Mont Ventoux winner Valentin Paret-Peintre abandons the Vuelta a Espana

Soudal – Quick-Step have suffered an early setback at the Vuelta a España with the withdrawal of Valentin Paret-Peintre after just three stages. The Frenchman has been forced to abandon the race due to illness, cutting short what was meant to be his second Grand Tour of the season.

Paret-Peintre arrived at the Vuelta on the back of a breakthrough summer. Just weeks ago, he claimed one of the standout victories of the Tour de France, winning on Mont Ventoux in a thrilling sprint against Ben Healy. That triumph made him the only French rider to take a stage at the 2025 Tour, and it marked the biggest success of his career to date. The result was a huge boost for the team just days after Remco Evenepoel was forced to abandon.

His absence is a blow to Soudal – Quick-Step, who had counted on the 24-year-old to offer attacking options in the medium mountains and to build further on his strong Tour performances. Instead, the team will now have to continue without one of their most promising talents, and Mikel Landa will have less support in the mountains.

For Paret-Peintre, the disappointment comes just as he was beginning to establish himself as a Grand Tour contender in selective stages. With his climbing strength and finishing speed, he had been tipped as a rider to watch during the Vuelta’s more challenging stages in weeks 2 and 3. Illness, however, has put an abrupt end to those hopes.