Torstein Træen Takes the Leader’s Jersey at La Vuelta a España
# Torstein Træen Takes the Lead at La Vuelta a España
In an exhilarating turn of events at the 2025 Vuelta a España, Torstein Træen of Bahrain Victorious emerged victorious after the sixth stage, donning the coveted red jersey for the first time in his career. This marks only the second occasion in the team’s nine-year history that they have clinched the overall race lead in a Grand Tour.
The stage, spanning 170.3 kilometers from Olot to the ski resort of Pal in Andorra, was a demanding mountainous route. The 30-year-old Norwegian climber was a key player among a ten-man breakaway that formed early in the race, featuring accomplished riders such as Bruno Armirail from Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, Lorenzo Fortunato from XDS Astana, and Jay Vine of UAE Team Emirates – XRG.
Notably, this achievement is reminiscent of the team’s previous red jersey win in 2019, which was also secured by finishing second in Stage 6, courtesy of Dylan Teuns.
The stage showcased a challenging terrain that included the category two Collada de Sentigosa and the first category Collada de Toses. As the breakaway group built a substantial advantage, the gap exceeded five minutes with only 50 kilometers remaining, reaching over six minutes as they entered Andorra.
As they approached the Alto de la Comella, Vine launched an attack, creating a noticeable gap. However, on the final mountain challenge, Træen made a strong move to close in on Vine, ultimately crossing the finish line in second place, just 54 seconds behind. Fortunato rounded out the podium, finishing third at 1 minute and 10 seconds back.
Træen’s performance put him at the top of the leaderboard, leading ahead of Armirail (+31 seconds) and Fortunato (+1:01). Reflecting on his remarkable feat, Træen expressed his disbelief at wearing the red jersey: “It’s a bit unrealistic, I have to admit. It’s my first time in the red jersey and in the leader’s jersey of a Grand Tour. It’s obviously pretty special and quite unexpected…”
Team Director Franco Pellizotti praised his squad’s efforts, stating, “It is a great satisfaction to have the red jersey. Torstein had great legs today, and given how strongly he rode on the last climb, he could even have fought for the stage victory…”
As the 2025 Vuelta continues, the riders are set to face another challenging stage. Tomorrow’s Stage 7 will see competitors tackling the most mountainous stretch of this 80th edition, covering 187 kilometers from Andorra la Vella to Cerler, Huesca La Magia, with an elevation gain of over 4,200 meters.
