Træen goes into La Vuelta rest day in red!
# Torstein Træen Preserves Lead into La Vuelta Rest Day
In a thrilling display of endurance and strategy, Torstein Træen heads into the first rest day of La Vuelta a España donning the coveted red leader’s jersey. The Norwegian cyclist retained his position at the top of the General Classification during Stage 9, a challenging 195 km trek from Alfaro to the Estación de Esquí de Valdezcaray, which featured over 3,200 meters of elevation gain.
Træen, riding for Bahrain-Victorious, defended his lead against fierce competition, notably from Jonas Vingegaard (Visma), who launched an impressive attack on the final climb and secured a solo victory for the stage. Vingegaard’s triumph further underscores the tense rivalry in this year’s race, as he closes the gap to Træen by finishing nearly two minutes ahead.
Despite difficult conditions, including heavy rain, Træen showcased incredible grit, finishing within the top 20, just 1 minute and 46 seconds behind Vingegaard. “Today we managed pretty well,” Træen remarked after crossing the line. “The team did a super job controlling the breakaway. On the final climb, I was in a really good position… I can say I managed well on what wasn’t my best day. Let’s see how it goes day by day. Hopefully I’ll have some better days next week.”
As the race pauses for a rest day, Træen’s margin holds: he leads Vingegaard by 37 seconds and João Almeida (UAE) by 1 minute and 15 seconds. Lead Sports Director Franco Pellizotti expressed pride in Træen’s efforts: “First goal achieved, even if with some fatigue. Torstein was super today… The boys rode strongly, and we can be more than happy to finish the first week of La Vuelta like this, with the red jersey on our shoulders.”
With the excitement of the first week behind them, all eyes will be on Træen as the race resumes on Tuesday, eager to see if he can continue his reign in red. For the moment, however, he looks forward to a well-deserved feast, stating wryly, “I’m just looking forward to my burger for dinner tonight.”
