MADRID, SPAIN — Italian cyclist Giulio Pellizzari celebrated a landmark victory on Wednesday, winning the 17th stage of the Vuelta a España after a grueling ride. While the 21-year-old upstaged some of the race’s top contenders, overall favorite Jonas Vingegaard successfully retained the leader’s red jersey, maintaining his solid lead in the general classification.
“The Best Day of My Career”
Pellizzari, competing for the Red Bull Bora team, proved his prowess on the challenging climb to the Alto de El Morredero summit. He crossed the finish line 16 seconds ahead of Britain’s Tom Pidcock, with his teammate Jai Hindley finishing third. A jubilant Pellizzari celebrated what he called “the best day of my career” as he earned a hard-fought stage win.
Vingegaard Survives a Grueling Stage
Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard, the race favorite, was tested on the scorched and windswept slopes of the final climb. The general classification contenders largely neutralized each other, allowing a breakaway rider like Pellizzari to seize the stage victory. Vingegaard was visibly relieved to hold onto his lead. In comments to SuperSport, he acknowledged the difficulty of the day, saying, “I wasn’t feeling 100 percent, but I did what was required.” Vingegaard will now head into Thursday’s individual time-trial with a 50-second cushion over second-place Joao Almeida.
Looking Ahead to the Final Stages
The competition continues with Thursday’s 18th stage, a 27.2km individual time-trial around Valladolid, which is expected to be a critical test for the overall contenders. The race is set to conclude on Sunday in Madrid amid heightened security, a measure put in place after pro-Palestinian protests disrupted one of cycling’s major races earlier this season.
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