DISCUSSION Vuelta a Espana 2025 Stage 8 | Was Viviani & Coquard's relegation fair? Can anyone outsprint Philipsen this race?
CyclingSunday, 31 August 2025 at 10:12
Stage 8 of the 2025 Vuelta a Espana delivered one of the rare sprint opportunities of this year’s race, and Jasper Philipsen made no mistake in Zaragoza. The Belgian powered past Lotto’s lead-out to edge out Elia Viviani, who was later relegated, taking his second stage win of this Grand Tour.
The day had started with a familiar script as Sergio Samitier, Joan Bou and Jose Luis Faura launched the breakaway. Their gap never climbed much beyond four minutes, with the sprint teams eager to keep things under control. Mads Pedersen extended his green jersey lead at the intermediate sprint, but the attackers were gradually reeled in, Faura being dropped first before Bou and Samitier were caught inside the final 20 kilometres.
From there it was full focus on the bunch sprint. GC contenders stayed safe as the pace lifted, while Juan Ayuso slipped back deliberately, seemingly calculating for future breakaway chances. In the finale, Viviani looked close to rolling back the years albeit by deviating from his racing line, but Philipsen’s finishing power was too strong.
But what conclusions did our writers draw from the day?
Ruben Silva (CyclingUpToDate)
Nothing interested noted about today, a flat stage with regular weather conditions where nothing was expected besides a small breakaway and a regular bunch sprint.
Jasper Philipsen, despite still not having his best form, was the obvious favourite and he was well above the competition once again - only this time he started his sprint from a much less favourable position and actually made it a very tight triumph.
Elia Viviani's victory would've been quite interesting, but with Philipsen in the race and improving, it'll be hard for any other sprinter to win a flat arrival.
Juan Lopez (Ciclismoaldia.es)
Beyond Jasper Philipsen’s sprint and the fact that I believe the jury was wrong to relegate Elia Viviani and Bryan Coquard to the back of the group (luckily the Italian didn’t win), what I want to highlight today is that, just as happened in the Tour and the Giro, the Grand Tours seem to completely disregard the idea of scheduling dull stages that absolutely no one is interested in on weekends.
It’s fine to have some stages for the sprinters — I think that’s fair and natural — but please, organizers, don’t put them on the days when fans can truly enjoy the sport they love outside of their work obligations. Give us spectacle. Give us high mountains like in the old days.
Pascal Michiels (RadSportAktuell)
This was a sprint for the connoisseurs. A brilliant lead-out by Lotto delivered Viviani perfectly to the finish. From more than a kilometer out, every teammate did his share of the work. Philipsen, meanwhile, had to solve it all on his own. Coquard also tried his best. Riders drifted from their lines on all sides, and in the chaos Philipsen seemed completely boxed in against the barriers. He switched off his mind, powered through in the final 80 meters, and still managed to beat everyone convincingly at the line. Once again, Viviani had no answer to the strength of the Belgian. Or as the Alpecin riders joked afterward: “Mission accomplished. Let’s go home.”
For Viviani, the 2025 season has been a mixed story. He had to wait a long time before securing a contract, found some confidence with stage wins in Turkey, but this Vuelta was always Lotto’s main goal for him.
Today Lotto did almost everything right for him in the streets of Zaragoza, and yet it still wasn’t enough.
And you? What are your thoughts about what happened today? Leave a comment and join the discussion!
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