Italian Pellizzari wins Vuelta stage 17 as Vingegaard leads overall

Italy's Giulio Pellizzari claimed a career-defining victory on stage 17 of the Vuelta a España by attacking 3.5 km from the summit finish at Alto de El Morredero and finishing 16 seconds ahead of Britain's Tom Pidcock, with Pellizzari's Red Bull Bora teammate Jai Hindley taking third. Race leader Jonas Vingegaard, a pre-stage favorite, finished fourth on the 143.2 km mountain stage, slightly extending his overall lead to 50 seconds over Joao Almeida, who came fifth. Pidcock remains third overall but trails Vingegaard by over two minutes. The leaders largely neutralized each other on the challenging climb, allowing Pellizzari to seize the win. The race continues with a critical 27.2 km individual time trial in Valladolid, which could impact the general classification before the race concludes in Madrid amidst heightened security due to recent protests. Vingegaard’s form is under scrutiny as he prepares for this decisive stage while maintaining his red jersey.