The day after the second day of rest, The return Entry this Tuesday in its final stretch with a 16th middle mountain stage between Poio and Mos Castro de Herville (167.9 km). Four years after the incredible scenario of 2021, concluded by the victory of Clément Champoussin, The Galician arrival again gave birth to an unconventional final … but this time because of a large pro-Palestine demonstration in the final ascent! Located 3 km from the summit, this protest forced the organizers to remove the final rise of the route at the last moment, moving the finish line 8 km at the foot of the latter. In the most total confusion, it was therefore to the sprint that the two louder of the breakaway of the day explained, Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) et Mikel Rural (Sudal Quick-Step), with the Colombian victory Bernal During this completely truncated final, a bit like in Bilbao a few days ago! This 3rd week starts in a chaotic way, the policy again taking precedence over the sporting aspect on Tuesday.
Video – The words of Javier Guillén, Managing Director of the Vuelta
? Last hour
The organization of #LaVuelta25 He has reported that stage 16 ends 8 kilometers from the finish line by protests near the goal in Mos (Pontevedra)
This was the goal a few minutes ago #Returartve9s
? @angela_fs pic.twitter.com/fSS1xbHz3c– RTVE News (@rtvenoticias) September 9, 2025
Bernal revives success on a large tour … under special conditions
Confusion reigns again on The return. While the 16th stage was less than 20 kilometers to reach an end, with the ascent of The Alto Castro de Herville (8.2km at 5.2%) as a final justice of the peace, the organization announced that the runners would not go to the top of the latter climb, due to a large pro-Palestine demonstration 3 km before the finish line. To avoid any incident and protect the runners, the organizers therefore chose to fix the latter 8 km from the goal, at the foot of the Alto Castro in Herville, which was therefore not climbed. Times were taken on this fictitious finish line.
While we were heading for an exciting duel between the two large climbers that are Egan Bernal et Mikel Ruralmembers of the river breakaway of 17 runners who had the blessing of the peloton before they let go of their opponents over the difficulties of the final, the Basque and the Colombian therefore had to decide on a much less exciting and interesting sprint, with the victory of the Champion of Colombia. The latter had no longer lifted his arms (outside his national championship) since his victorious Giro in 2021, his very first victory since his serious accident which had failed his life. But this success will not surprise a bitter and unfinished taste in view of the scenario of the day …
Big race from Groupama-FDJ at the front, Felix Gall cracks and comes out of the top 5
Behind this duo, even if the final result is necessarily less important and relevance following these events, we must still greet the very beautiful overall race of the French of the Groupama-FDJ. Present at three at the front, Brieuc Rolland (3E), CLÉMENT BRAZ AFONSO (5e) one Rudy Molard (10th) are all three in the top 10 of the day after a superb collective performance which will unfortunately go a little unnoticed and deserved better.
More than five minutes from their heads, the favorites have nevertheless waged war in the very difficult Alto de Prado (3.2 km at 8.9%), located not far from the fictitious arrival. The sustained pace was notably fatal to Felix Gall (Decathlon Ag2r La Mondiale), the only member of the Top 10 with Junior Lecerf (Soudal Quick-Step) Not to be finished in the Red Jersey group. The Austrian concedes almost a minute (more than two for the Belgian) and fell back to the general, yielding his 5th place to Italian Giulio Pellizzari (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe). To noter what sI The runners stopped the race 8km from the finishthey also had to wait on the road and outside for a while, forced to wait for the arrival of the buses located at the top …
Tour of Spain – Classification of the 16th stage
Tour of Spain – Provisional general classification after the 16th stage
