Australian Jay Vine completed his career Vuelta a España stage win hat trick on Thursday’s sixth stage of the 2025 edition. Vine’s accomplishment was the first breakaway success of the 80th Vuelta, and his breakmate, Norwegian Træen Torstein, took over the Vuelta lead from Jonas Vingegaard. The day after the squad won the team time trial, Thursday was a mixed stage for UAE-Emirates, as another stage victory helped to soften the blow of Juan Ayuso’s dashed GC hopes.
The Course
It was time for another summit finish on Thursday with Cat. 1 Pal (9.6 km at 6.5 percent) in Andorra capping off the day. There were two early Catalonian climbs where the day’s breakaway had a chance to form and the KOM competition could play out.
Right from the gun in Olot, long and medium grade Cat. 3 Collada de Sentigosa would spark the attacks. This is where the 10-rider breakaway went clear. Louis Vervaeke, fourth in the KOM, and 2024 classification winner Vine were part of the move.
Collada de Toses was much longer and even more mild than Collada de Sentigosa. At its peak Vervaeke took over the mountains classfication on the road, his gang now 3:45 ahead of the peloton. Hailed harried the riders as they descended.
Although the road was already rising on the way to Pal’s foot, allowing the fugitives to run up their lead, there was a steep little Andorran Cat. 2 called Alto de la Comella to face first. On top were bonus seconds. The two escapees best placed on GC, Bruno Arimail and Træen, thought about red, while Vine, Pablo Castrillo and Lorenzo Fortunato thought about the stage honours.
Joao Almeida momentarily lost contact with the peloton on Comella. Vine was first over its crest, bolting on his breakmates. Vine hit Pal almost a minute before Armirail, Træen et al and five minutes ahead of the red jersey group. Træen lit out after Vine and red, taking the lead by 31 seconds over Armirail.
Behind, Ayuso went backwards from the Lidl-Trek-driven peloton. Then Ciccone attacked with Vingegaard. Almeida led the chase and when he caught them up, the Portuguese accelerated, finishing 10th on the day.
Friday’s summit finish is comparable to Pal.
2025 Vuelta a España Stage 5
1) Jay Vine (Australia/UAE-Emirates) 4:12:36
2) Torstein Træen…
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