Vuelta a España nears final mountain showdown Vingegaard leads Almeida

The 2025 Vuelta a España is approaching its decisive moments with the penultimate mountain stage from Robledo de Chavela to the Bola del Mundo summit expected to determine the overall winner. Jonas Vingegaard holds a slim lead of 44 seconds over João Almeida, setting up a tense battle on the brutal 164.8 km stage featuring over 4100 meters of climbing and challenging gradients at high altitude. The race has been heavily disrupted by daily pro-Palestinian demonstrations targeting the Israel-Premier Tech team, prompting unprecedented security measures including the deployment of 1,100 additional police officers in Madrid to ensure rider safety. Stage 18’s individual time trial was shortened due to security concerns, with Filippo Ganna winning the stage and Almeida gaining time on Vingegaard, reducing the gap to 40 seconds. The riders face significant pressure not just from the competition but also the fraught atmosphere surrounding the event, with some cyclists reluctant to speak out about the protests for fear of backlash. The final mountain stage promises intense tactical battles among the leaders before the ceremonial finish in Madrid.