La Vuelta 2025 – 90 years of the Tour of Spain under the banner of the red jersey

In 2025, the Vuelta a España will celebrate its 90th anniversary – a true monument to cycling. Since its premiere in 1935, the Tour of Spain has been synonymous with drama, heat, altitude, and unforgettable battles for the red jersey. It is different from the Tour and wilder than the Giro – a race that never adapts, but writes its own history. From the Cantabrian coast to the Sierra Nevada, from pulsating metropolises to deserted mountain passes! The Vuelta is heart and soul on two wheels.

Its path has not always been smooth. After a promising start in 1935, a second edition followed in 1936 before the Spanish Civil War brought the race to a halt until 1940. The Second World War also caused another enforced break. The Vuelta has only been held continuously since 1955 – not even the global pandemic in 2020 could stop it. Today, it is more alive than ever. It is a symbol of endurance, identity, and the indomitable spirit of cycling.

The Vuelta 2025 – 21 stages steeped in history

When the starting signal sounds on August 23, 2025, the cycling world will come to a standstill. To mark its 90th anniversary, the Vuelta will begin abroad for the first time – and in style: the first three stages will take place in Italy's Piedmont region. The race will then cross the Alps and Pyrenees to the heart of Spain, where the battle for the Maillot Rojo will really get underway.

• Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Primož Roglič (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe) are possible top stars – their participation is likely but not yet confirmed.
• Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step): The all-rounder loves time trials and attacking – when he starts, he's a contender for the red jersey.
• Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG): Spain's wonder kid and hope for a home victory.
• Sepp Kuss (Team Visma | Lease a Bike): The “Eagle of Durango” and 2023 Vuelta winner – loves the mountains.
• Florian Lipowitz (Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe): Germany's new stage race star, ready for the next leap.

The jerseys of the Vuelta – symbols made of fabric

What would the Vuelta be without its iconic jerseys? They stand for style, pride, and strategy – and are much more than mere awards.

First and foremost: the Maillot Rojo – the red jersey of the overall leader. A sign of endurance, cleverness, and absolute consistency over three tough weeks.

Whoever wears it feels the eyes of the world on their back.

A real highlight of the Vuelta is the Maillot Blanco – the white jersey for the young professional classification for the next generation of riders. It works like the overall classification, but is exclusively for riders under 25. This is where the next chapter in cycling history is written. One rider who stands out in particular is Remco Evenepoel: in 2022, he confidently secured both the red and white jerseys. With his unique combination of talent, tactics, and unshakeable will to win, he is once again one of the top favorites for the “double” in 2025.

The Maillot Verde, the green jersey, goes to the most consistent points collector – usually sprinters, but also classics hunters who shine in finishes and intermediate sprints.

The Maillot Lunares, white with blue dots, is the symbol of the climbers. It is earned on Spain's steepest climbs – for tough, suffering mountain artists.

Added to this are the special jerseys from Santini – technically high-quality and designed with a keen sense of the history of the Vuelta. For the 90th anniversary, their design is likely to be particularly symbolic. Because the Vuelta is not just about jerseys – it's about honor, performance, and passion.

A look back at the 2024 Vuelta: A classic with goose bumps guaranteed

The 79th Vuelta a España in 2024 was thrilling right up to the finish. In the final individual time trial in Madrid, Primož Roglič secured overall victory with a strong second place. The Slovenian showed nerves of steel and was crowned Vuelta champion for the fourth time in his career.

The stage itself went to Stefan Küng, who not only demonstrated his outstanding time-trialing skills with a powerful ride over 24.6 kilometers, but also set a milestone: his first stage victory in a Grand Tour – a well-deserved triumph that he had worked hard for for a long time. Behind Roglič, Ben O'Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) and Enric Mas (Movistar) completed the podium in the overall standings.

Florian Lipowitz also made a strong impression, finishing seventh and becoming the best German since Jan Ullrich. The 2024 Vuelta was a thrilling spectacle – and the perfect prologue for the big anniversary year in 2025.

La Vuelta Femenina 2025 – Dominance in the mountains

From May 4 to 10, 2025, cycling history was also made in the women's race: La Vuelta Femenina rolled through northern Spain in seven demanding stages – compact, high-class, and full of excitement.

Demi Vollering (FDJ–Suez) dominated the race impressively, winning two mountain stages and securing both the overall classification and the mountain jersey as well as the team victory. Marlen Reusser (Movistar) and Anna van der Breggen (SD Worx-Protime), who crowned her comeback with a stage victory, completed the podium. The points classification went to Marianne Vos (Visma | Lease a Bike).

With 13 WorldTeams and numerous ambitious challengers taking part, the tour sent a strong signal about the upswing and growing recognition of women's cycling on the international stage.

90 years of the Vuelta – a celebration of passion

What makes the Vuelta so unique?

Its uncompromising toughness, its emotions, its heritage. It is raw, wild and deeply rooted in the Spanish soul. Here, the scorching sun meets the cold Pyrenees, tradition meets tactics, young talent meets legends.

Whether you're standing at the Lagos de Covadonga or watching the finale in Madrid, you can feel that this race is more than just sport. It's a ritual, a fireworks display, part of something bigger.

2025 won't just be another edition – it will be a birthday full of goose bump moments. The wearer of the Maillot Rojo may be alone at the end, but they will be celebrated by millions. ¡Feliz cumpleaños, Vuelta!