Vuelta a España stage 6 preview - First high mountain showdown for Vingegaard and UAE

Stage 6 presents the first major mountain stage of the 2025 edition with a jam-packed route of climbing that tallies up some 3,475 metres of elevation gain across 170.3km from Olot to Pal in Andorra.

Interestingly, the Vuelta only entered Spain on stage 5 for the team time trial in Figueres, but just a day later takes a visit to Andorra for the finale of stage 6.

Key information: 

• Date: Thursday, 28 August
• Start: 12:35 (CET)
• Expected finish: 17:16 (CET)
• Stage type: Mountain stage
• Stage length: 170.3km
• Elevation gain: 3,475m

Follow stage 6 live at Domestique with our live report

It’s a tough start to the stage that will make the sprinters wince, with the category 3 Collada de Sentigosa climb immediately awaiting from the flag drop. It’s quite a long ascent at 11.4km but isn’t the steepest, averaging 4.1%. 

Following to Sentigosa climb, the first Category 1 ascent of the 2025 Vuelta awaits via the Collada de Toses. The official categorisation of the climb is 24.3km at 3.5%. Of course, it illustrates that the climb is long and gradual, but that doesn’t tell the full story. The climb features multiple plateaus which skew the average gradient, but there are sections of nearly 10% including towards the top to earn the climb its category 1 status.

The climb last featured in a stage of the Vuelta back in 2005, in the middle of stage 10, which was won by Francisco Mancebo from a small group sprint. 

Next up is the category 2 Alto la Comella, which comes after the race crosses into Andorra. The road climbs for 4.2km at an average of 8%, and the summit of the ascent also features a time bonus sprint.

After a short descent, the race tackles the category 1 haul to the finish at the Pal ski station. The ascent is 9.6km in length with an average gradient of 6.3%.

The Vuelta tackled a part of this road in 2023 before swinging off towards a summit finish at Arinsal, where Remco Evenepoel scored victory with a rasping sprint.

The last summit finish at Pal was in 2010, when Igor Anton won ahead of Ezequiel Mosquera to move into the red jersey.

After sprinting to victory on stage 2 atop Limone Piemonte, Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike) cemented his position as the overwhelming favourite for the overall victory. Stage 6 presents a prime opportunity to lay down an even more significant marker over his rivals after he moved back into the red jersey following Wednesday's team time trial.

The Dane will be well supported in the finale, with the American duo of Sepp Kuss and Matteo Jorgensen particularly important in helping control the tempo.

Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) came very close to the stage victory and red jersey in Limone Piemonte finishing second behind Vingegaard, but regardless of the outcome, the Italian illustrated that he is still in the fine form that saw him win the Donostia Klasikoa San Sebastián

The UAE Team Emirates-XRG duo of João Almeida and Juan Ayuso passed the first test on Limone Piemonte, finishing fifth and eighth, respectively, two seconds behind Vingegaard. However, stage 6 will give a much greater indication of what can be expected of the two riders who in top shape could pose the biggest threat to Vingegaard. They will be buoyed by their victory in the team time trial in Figueres on Wednesday, which reduced their deficit on Vingegaard to eight seconds. 

Andorra resident Egan Bernal (Ineos Grenadiers) will also hope to shine as he bids for a podium place - or more - at this Vuelta, while David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) will look to bounce back after losing the red jersey in Wednesday's team time trial.

Australians Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Ben O'Connor (Jayco-Alula) will expect to be the fore in the first major rendezvous for GC riders, while it's a key test for Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), who surprisingly conceded a clutch of seconds at Limone Piemonte. The Italian was in fine form at the Tour de Pologne, however, and he will hope it was but a temporary setback.

Vuelta a España stage 6 favourites

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Jonas Vingegaard (Visma | Lease a Bike)
⭐️⭐️ Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek), David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ), Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG)
⭐️ Ben O’Connor (Jayco-Alula), Jai Hindley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Egan Bernal (Ineos)

Here is a guide on how to watch the 2025 Vuelta a España live. Below you can find the broadcasters for the United Kingdom, United States, Canada and Australia.