Vuelta 2025 Favourites stage 16: Climbing fest for attackers

The opening phase is not entirely flat, but there are no climbs of any significance. The first KOM points are on offer after 82.9 kilometres on the Alto de San Antoniño.

At 9 kilometres with an average gradient of 4%, the San Antoniño is not too testing. The real challenge of the day follows with the Alto de Groba: 11.3 kilometres at 5.4%. It’s nothing like El Angliru, though it does hide a brutally steep kilometre.

After the Groba comes an uncategorised ascent of 3.2 kilometres at 6.9%, before the riders face the Alto de Prado. The finish lies 23.4 kilometres beyond its summit, where bonus seconds are up for grabs. So it could well be that ambitious GC contenders will go for it and continue all the way to the line.

That said, we would opt for a successful breakaway. After all, the route is not overly trying.

After the Alto de Prado, the riders tackle a 1.7-kilometre climb at 6.4%, another downhill, and then the final climb. On paper, the 8.2 kilometres ascent at 5.2% doesn’t look very hard. But zoom in on the second and third kilometre, and the picture changes completely. That stretch averages 13% for 2 kilometres, with the steepest ramps biting much harder. Then it eases off, even dropping briefly, before rising gently for 4 kilometres until an sharp kick appears inside the final 600 metres

All in all, a finish that promises to deliver a thrilling battle for the stage win

Favourites 16th stage 2025 Vuelta a España

*** Jay Vine, Juan Ayuso, Santiago Buitrago, David Gaudu
** Egan Bernal, Andrea Bagioli, Marc Soler, Abel Balderstone
* Michał Kwiatkowski, Kevin Vermaerke, Harold Tejada, Gijs Leemreize

Another interesting read: route 16th stage 2025 Vuelta.