Vuelta a España Vuelta a España 2025, Stage 5: Figueres – Figueres, 24.1k (TTT)

[Libertine Seguros]

I never thought I'd see this here.

It's the rules around TTTs.

This TTT is not a standalone event, it is not on a velodrome, nor is it 100km in teams of four at the World Championships or Olympic Games.

Therefore the only thing that can justify its existence is communism.

 

[HashRouge]

Bernal to take red.

I can't even express how happy this would make me.

I absolutely adore Egan Bernal. Did anyone else see the interview with his Italian fan club the other day? It was on TNT during either stage 2 or 3.

 

[YavorD]

Therefore the only thing that can justify its existence is communism.

Perhaps La Vuelta's secret sponsor is Uncle Kim then?

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

If Landa just was coming for stages he'd be many minutes down by now. Its pretty obvious..

Stages? Did someone just say "stages"??
You got it!

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75cr6TMhPuM&ab_channel=RHINO

 

[Tonton]

Visma-Ineos ftw, FdJ will do OK.

This one is too short, but I'm glad to see TTT back again, it's close to disappearing in GTs, it's the design piece that no one seems to get, it can dictate team compositions...

Visma will do great, Jonas has to control The Bag. It's his to lose.

 

[Potomac]

I team time trials.

[no heart emoji available, wtf?}

 

[Sandisfan]

Fitting Figure in a post to get this in

Well Paul Carrack has a song from years ago on his album "One Good Reason" named "(Do I Figure) in your life) ( uses the pronunciation "Figur"). He wrote and sang "How long" with the Band Ace. Went to Squeeze and there they asked him how he would play the song "Tempted" (sang the lead on that song) and he went with a R&B-ish sound as opposed to a poppy upbeat that wouldn't have done nearly as well. He then did some self albums including One Good Reason. Then hooked up with Mike and the Mechanics and sang lead on "Silent Running" and was lead on "In the Living Years".

As for the TTT not sure how it will play out but should be for a Time Trial somewhat interesting.

P.S. I am a big fan of his and many people who have listened and liked/loved his work don't know who he is. Very humble guy who did studio work with several big groups. There was a BBC program where they made a special about his life and it was very interesting. I ordered it through his web site to where I live in San Jose Ca USA and had to use Paypal but that went smoothly.

P.S. The Name of the program is "The Man with the Golden Voice". He has been referred to as Blue Eyed Soul.

UGH one more P.S. Silent Running verse you might know is "Can you hear me can you hear me running". Also he had other song on the charts from his own record that I mentioned before. Also a duet with a female singer that charted. Sorry about long vanity post.

 

[Oldman]

This is the VERY LOUD song in my head almost every TTT or team pursuit I rode:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yw_mqk2ao1E

 

[KZD]

Even without Zingle Visma should still be the favourites, but the gap to Ineos and UAE should be small, for the good of the race.

 

[YavorD]

This one is too short, but I'm glad to see TTT back again, it's close to disappearing in GTs, it's the design piece that no one seems to get, it can dictate team compositions...

The thing is, it dictates and impacts smaller team compositions much more.
Big teams probably wouldn't change a single guy knowing there's is a TT simply because their main domestiques are more than capable TTers.. Look at Visma's Tour team: WVA, Affini, Jorgenson, Vingegaard,Benoot, Campenaerts... they would still destroy the TT. Even UAE would hardly change anyone.

Smaller teams are the ones that suffer more and have to compensate ot TTT or climbing.

 

[search]

oddly enough there's nothing in the rules about it, but times are taken with the 4th rider today.

 

[RedheadDane]

I'll admit I was a little confused at first. I'd heard/read that there was a TTT, and I guess I just kinda assumed it was on stage 1.

 

[Wyndbrook]

I fear that we might be seeing an underwhelming performance from four time former world champions Soudal Quick Step.

 

[Jan the Man]

Difficult to see past Jumbo on paper even down to 7 - logically on paper Ineos probably have the next best team followed by UAE. However Trek, Jayco and Soudal tend to do well in these disciplines so would not rule out those from challenging even if on paper slightly weaker. Alpecin interesting as it’s pan flat but not sure they have same motivation as others to target the stage.

Either way given parcours the gaps should not be too big.

 

[ashhutch1997]

I'm going to be honest those Italian/ French stages were very poor and really started to drag. They really didn't take advantage of the area.
To put the cherry on the cake we get a bloody team time trail on the first day back in Spain. This first week has been very forgettable.

 

[memyselfandI]

Interesting to see how Visma plays this out, so that they stay near but out of it. I think Vingo would probably be very happy to skip excess interviews and ceremonies. Egan Arley for the red..

 

[Peyroteo94]

Since we have a TTT today, I'm nostalgic about the last TTT and the most horrific decision I have ever seen in cycling.
A TTT raced in the dark! I still don't know what were they thinking.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN038eMWC4R/?igsh=MWtybjl5YjFiaG9lMQ==

 

[Dazed and Confused]

I fear that we might be seeing an underwhelming performance from four time former world champions Soudal Quick Step.

Landa himself will have to step up....
Upside seems to be the only possibility.

 

[Rob5091]

Glad they went with the old fashioned 4th guy across the line and not the new fangled Paris-Nice hybrid ITT time taking. A truer test of team strength.
I suppose we'll see a few guys GC hopes go up in smoke, but all eyes will be on Visma and UAE.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Since we have a TTT today, I'm nostalgic about the last TTT and the most horrific decision I have ever seen in cycling.
A TTT raced in the dark! I still don't know what were they thinking.

View this content on Instagram

View this content on Instagram

View: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DN038eMWC4R/?igsh=MWtybjl5YjFiaG9lMQ==

Between that, the swimming pool fiasco in 2019, and the idiotic TTT on the beach they wound up neutralising in 2015, I'm amazed Unipublic are still so in love with the format.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

This is certainly an interesting drawing. It's probably a wise choice if they stay away from watchmaking.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1960608181077299453

View: https://x.com/GroupamaFDJ/status/1960608181077299453

 

[Rob5091]

This is certainly an interesting drawing. It's probably a wise choice if they stay away from watchmaking.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1960608181077299453

View: https://x.com/GroupamaFDJ/status/1960608181077299453

The Mrs said that going from his paintings, Dali needed spectacles.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

The Mrs said that going from his paintings, Dali needed spectacles.

Well you may call me ignorant for not getting the reference. Still Dali's work look less like, ehm, whatever this resembles.

 

[Unterlenkerfahrend]

Visma the only GC team that is a rider down already I think?

Edit: Damn, how could I forget about Groupama, huge blow for my man David to lose his right hand lieutenant Guillaume already.

 

[Zoetemelk-fan]

I missed the extra 'T' - and also caught me that it is already Today.
I would by far rather have preferred an early rest day and a real TTT distance - this is Mickey Mouse distance for a TTT.

TTT is art discipline and should be treated as so; with dignity.

Well. Now it's going to be a rest day here anyway.
No need to watch that kind of indifference. 24.1k for a TTT - what are they on?
Yes, the Vuelta has had some strange TTTs as stage 1 and at much shorter distances.
But later in the race, you step up to a real TTT challenge.

I'll be waiting for a GT with a proper TTT distance that respects the discipline.