“They were looking at each other, and I just took the moment to attack” – Giulio Pellizzari pounces on GC stalemate to conquer Lagunas de Neila in Burgos
CyclingSaturday, 08 August 2026 at 21:01
Giulio Pellizzari turned his fading general classification hopes into the opportunity that won him the final stage of the 2026 Vuelta a Burgos, attacking while Felix Gall, Oscar Onley and Giulio Ciccone were locked in their own battle on Lagunas de Neila.
The Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe climber had started Stage 5 sixth overall, 43 seconds behind Gall, leaving him far enough down the standings to pose less of an immediate threat when the leading favourites came back together inside the final two kilometres.
Gall had already attacked repeatedly after Decathlon CMA CGM Team controlled the steep finale, with only Ciccone and Onley initially able to follow. Pellizzari, Pablo Torres, Enric Mas and Mathys Rondel then clawed their way back before Pellizzari recognised the moment to go again. “I was out of GC, so they were looking each other, and I just took the moment to attack,” Pellizzari said after the finish.
With around 1.2 kilometres remaining, the Italian accelerated clear and quickly opened a gap that nobody could close. He reached the summit five seconds ahead of Onley and seven ahead of Gall, who nevertheless secured overall victory in the Vuelta a Burgos.
“I was pretty tired at the bottom”
Pellizzari's winning acceleration came despite the 22-year-old admitting he had hardly reached Lagunas de Neila feeling fresh. “I was pretty tired at the bottom of the climb, but I never stopped believing,” he said. “I had to do to do something for my team.”
The timing proved as important as the strength behind the move. Once Gall's attacks had failed to permanently separate the leading GC contenders, the front of the race briefly expanded again. Pellizzari no longer needed to calculate seconds against Gall in the same way as Onley or Ciccone, and when the hesitation came he attacked immediately.
Torres initially moved with him, but Pellizzari soon went alone and passed beneath the kilometre-to-go banner with a decisive advantage. It completed an increasingly strong week for the Italian. Pellizzari had already finished third on the mountainous third stage behind Gall and Ciccone before going two places better on the hardest summit finish of the race.
Victory on return after Giro break
Burgos was also Pellizzari's first race since taking an extended break following the Giro d'Italia, making his progression through the week particularly encouraging. “It was really a super week for us,” he said. “It was the first race for me after long break after the Giro, and I didn't feel super good, but I never stopped believe in my team and myself.”
His post-stage reaction repeatedly returned to the work Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe had done around him. “I had the team always with me, even when my legs were not there,” Pellizzari said. “So today we try our best to take this stage, and I'm super proud of my team. What they did for me is something crazy.”
Pellizzari arrived in Burgos unsure of his form after the long lay-off and leaves with a third place on Stage 3 and victory on Lagunas de Neila. His final attack also showed exactly how dangerous a strong climber can become once the main GC contenders decide somebody else is no longer their problem.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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vannpelt08-08-2026 - Yeah, I agree....PogiSloFans08-08-2026
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