Course and results of Ruta Del Sol 2025 | Pogacar's domestique secures victory in Andalusia

After a series of one-day races and a women's stage race, the men now have a multi-day race in Spain to tackle. The Ruta Del Sol is on the starting grid. It is a chance for the organization to redeem itself after a lack of police officers ruined last year's race. With a fantastic list of participants this year, it will be action-packed again. IDLProCycling.com provides you once again with a detailed preview!

Things were pretty grim last year: thanks to farmer protests in the region, stages one, two, four, and five had to be canceled. Only the third stage, a time trial over five kilometers, could proceed. Maxim Van Gils was the strongest there, and most comically, he immediately won the GC. This year, the Belgian, now riding for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, will again be at the start in the far south of Spain.

This year, the program again includes five stages, and we can expect nonstop action on the hilly rides every day. There is no time trial this time, but that shouldn't spoil the fun: With names like Van Gils, Enric Mas, Nairo Quintana, and Tom Pidock at the start, it will undoubtedly be a fantastic week of racing.

Practical information Ruta Del Sol 2025

• Wednesday, February 19 - Sunday, February 23
• Participants
• Classification: 2.Pro

Latest winners Ruta Del Sol

2024 Maxim Van Gils
2023 Tadej Pogacar
2022 Wout Poels
2021 Miguel Ángel López
2020 Jakob Fuglsang
2019 Jakob Fuglsang
2018 Tim Wellens
2017 Alejandro Valverde
2016 Alejandro Valverde
2015 Chris Froome

Course, stage favorites and times Ruta Del Sol 2025

Stage 1, Wednesday, February 19: Torrox - Cueva de Nerja (163 km)

The first stage is, as expected, demanding from the start. In 163 kilometers, the riders must overcome more than 3000 vertical meters. With an impressive five categorized climbs, it will never be truly flat. The last climb may not seem complicated on paper, but anything can happen. The last kilometer climbs, with a steep slope in the final meters. So it's a race to enjoy!

Winner:
Maxim van Gils (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe)  

Stage 2, Thursday, February 20: Alcaudete - Torredelcampo (133 km)

In the opening hour, after an 8-kilometer climb (with a sprint at the infamous Valdepeñas de Jaén), the riders will tackle Puerto Viejo twice, a climb of almost 9 kilometers at 6 percent. Then, it is another fifty kilometers to the finish, again on a difficult stretch: the last kilometer has an 8.2 percent gradient.

Winner:
Tom Pidcock (Q36.5 Pro Cycling)

Stage 3, Friday, February 21: Arjona - Pozoblanco (162 km)

It is time for the flattest stage of the Tour of Andalusia, although even this stage is quite tricky. The riders will face only 1100 meters of altitude, particularly at the beginning of the race. But the last part also involves some ups and downs, with once again no flat finish. Still, this is an opportunity for the small group of sprinters that will be present.

Winner:
Aleksander Kristoff (Uno-X Mobility)

Stage 4, Saturday, February 22: Córdoba - Alhaurín de la Torre (194 km)

It is a copy of Friday: Saturday's stage does not seem very difficult, and therefore, one for the fast men. Again, the main difficulty is not at the end but at the beginning and middle, with some meters of altitude. This is the longest stage of the race, but at 194 kilometers, it will not have too much influence. And, you guessed it, the finish is on a slope again.

Winner:
Diego Uriarte (Equipo Kern Pharma)  

Stage 5, Sunday, February 23: Benahavís - La Linéa de la Concepción (168 km)

This is another stage that starts with a real mountain ride and is followed by an almost entirely flat finish. However, on paper, it seems a bit more difficult than the previous two tests. It's uphill on the rugged Puerto del Madroño, then up and down until the final sixty kilometers. There, the riders will find themselves on a smooth road that will take them to the finish line of the last stage. How the race unfolds will depend on how the riders race during the first three hours.

Winner:
Jon Barrenetxea (Movistar)  

GC Ruta Del Sol 2025 

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