"My dream is to win Grand Tours stages and one day a Monument” - The underrated threat ready to challenge Mads Pedersen & Jasper Philipsen at 2025 Vuelta a Espana

While Mads Pedersen and Jasper Philipsen dominate pre-race headlines, there's a quieter but increasingly dangerous name to watch at the 2025 Vuelta a España: Orluis Aular.

The 28-year-old Venezuelan, riding for Movistar, is flying under the radar — but not for long. After a consistent spring campaign and a promising buildup at altitude, Aular is targeting stage wins and, quietly, a run at the points jersey. He knows he’s not the bookies’ favourite. But he also knows something else: he’s ready. “My dream is to win stages in the Grand Tours and, one day, a Monument,” Aular tells EFE from Movistar’s team hotel in Turin. “This is what I’ve worked for all these years.”

That work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Last year’s second place in Oliva — where he went shoulder to shoulder with the fastest men in the sport — turned heads and helped secure his move to Movistar from Caja Rural. He now enters La Vuelta 2025 not as a wildcard invitee, but as a protected rider in one of cycling’s biggest teams. “In 2023, I finally got noticed,” he says. “Movistar saw potential in me, and now the goals are bigger. I’m no longer just here to finish—I want to win.”

This year’s Vuelta doesn’t offer a traditional feast for pure sprinters. With a profile packed with uphill drags, heat, altitude, and only a handful of flat stages, the green jersey won’t necessarily go to the fastest — but perhaps to the most adaptable. Aular knows this — and it plays into his hands. “The route is tough. Sprint opportunities are limited, but I’ve prepared well, and I’ll take every chance until the last kilometre.”

Unlike the top-tier sprinters who often fade in the mountains or abandon before Madrid, Aular’s all-in for the full three weeks. He has the climbing resilience to survive beyond Stage 15, which could prove decisive in the fight for the points jersey.

In a race expected to be attritional, where opportunists and punchy sprinters could thrive, Aular represents a serious threat to riders like Philipsen and Pedersen, especially on transitional days or tricky finishes with a slight rise to the line.

Aular’s story is one of resilience, ingenuity, and self-made success. Born in Nirgua, in the Venezuelan state of Yaracuy, Aular didn’t grow up in a cycling hotbed. He grew up with a football and a baseball bat.

That all changed at 14, when a cousin gave him a bike frame. “My dad helped me build it — got the pedals, the groupset, everything,” Aular recalls. “That’s when the dream started.”

His road to the pro peloton was anything but straightforward: early wins in Venezuela, junior World Championship appearances, then stints in Spain, Belgium, Bolivia, and even Japan — where he earned the nickname "the Latin Samurai" while racing alongside veterans like Paco Mancebo.

Five years at Caja Rural gave him a platform — and his chance at the Vuelta. “Caja Rural was everything for me. I spent five years there and had my first Vuelta. Without that team, I wouldn’t be here.”

Aular now lives in Andorra, but he returns to Venezuela every off-season. There, he’s more than just a cyclist — he’s a role model. “It’s a responsibility. People follow what I do. I always try to give my best, for them and for myself.”

He credits his own inspiration to Carlos Ochoa and Leonardo Sierra, and sees himself playing that same role for today’s young talent. “There are more schools now, more kids racing. The level in Venezuela is rising again. I really believe we’ll see more Venezuelans in Europe soon.”

Aular isn’t a pure sprinter in the mould of a Kittel or a Cavendish. He’s something more complex — and, perhaps, more dangerous. He’s punchy, consistent, and tactically sharp. He can handle rough run-ins, rolling terrain, and tough conditions. This spring, he made his debut in Milan–San Remo, Tour of Flanders, and Gent–Wevelgem — and finished them all. “Riding the Classics this year was a dream come true. Flanders was special. It made me stronger. It made me smarter.”

This is a rider who’s evolved beyond bunch sprints. He’s now the type who can survive reduced finishes, anticipate chaos, and pick the right wheel — perhaps even Pedersen’s or Philipsen’s.

While he won’t reveal too much, Aular has identified several stages where he believes he can strike. “There are a few stages I’ve marked — ones where the sprinters might struggle, or where the bunch is smaller. That’s where I’ll look to make my move.”

His best shot? The classics-style finishes with slight uphill kicks or crosswind tension — where sprinters with big lead-outs often get caught out and raw positioning wins the day. “I don’t have the biggest sprint train. But I trust myself. I just need to find the right wheel.”

He’s not the headline act. He’s not the name on every pre-race list. But Orluis Aular has the legs, the hunger, and the experience to turn La Vuelta upside down — especially if his rivals underestimate him. “I know who I’m up against — some of the best in the world. But I also know what I’m capable of. I’ve prepared for this. I’m ready.”

For a rider once given his first bike as spare parts, a Grand Tour stage win would be the realisation of a lifelong journey. And if things go his way in Spain, Orluis Aular might just make good on his dream. “A Grand Tour stage. A Monument. That’s what I’m chasing.”