters, then Restored by Vuelta Organizers
During stage five of the Vuelta a España, protesters waving Palestinian flags blocked Team Israel Premier Tech during their team time trial, disrupting their performance as several riders were forced to slow or halt. Organizers responded by adjusting the team’s classification, restoring their time to account for the delay caused by the protest, seeking to ensure fairness for the affected squad. The team condemned the incident, emphasizing rider safety and the importance of protest actions not interfering with competition.
Prior to the organizers’ decision, IPT had achieved the 19th-fastest time — out of 23 teams — but afterwards were in 14th place. The time restoration saved the top-20 GC positions of the team’s highest-placed riders, Marco Frigo and Matthew Riccitello.
Jonas Abrahamsen First Up the Wall at the Muur Classic
Uno-X Mobility’s Jonas Abrahamsen claimed victory at the 2025 Muur Classic Geraardsbergen after a bold, attacking ride. He broke away with around two hours remaining and repeatedly excelled on the climbs, particularly the iconic Muur van Geraardsbergen, dropping his rivals on Denderoordberg for a solo finish. Mark Donovan managed second, while Jenno Berckmoes sprinted to third. The early break was caught before the final hour, but Abrahamsen’s repeated accelerations kept him clear of both breakaway companions and the reduced peloton, enabling a powerful, tactical win in this demanding 177.8-kilometre race.
RIDER & TEAM NEWS
The Freeze Has Thawed: INEOS Signs French RR Champ Dorian Godon
It appears the INEOS Grenadiers is back to adding riders to its roster: recently crowned French road race champion Dorian Godon will ride for the British team for the next three years.
Said Godon of the signing, “It is an honour to sign with the INEOS Grenadiers…Signing a multi-year deal is a real show of trust. I want to make the French champion’s jersey – and the moustache – shine. The past few months I’ve watched the team racing with strength and unity in the bunch, and that’s really inspired me. I can’t wait to be a part of that.”
EF Education-Easy Post Moves Tour de l’Avenir Stage Winner Hobbs to the Big Leagues
Capitalizing on a recent spate of successful racing, English rider Noah Hobbs will ride in Grand Tour races with EF Education-EasyPost next season. The 21 year-old sprinter won the first stage at the Tour de l’Avenir — his eighth win this season.
“EF Education-EasyPost is a team that fits with all the reasons I love cycling,” said Hobbs. “They’re a bit different, a bit out there, and all the riders and staff are amazing. I’ve only been on the U23 for a few months, but what’s clear is that everyone is happy to be part of the organization…I’m looking forward to racing alongside riders who I can learn from and develop with.”
Great Britain Cycling Team Announces Lineup for Tour of Britain
Ceratizit Pro Cycling Team to Close at the end of 2025 Season
After more than a decade in the peloton, Ceratizit Pro Cycling has confirmed it will cease operations at the end of the current season, with its final race taking place at the Maryland Classic in the US on 6th September 2025.
Over eleven seasons, the team celebrated 65 road victories, 13 UCI Women’s WorldTour triumphs, including a Tour de France Femmes stage win, 16 track world titles, and four Olympic medals.
Team manager Claude Sun acknowledged the weight of the decision: “The current economic climate has significantly impacted the ability to maintain a WorldTour team. Despite our best efforts to secure new sponsorship, escalating costs and current conditions have made it impossible to continue.
“It is with deep regret that we confirm the end of CERATIZIT Pro Cycling after this season. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Ceratizit Group, Orbea and all of our sponsors for a decade of unwavering support, and to all of our riders, staff, and fans for their dedication and passion over the years.”
Derek Gee and Israel Premier Tech in Contract Standoff
The dispute between Derek Gee and Israel Premier Tech erupted after the rising rider announced he had formally terminated his contract with the team—despite the team maintaining that his contract, which extended to 2028, was still valid. Gee stated that “certain issues simply made my continuation at the team untenable,” but did not detail the circumstances, though he emphasized the decision was made for “legitimate reasons” after careful consideration.
Israel Premier Tech responded that Gee’s legal notice of termination was unexpected and that negotiations about contract conditions had been ongoing prior to the dispute. With the situation unresolved, the matter has been referred to the UCI and legal representatives. Rumors have swirled regarding a possible move to Ineos Grenadiers, but Gee insists no contact with other teams has occurred.
What Can We Learn from…Victor Campenaerts’ Instagram?
This entry — the third in our “What Can We Learn From…” series — was too obvious to ignore any longer.
Typically we review a rider’s social media to glean insights about their aspirations, the challenges they face, and the state of play in the pro cycling world. But with Campanaerts’ Instagram, we actually learn…stuff.
The one-time hour record holder has been vlogging for some time, but recently has turned his videos into trivia-fests, with teammate/straight man Matteo Jorgenson offering a “fact of the day,” and much more. So while we might not learn what Campanaerts’ goals are for his career, we do learn about Nutella, the River Po, Salvador Dalí, and much more. Along the way we see his teammates relieving Grand Tour stress with some rather sophomoric humor.
If you haven’t tuned into Campy’s vlogs, we strongly encourage you to do so. You might learn something! But you’ll definitely laugh.
The post EUROTRASH: Gaudu’s Upset, Turner’s Breakthrough, Vingegaard’s Return: Vuelta 2025 Ignites appeared first on PezCycling News.
