Favorites stage 8 Vuelta a España 2025 | Zigzag Zaragoza: Positioning could decide the stage

The riders will start on Saturday in Monzon Templario, from where they will set off on a 163.5-kilometer stage. From that starting point, we first head west, before turning south towards Zaragoza at Hueca, after 60 kilometers.

From that point on, the wind will blow more from the side, but will the riders feel like taking advantage of that opportunity between all these mountain stages? We wonder, as it seems more likely that a leisurely stage lies ahead.

After 121 kilometers, there is an intermediate sprint, after which we pass the finish line 23 kilometers from the finish. The riders then have to complete a technical lap through Zaragoza, so it is wise not to give any breakaway group too much space at that point.

Before the last kilometer, there is a bend that continues for a thousand meters until the finish. Holding the inside line can bring you victory, as Juan Sebastian Molano proved in 2023 at exactly this finish on behalf of UAE Emirates-XRG.

Times
Start: 1:52 PM local time (07:52 AM EDT)
Finish: around 5:20 PM local time (11:20 AM EDT)

It will be sunny in the Zaragoza area on Saturday, with temperatures around 28 degrees Celsius. The wind will be blowing towards the Spanish city on the right flank, so caution is advised in that area. However, it will not be too strong.

For the sprinters, this appears to be their only real chance until Madrid, so they will be keen to ensure it comes down to a sprint in Zaragoza. The first man who comes to mind is Jasper Philipsen of Alpecin-Deceuninck. The Belgian hit the mark on day one and took the red jersey, but since then, he has made it clear that things are not going as perfectly as he had hoped. With his good lead-out, it is already a great opportunity.

Another rider chasing a stage win is Mads Pedersen with his Lidl-Trek team. The Dane has also put his team to work in the flat stages so far to set up a sprint, but they will probably focus more on the preparation in the final kilometers on Saturday. That has been lacking so far in this Vuelta.

In terms of other sprinters, we see that the British riders Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech) and Ben Turner (INEOS Grenadiers) are in good form, which has already resulted in a stunning stage victory for the latter. Now that Filippo Ganna is on the mend, he also has an extra asset in the chaotic final kilometers.

What applies to Philipsen also applies to a few other sprinters who are not particularly good at climbing. Casper van Uden (Picnic PostNL), Jenthe Biermans (Arkéa - B&B Hotels), Stanislaw Aniolkowski, Bryan Coquard (Cofidis), Madis Mihkels (EF Education-EasyPost), Arne Marit (Intermarché-Wanty), and Elia Viviani (Lotto) will be eager to capitalize on this opportunity.

For other riders, the primary concern is securing a good place of honor. These include Orluis Aular (Movistar), Anders Foldager (Jayco AlUla), Tim van Dijke (Lidl-Trek), Thomas Guillermo Silva (Caja Rural), Fabio Christen (Q36.5), Niccolo Buratti (Bahrain Victorious), and Thibaud Gruel of the French Groupama-FDJ.

Top favorites: Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek)
Outsiders: Ethan Vernon (Israel-Premier Tech), Casper van Uden (Picnic PostNL), Ben Turner (INEOS Grenadiers) and Elia Viviani (Lotto)
Long shots: Orluis Aular (Movistar), Tim van Dijke (Lidl-Trek), Madis Mihkels (EF Education-EasyPost), Niccolo Buratti (Bahrain Victorious), Thibaud Gruel (Groupama-FDJ), Jenthe Biermans (Arkéa - B&B Hotels), Stanislaw Aniolkowski, Bryan Coquard (Cofidis) and Arne Marit (Intermarché-Wanty)