Date: Saturday, 23 August
Distance: 186km
Start location: Turin
Finish location: Novara
Start time: 12:55 CEST
Finish time: 17:20 CEST
Originating from a small feudal state in the Alps, the House of Savoy grew over the course of the second millennia before eventually ruling over the entire Italian peninsula. In the 1870s, it even briefly controlled Spain when the house’s Duke Amadeo was elected King following the nation’s revolution of 1868, but he abducted little more than two years into his reign, declaring Spain ungovernable amid the growing republican movement. Today will be a homecoming of sorts for the Savoys, as the grand Baroque palace of Venaria that was built by them in the 17th Century (and which was extensively restored within the last half century to become one of Italy’s most popular museums) will host the Gran Partida of the 2025 Vuelta a España.
This continues a recent trend of Grand Tours starting in the Italian region of Piemonte. In fact, the very same Venaria palace hosted the start of the opening stage from last year’s Giro d’Italia on a victorious day for Jhonatan Narváez, who took the stage and the pink jersey by accomplishing the rare feat of defeating his future teammate Tadej Pogačar, after the pair had, along with Max Schachmann, gone clear from the peloton on a late climb. And nearby Turin was also the destination of stage three of last year’s Tour de France during that race’s Italian opening, hosting a historic bunch sprint as Biniam Girmay became the first Black African in the race’s history to win a stage.
Avoiding the hills to the east of Turin that caused the selections at the Giro stage, today’s parcours has more in common with the Tour stage that ended with the peloton all together for a sprint. With the exception of the small category three La Serra a third of the way into the stage (which will have the sole effect of determining the race’s first King of the Mountains jersey wearer), there isn’t a single classified climb all day, the road sticking to the flatlands of the Po Valley before arriving at the finish in Novara.
Surrounded by rice fields, Novara has great cycling pedigree as the birthplace of one of Italy's greatest cyclists, Giuseppe Saronni. Winner of two overall titles and 24 stages at the Giro d’Italia, Saronni also left his mark on the Vuelta by claiming two stages here in 1983, and with a rapid sprint finish might have fancied his chances on a day like today, which should be a guaranteed bunch sprint finish.
Contenders
Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) is the favourite for the opening stage. If he were to win in Novara, he would pick up his second Grand Tour leader's jersey of the year, after he won stage one of the Tour de France in July. The Belgian was forced to abandon the race only two days later after a nasty crash on stage three. The Vuelta represents a quick return to Grand Tour racing and a chance to add to his impressive palmarès.
Philipsen will be challenged by the versatile Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) who was rampant in May's Giro d'Italia, coming away with four stage victories across a variety of terrain. Although Pedersen is more suited to lumpier finishes, he will still be a major threat to Philipsen on stage one.
Casper van Uden (Team Picnic PostNL) also took a stage win at the Giro and will hope to challenge the favourites, but he hasn't managed to show the same form since that win back in May.
The Movistar duo of Iván García Cortina and Orluis Aular will have to decide who they will ride for, but either one of them is capable of challenging for the podium.
Elia Viviani (Lotto) could roll back to years and claim a 10th Grand Tour stage, which would be his fourth at the Vuelta. A rider at the other end of his career, 24-year-old Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech) is riding his first Vuelta and is a dark horse for a stage like this.
Ineos Grenadiers duo Filippo Ganna and Ben Turner could test out their sprint legs, or perhaps go for a longer range move in the finale.
Prediction
We think Jasper Philipsen will win stage one and take the maillot rojo.
