Team Picnic PostNL

Vuelta a España Week 1 – Race Report

Vuelta a España
August 26, 2025
Patrick Eddy
Patrick Eddy
Chris Hamilton
Chris Hamilton
Bjorn Koerdt
Bjorn Koerdt
Gijs Leemreize
Gijs Leemreize
Juan Guillermo Martinez
Juan Guillermo Martinez
Timo Roosen
Timo Roosen
Casper van Uden
Casper van Uden
Kevin Vermaerke
Kevin Vermaerke

31st August – Stage 9: Alfaro – Estación de Esquí de Valdezcaray

The last stage before the first rest day saw a big battle amongst the riders to make the day’s breakaway, with Kevin Vermaerke eventually making it into the move of five for Team Picnic PostNL. It was a strong group that formed out front but the peloton kept tabs on them, not allowing the gap to grow out much further than two minutes. Despite working well, Vermaerke’s break was slowly reeled in throughout the remained of the stage and they were caught as the turned onto the final climb of the day. Juan Martinez gave it a go from the peloton and rode well, finishing just behind the red jersey group on the summit finish,

Vermaerke said: “It took around 60 kilometres for the break to go and it was a big fight in the peloton to make it in. Unfortunately behind some teams wanted to control for the stage and we never really got much of a gap more than two minutes. We kind of knew the whole day that it wasn’t going to work out when we were kept on that tight of a leash. My legs felt good out there so once we got to the climb and were caught we ten just took it as easy as possible to the line. We’ll recover a bit now on the rest day and try again in the stages after that.”

Results

  • 43.099/H
  • 195.5KM
  • 3123M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1VINGEGAARD JonasTeam Visma | Lease a Bike4:32:10-
2PIDCOCK ThomasQ36.5 Pro Cycling Team0:24-
3ALMEIDA JoãoUAE Team Emirates - XRG,,-
24MARTINEZ Juan GuillermoTeam Picnic PostNL1:57-
49HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL8:29-
50VERMAERKE KevinTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
51LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
93VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL13:33-
95ROOSEN TimoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
150EDDY PatrickTeam Picnic PostNL21:50-
158KOERDT BjornTeam Picnic PostNL,,-

29th August – Stage 8: Monzón Templario – Zaragoza

Stage 8 of the Vuelta a España featured a fast, flat course, with a sprint finish expected, although the wind could play a role. An early breakaway formed, but the peloton steadily controlled the gap and caught the break just under 20 kilometres from the finish. In a high-speed finale, our riders stayed well-positioned near the front of the peloton, ready to contest the sprint. As the sprint was about to be launched, the team got split up, with Casper van Uden ultimately leading the team home on the day.

Results

  • 43.834/H
  • 163.5KM
  • 1219M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1PHILIPSEN JasperAlpecin - Deceuninck3:43:48-
2VERNON EthanIsrael - Premier Tech,,-
3MARIT ArneIntermarché - Wanty,,-
26VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
90LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
91EDDY PatrickTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
95VERMAERKE KevinTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
96KOERDT BjornTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
135MARTINEZ Juan GuillermoTeam Picnic PostNL0:53-
147ROOSEN TimoTeam Picnic PostNL2:00-
160HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL4:15-

28th August – Stage 7: Andorra la Vella – Cerler. Huesca La Magia

Stage 7 of the Vuelta a España delivered a challenging day of climbing with 4200 meters of elevation over 188 kilometers, and Team Picnic PostNL was active from the start. The peloton rolled out of Andorra, quickly facing the first climb of the day, where Ayuso launched an early attack. Several smaller groups bridged across, forming a 13-man breakaway that included Kevin Vermaerke.

As the race progressed, the breakaway built an advantage of around 4 minutes on the peloton with just under 100km remaining. With less than 20km to go, the break still held a 3’56” gap as they approached the final climb. On that climb, Ayuso attacked from the break with 11km remaining, briefly joined by Frigo, while Vermaerke stayed in a reduced chasing group, pacing himself carefully for final kilometers. After a long day in the break, Vermaerke secured a strong 6th place.

After the stage, Vermaerke said: “It was a big day out, a pretty long one. After yesterday, we were really frustrated not to be in the break, as that was our main goal. We missed it yesterday, so today we came out really motivated to make sure we were in it. On the first climb, I focused on staying sharp to follow the right moves, staying patient but always near the front. It took quite a while for the break to go, but finally, over the top, I bridged up to a small group, and a few more riders joined us. From then on, it was just about conserving energy until the last climb. I tried to ride it smart and stick to my own pace. I found myself in a group of four sprinting for fourth, and yeah, it’s definitely a step in the right direction and a confirmation that I do have some legs that can hopefully get an even better result in the next few weeks. This is definitely good for my morale after yesterday’s disappointment, so we keep fighting.”

Results

  • 38.939/H
  • 188KM
  • 4203M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1AYUSO JuanUAE Team Emirates - XRG4:49:41-
2FRIGO MarcoIsrael - Premier Tech1:15-
3GARCÍA PIERNA RaúlArkéa - B&B Hotels1:21-
6VERMAERKE KevinTeam Picnic PostNL1:28-
66HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL13:28-
78KOERDT BjornTeam Picnic PostNL14:51-
84MARTINEZ Juan GuillermoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
152LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL22:29-
155ROOSEN TimoTeam Picnic PostNL23:40-
165VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL28:33-
172EDDY PatrickTeam Picnic PostNL31:04-

27th August – Stage 5: Figueres – Figueres

After a transfer yesterday evening, the Vuelta a España peloton touched down on Spanish soil ahead of Wednesday’s race against the clock. A unique and relatively uncommon discipline in cycling, the team time trial is almost an art-form on wheels, as the teams with GC ambitions try to navigate the route as fast as possible while getting their GC rider through the day. For Team Picnic PostNL, without any ambitions for the overall classification, it was about getting around the course safely as a unit and looking ahead to the days to come.

Results

  • 56.855/H
  • 24.1KM
  • 122M
  • Time Trial
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints

26th August – Stage 4: Susa – Voiron

The last stage on Italian soil saw the peloton traverse several climbs in the opening part of the day, before a long descent into France and the run-in to Voiron. Team Picnic PostNL remained in the bunch and bided their time ahead of the expected sprint finale. It was a chaotic and hectic closing five kilometres and the clichéd washing machine was in full-effect, and unfortunately the team lost each other, with Casper van Uden ultimately leading the team home outside the top 15 on the day.

Results

  • 42.731/H
  • 206.7KM
  • 3081M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1TURNER BenINEOS Grenadiers4:50:14-
2PHILIPSEN JasperAlpecin - Deceuninck,,-
3PLANCKAERT EdwardAlpecin - Deceuninck,,-
17VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
45VERMAERKE KevinTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
48KOERDT BjornTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
102LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
106MARTINEZ Juan GuillermoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
114EDDY PatrickTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
128ROOSEN TimoTeam Picnic PostNL1:09-
156HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL4:13-

25th August – Stage 3: San Maurizio Canavese – Ceres

A short but punchy stage lay ahead of the peloton for the third day of racing at the Vuelta, with almost 2000 metres of climbing packed into a 135 kilometre route, that included an uphill kick to the line in Ceres. A four rider break formed out front early on, while Team Picnic PostNL remained in the peloton for what was to come.

Over the ascents a few teams increased the tempo, both in an effort to catch the break but also to distance fast finishers and as a result a reduced peloton headed into the final 20 kilometres. Gijs Leemreize then Chris Hamilton did some good positioning work to keep Kevin Vermaerke and Bjorn Koerdt to the fore as the race surged into the last two kilometres and the hill-top finish. The twists and turns really strung the bunch out, with Koerdt navigating them well and putting in a very strong effort to move-up and sprint to ninth place on the day: his best ever World Tour level result, made extra special on his Grand Tour debut.

Koerdt expressed: “We knew it was going to be a fast and full-on race from the start, so being mentally prepared for that helped. We really rode as a unit today and I never felt isolated, there was always someone around Kevin and I from start to finish. We kept our cool on the climb and preserved energy where possible. We really bubbled up together in the deep final and kept out of trouble on the super chaotic, fast uphill drag to the finish. Kevin and I were in a good spot in the last few kilometres. There was a bit of a pinch in the road and I was able to get through, where unfortunately Kevin got blocked, but getting through there left me in a position to really go for a result. I’m happy to get the first top ten of the Grand Tour for us and a personal best for me as well.”

Results

  • 45.017/H
  • 134.6KM
  • 1948M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1GAUDU DavidGroupama - FDJ2:59:24-
2PEDERSEN MadsLidl - Trek,,-
3VINGEGAARD JonasTeam Visma | Lease a Bike,,-
9KOERDT BjornTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
46VERMAERKE KevinTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
93HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL0:57-
129LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL3:09-
160ROOSEN TimoTeam Picnic PostNL10:36-
163MARTINEZ Juan GuillermoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
164EDDY PatrickTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
170VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL10:48-

24th August – Stage 2: Alba – Limone Piemonte

After Saturday’s stage for the sprinters, the climbers were expected to come to the fore on Sunday’s stage with a mostly flat stage before the summit finish to Limone Piemonte. A break went clear from the flag drop and immediately the peloton set out their intent to fight for the win; while Team Picnic PostNL rode tightly as a unit throughout the afternoon. In the last 30 kilometres the rain started to fall and there was a large crash going around a roundabout, which saw Pat Eddy involved for the team. However, Eddy was back on his feet quickly and returned to the bunch. There, the team held position well at the front of the bunch as the kilometres ticked down, aiming to set up Kevin Vermaerke for the finale. As the gradient began to sting on the steeper final two kilometres the pace really ramped up and the top GC riders fought it out for the stage win with Vermaerke coming home in a group 21 seconds behind the winner.

Results

  • 42.115/H
  • 159.5KM
  • 1910M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1VINGEGAARD JonasTeam Visma | Lease a Bike3:47:14-
2CICCONE GiulioLidl - Trek,,-
3GAUDU DavidGroupama - FDJ,,-
29VERMAERKE KevinTeam Picnic PostNL0:21-
58MARTINEZ Juan GuillermoTeam Picnic PostNL1:10-
102HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL4:58-
108LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL5:26-
141KOERDT BjornTeam Picnic PostNL9:13-
142ROOSEN TimoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
170EDDY PatrickTeam Picnic PostNL11:13-
171VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL,,-

23rd August – Stage 1: Torino – Novara

The Vuelta a España got underway on Saturday afternoon with a stage destined to end in a sprint finish into Novara. The early break fought for the only KOM points of the day and thus the jersey, before returning to the peloton with over 50 kilometres to go. Team Picnic PostNL remained in the peloton throughout and looked to set up Giro d’Italia stage winner Casper van Uden for the finale. It was a hectic run-in to the and unfortunately the team’s lead-out was shuffled back. Pat Eddy tried to move Van Uden up into a position to contest for the win, but the pace was on at the front and ultimately Van Uden and the team would have to settle for a result outside the top ten on the day.

Results

  • 44.952/H
  • 186.7KM
  • 1293M
  • Stage
  • General classification
  • Points classification
  • Youth classification
  • Mountains classification
  • Teams classification
Pos.RiderTeamTimePoints
1PHILIPSEN JasperAlpecin - Deceuninck4:09:12-
2VERNON EthanIsrael - Premier Tech,,-
3AULAR OrluisMovistar Team,,-
16VAN UDEN CasperTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
57VERMAERKE KevinTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
60MARTINEZ Juan GuillermoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
70EDDY PatrickTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
100HAMILTON ChrisTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
101KOERDT BjornTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
124LEEMREIZE GijsTeam Picnic PostNL,,-
163ROOSEN TimoTeam Picnic PostNL,,-