Tom Pidcock gets a 'nice reality check' on opening stage of 2025 Vuelta a Andalucia: "A little too enthusiastic"
Cycling
In a thrilling finale, Maxim van Gils took victory on the opening stage of the 2025 Vuelta a Andalucia. A few moments later, Tom Pidcock crossed the line visibly frustrated to be part of the second group in 8th, losing nearly 40 seconds to the eventual stage winner.
After a stunning start to life at the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team over in Saudi Arabia, where he won two stages and the overall at the AlUla Tour, Pidcock was brought back down with a bump by this result. "Nice reality check back on European soil today," the British star reflects afterwards on his official Instagram account. "A little too enthusiastic on stage 1 of Vuelta a Andalucia today."
With more stages to come, the race is far from decided on stage 1. As such, Pidcock isn't letting himself get completely downhearted by this opening setback. "Great support from the boys out there today, we go again tomorrow," concludes the double Olympic champion determinedly.
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Stage 1 - 2025 Vuelta a Andalucia
| 1 | Van Gils Maxim | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | 20 | 04:19:23 |
| 2 | Wellens Tim | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 15 | + 00 |
| 3 | Sivakov Pavel | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 10 | + 07 |
| 4 | Soler Marc | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | 5 | + 30 |
| 5 | Berthet Clément | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | 3 | + 30 |
| 6 | Leknessund Andreas | Uno-X Mobility | + 33 | |
| 7 | Cras Steff | Team TotalEnergies | + 39 | |
| 8 | Pidcock Tom | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | + 39 | |
| 9 | Arrieta Igor | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | + 01:38 | |
| 10 | Gachignard Thomas | Team TotalEnergies | + 01:40 | |
| 11 | Staune-Mittet Johannes | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 01:40 | |
| 12 | Hoelgaard Markus | Uno-X Mobility | + 01:43 | |
| 13 | Labrosse Jordan | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 01:43 | |
| 14 | Silva Thomas | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | + 01:43 | |
| 15 | Johannessen Tobias Halland | Uno-X Mobility | + 01:43 | |
| 16 | Prodhomme Nicolas | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 01:46 | |
| 17 | Quintana Nairo | Movistar Team | + 01:46 | |
| 18 | Parra José Félix | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 01:46 | |
| 19 | Double Paul | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 01:48 | |
| 20 | Carboni Giovanni | Unibet Tietema Rockets | + 01:51 | |
| 21 | Torres Pablo | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | + 01:54 | |
| 22 | Diaz Jose Manuel | Burgos Burpellet BH | + 02:05 | |
| 23 | Johannessen Anders Halland | Uno-X Mobility | + 02:05 | |
| 24 | Swift Connor | INEOS Grenadiers | + 02:05 | |
| 25 | De Tier Floris | Wagner Bazin WB | + 02:32 | |
| 26 | Gutiérrez Jorge | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 02:34 | |
| 27 | Scotson Callum | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 02:42 | |
| 28 | Holter Ådne | Uno-X Mobility | + 02:42 | |
| 29 | Aleotti Giovanni | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 02:48 | |
| 30 | Christophersen Cedrik Bakke | Unibet Tietema Rockets | + 02:54 | |
| 31 | Okamika Ander | Burgos Burpellet BH | + 03:27 | |
| 32 | Jasch Lennart | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 03:30 | |
| 33 | Mintegi Iker | Euskaltel-Euskadi | + 03:33 | |
| 34 | Rivera Brandon | INEOS Grenadiers | + 03:33 | |
| 35 | Hatherly Alan | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 07:10 | |
| 36 | Iribar Unai | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 07:26 | |
| 37 | Mas Enric | Movistar Team | + 07:26 | |
| 38 | Howson Damien | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | + 07:37 | |
| 39 | Turner Ben | INEOS Grenadiers | + 08:57 | |
| 40 | Guerreiro Ruben | Movistar Team | + 09:05 | |
| 41 | Martín Gotzon | Euskaltel-Euskadi | + 10:15 | |
| 42 | Van Hautegem Leander | Wagner Bazin WB | + 10:15 | |
| 43 | Deweirdt Siebe | Team Flanders-Baloise | + 10:15 | |
| 44 | Garcia Carlos | Burgos Burpellet BH | + 12:26 | |
| 45 | Aparicio Mario | Burgos Burpellet BH | + 12:26 | |
| 46 | Callejas Alejandro | Petrolike | + 15:05 | |
| 47 | Clynhens Toon | Team Flanders-Baloise | + 15:05 | |
| 48 | Lanhove Milan | Team Flanders-Baloise | + 15:05 | |
| 49 | Kyffin Zeb | Unibet Tietema Rockets | + 15:05 | |
| 50 | Guardeño Jaume | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | + 15:05 | |
| 51 | Nicolau Joel | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | + 15:08 | |
| 52 | Caicedo Jonathan | Petrolike | + 15:08 | |
| 53 | Barrenetxea Jon | Movistar Team | + 15:08 | |
| 54 | Juul-Jensen Christopher | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 15:10 | |
| 55 | Jousseaume Alan | Team TotalEnergies | + 15:10 | |
| 56 | Tuckwell Luke | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 15:10 | |
| 57 | Berwick Sebastian | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | + 15:10 | |
| 58 | Brambilla Gianluca | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | + 15:10 | |
| 59 | Zukowsky Nickolas | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | + 15:10 | |
| 60 | Mühlberger Gregor | Movistar Team | + 15:14 | |
| 61 | Laurance Axel | INEOS Grenadiers | + 15:14 | |
| 62 | Berhe Welay | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 15:14 | |
| 63 | van der Tuuk Danny | Euskaltel-Euskadi | + 19:28 | |
| 64 | Delgado David | Burgos Burpellet BH | + 19:28 | |
| 65 | Alleno Clément | Burgos Burpellet BH | + 19:28 | |
| 66 | Fraile Omar | INEOS Grenadiers | + 19:28 | |
| 67 | Lopez Joseba | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | + 19:28 | |
| 68 | Colman Alex | Team Flanders-Baloise | + 19:28 | |
| 69 | Darder Sergi | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | + 19:28 | |
| 70 | Galimberti Lorenzo | Petrolike | + 19:28 | |
| 71 | Papon Victor | Wagner Bazin WB | + 19:28 | |
| 72 | Blume Levy William | Uno-X Mobility | + 19:28 | |
| 73 | Hajek Alexander | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 19:28 | |
| 74 | Stokbro Nielsen Andreas | Unibet Tietema Rockets | + 19:28 | |
| 75 | Baguelin Jocelyn | Wagner Bazin WB | + 19:28 | |
| 76 | Gimeno Nil | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 19:28 | |
| 77 | Lopez Jordi | Euskaltel-Euskadi | + 19:28 | |
| 78 | Barceló Fernando | Caja Rural-Seguros RGA | + 19:28 | |
| 79 | Soupe Geoffrey | Team TotalEnergies | + 19:28 | |
| 80 | Toupalik Adam | Unibet Tietema Rockets | + 19:28 | |
| 81 | Latour Pierre | Team TotalEnergies | + 19:28 | |
| 82 | Foldager Anders | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 19:28 | |
| 83 | Sosa Ivan | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 19:28 | |
| 84 | Johansen Julius | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | + 19:28 | |
| 85 | Persico Davide | Wagner Bazin WB | + 22:20 | |
| 86 | Vandenstorme Dylan | Team Flanders-Baloise | + 22:20 | |
| 87 | Peschi Lorenzo | Petrolike | + 22:20 | |
| 88 | Lambrecht Michiel | Wagner Bazin WB | + 22:20 | |
| 89 | Ponomar Andrii | Petrolike | + 22:20 | |
| 90 | Serrano Gonzalo | Movistar Team | + 22:20 | |
| 91 | Maris Elias | Team Flanders-Baloise | + 22:20 | |
| 92 | Nielsen Sebastian | Unibet Tietema Rockets | + 22:20 | |
| 93 | Van Hemelen Vincent | Team Flanders-Baloise | + 22:20 | |
| 94 | Dauphin Florian | Team TotalEnergies | + 22:20 | |
| 95 | Garcia Carlos | Petrolike | + 22:20 | |
| 96 | Frison Frederik | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | + 22:20 | |
| 97 | Liepins Emils | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | + 22:20 | |
| 98 | González David | Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team | + 22:20 | |
| 99 | Arcas Jorge | Movistar Team | + 22:20 | |
| 100 | Vermoote Jelle | Wagner Bazin WB | + 22:20 | |
| 101 | Sütterlin Jasha | Team Jayco-AlUla | + 22:20 | |
| 102 | Martin David | Burgos Burpellet BH | + 22:20 | |
| 103 | Naesen Oliver | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 22:20 | |
| 104 | Dewulf Stan | Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team | + 22:20 | |
| 105 | Dekker David | Euskaltel-Euskadi | + 22:20 | |
| 106 | Macias Cesar | Petrolike | + 22:20 | |
| 107 | Marcerou Nicola | Team TotalEnergies | + 22:20 | |
| 108 | Sutton Louis | Euskaltel-Euskadi | + 22:20 | |
| 109 | Kristoff Alexander | Uno-X Mobility | + 22:20 | |
| 110 | Uriarte Diego | Equipo Kern Pharma | + 22:20 | |
| 111 | Herzog Emil | Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe | + 22:33 |
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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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
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