Tom Pidcock secured his fourth win of 2025 on Thursday, taking victory on stage two of the Vuelta a Andalucía Ruta Ciclista del Sol.
The Q36.5 rider was part of a select group of five riders that broke away with 40 kilometers remaining on the challenging stage. After conserving energy on the slopes of Torredelcampo, the 25-year-old launched a well-timed sprint, edging ahead of his breakaway companions to claim his ninth career win. Despite briefly appearing boxed in, Pidcock surged to the front with 150 meters to go and held off any attempts to catch him.
This victory marked the second consecutive race day Pidcock faced off against his former team, Ineos Grenadiers. Former teammate Brandon Rivera finished second, just behind the Yorkshireman.
Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates XRG) moved into the lead in the general classification, having been part of the breakaway group and finishing third on the stage. Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) dropped to fourth overall after being caught in the favorites’ group, over a minute behind the leading riders. Clément Berthet (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) placed fourth on the stage and is now second overall, while Enric Mas (Movistar) took fifth.
Van Gils had won stage one, his first victory for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, while Pidcock lost 39 seconds after a failed attack on the previous day. However, he bounced back with a strong performance on day two.
Reflecting on his race, Pidcock told the host broadcaster: “It was good. Today I stayed calm, I rode smart, and now I’ve won. Yesterday, I wasn’t disappointed, but I raced poorly. I wasted a lot of energy and was overly enthusiastic. It was a mistake, perhaps from being too confident. It was a nice reality check.”
“Today I raced smartly, didn’t panic, and let the race unfold. In the end, it worked out perfectly. I know I’m in great shape, and yesterday was just one of those days. It’s nice to have my hands in the air and be in contention for the general classification. The week is long, and you learn more from setbacks than from victories. It’s better to happen now than during a Monument.”
When asked about the rest of the five-stage event, Pidcock noted, “I didn’t focus too much on the other three stages because I knew the first two were the most crucial for the general classification. The race is so hard. At one point today, we had a two-minute gap with five of us in the front. It’s crazy how quickly the race can explode. Anything can happen.”
The Ruta del Sol is Pidcock’s first European race of the season, following his success at the AlUla Tour, where he won two stages and the overall title in his debut for Q36.5. The British rider made the move from Ineos Grenadiers to the ProTeam over the winter.
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