"I don’t have any major plans to try anything" - Jonas Vingegaard hints he'll continue waiting for the right moment to attack at La Vuelta 2025

As the 2025 Vuelta a Espana heads into the final stage of its opening week, the general classification picture remains intriguingly poised. But don’t expect fireworks just yet from one of the race's biggest stars.

Despite sitting second overall behind Torstein Traeen and within striking distance of red, Jonas Vingegaard has made it clear: Stage 9 is unlikely to be the day he makes his move.

The Danish superstar, who took an early stage win during the Vuelta's opening days in Italy, has since adopted a calculated, almost passive approach in the GC fight. And he intends to stick to the script as the race reaches the summit finish at the Valdezcaray Ski Resort on Sunday. “At the moment, I don’t have any major plans to try anything,” Vingegaard told TV 2 Sport before the stage. “Of course, if I’m feeling great and an opportunity presents itself, I’ll take it. But for now, we just want to get through the stage, and we believe it’s most likely to be one for the breakaway.”

It's a statement that echoes the cautious tone Team Visma | Lease a Bike have set since Vingegaard’s early success. Although he trails Traeen by just 2 minutes and 33 seconds in the overall standings, Vingegaard appears content to bide his time, keeping his powder dry as the race builds toward its decisive second and third weeks.

Stage 9's route stretches 195.5 kilometres from Alfaro to the Valdezcaray Ski Resort, featuring 3,000 metres of total climbing. While the stage includes plenty of rolling terrain, it's the final 13.3-kilometre ascent to the ski resort — averaging 5.2% — that will decide the day.

Crucially, the climb’s gradient profile may play against any aggressive GC tactics. The opening half averages a punchy 6–7%, but it begins to flatten considerably in the final kilometres, making it a difficult climb to truly distance rivals unless the damage is done early.

And that’s precisely why Vingegaard is hesitant. “The final climb is steeper at the bottom, but it flattens out quite a bit towards the top,” he explained. “That makes it harder to create real gaps. It’s not the kind of finish where you’ll see big changes in the GC unless something unusual happens.”

Vingegaard's measured approach is likely to raise eyebrows among fans eager for early action. But with the Vuelta's most brutal stages still ahead, the Dane is clearly thinking long-term.

Whether Stage 9 ends in a breakaway win, or sees an unexpected GC shakeup, one thing is certain: Vingegaard will be watching closely, legs saved, and mind sharpened for the real war that lies ahead.