After five days, the group finally reached Spain on Wednesday, but just one day later, the cyclists are heading to a different country. Stage 6 ends in Andorra, and that typically means: lots of climbing!IDLProCycling.comexplains all the key information you need about this phase.
Stage 6 of the 2025 Vuelta a España
The sixth stage on Thursday begins in Olot, close to Girona. There’s no gradual start to the day; the stage immediately features a climb. The Collada de Sentigosa is 11.4 kilometers in length and has an average slope of 4.1 percent.
After a descent and a brief valley stretch, the group of cyclists moves on to the next ascent, which is similar in type. The Collada de Toses is a lengthy climb, specifically 24.3 kilometers, but it has a gentle average slope of only 3.5 percent, making it less intimidating for most riders.
Following that is a 60-kilometer downhill stretch, then a quick push towards the Spanish-Andorran border. With 35 kilometers remaining until the end, cyclists encounter the start of the next challenge: the Alto de la Comella. Although it spans only 4.2 kilometers, it is the most challenging climb of the day, featuring an average slope of 8 percent.
There’s not much time to rest after that. The last climb to Pal starts just five kilometers later, from La Massana. This climb spans 9.6 kilometers with an average slope of 6.3 percent, featuring two challenging kilometers at the beginning and a few more demanding sections (in comparison) close to the top.
The most recent race to conclude here was the Tour of Catalonia in 2011, where Alberto Contador claimed victory. The Vuelta last ended here in 2010, with Igor Antón winning the stage. Considering the number of professional cyclists based in Andorra, it’s also worth looking at Strava: the current KOM record is held by Jack Haig, who is competing in this year’s Vuelta, with a time of 28 minutes and 18 seconds. The fastest time this year was set by Jay Vine, who recorded 29 minutes and 49 seconds while preparing for the Vuelta.
Climbs
11.0 km: Collada de Sentigosa (11.4 km with a 4.1% gradient)
66.5 km: Collada de Toses (24.3 km with a 3.5% gradient)
149.5 kilometers: Alto de la Comella (4.2 kilometers with an 8.0% gradient)
171.0 kilometers: Pal (9.6 kilometers at 6.3%)
Times
Start: 12:54 PM local time (6:54 AM Eastern Daylight Time)
End: 5:15 PM local time (11:15 AM EDT)
Weather stage 6 of the Vuelta a España 2025
Andorra is known for its unpredictable weather. Take Tom Dumoulin, who claimed a stage win in the Tour de France here in 2016. Rain and fog are anticipated again on Thursday. Additionally, temperatures at the summit of the final climb are expected to be quite cold, around 8°C.
Stage 6 Favorites of the Vuelta a España 2025
Jonas VingegaardRegained the red leader’s jersey following the team time trial. The Visma | Lease a Bike cyclist already demonstrated two days ago that he isn’t hesitant to relinquish it once more… and he could potentially do so on Thursday. The Vuelta remains lengthy, with the challenging climbs just beginning.
Due to their impressive time trial results, the cyclists from UAE Emirates-XRG are now in a position to claim the red jersey. However, do Juan Ayuso or João Almeida Really want to take it this early in the Vuelta? They’d need to challenge Vingegaard, and he certainly won’t make it simple. MaybeJay Vine or Marc Soler, who are also within reach of red, might attempt something on their home roads. Or maybe Visma could, this time with Sepp KussThe American, together with Matteo Jorgenson, plays a crucial role as a domestique for Vingegaard, and he has previously claimed a stage victory in Andorra.
One cyclist who is certainly looking to claim the stage victory is Giulio Ciccone of Lidl-Trek. The German-American squad has nearly succeeded multiple times during this Vuelta, but it’s unclear if they will deploy the entire team on such a demanding day. The same uncertainty applies to Q36.5 and their top rider.Tom Pidcock.
Among the other GC competitors, we only have stage 2 as a clear benchmark so far. At that time, the riders who appeared strong were David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers), Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R), Jai Hindley, Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrobhe), Ben O’Connor (Jayco AlUla), Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick-Step) and Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious).
A split in the peloton is likely one of the plausible results at this point, particularly if it involves powerful climbers capable of distancing themselves early. Notable riders to keep an eye on includeMarco Frigo(Israel-Premier Tech), Victor Langelotti (INEOS Grenadiers), Harold Tejada (XDS-Astana), Pablo Castrillo,Javier Romo (Movistar), Simon Carr (Cofidis), Finn Fisher-Black (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Bruno Armirail and Léo Bisiaux (Decathlon AG2R).
Favorite stage 6 of the 2025 Vuelta a España, according toIDLProCycling.com
Top favorites:Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) and Jay Vine (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Outsiders: Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Juan Ayuso, and Marc Soler (UAE Emirates-XRG)
Long shots:Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers), Felix Gall (Decathlon AG2R), Joao Almeida (UAE Emirates-XRG), Jai Hindley (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Sepp Kuss (Visma | Lease a Bike), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), Marco Frigo (Israel-Premier Tech), and Javier Romo (Movistar)
