ZARAGOZA, SPAIN - AUGUST 30: (L-R) Ethan Vernon of Great Britain and Team Israel - Premier Tech, Mads Pedersen of Denmark and Team Lidl - Trek - Green Points Jersey, Fabio Christen of Switzerland and Team Q36.5 Pro Cycling, Elia Viviani of Italy and Team Lotto and stage winner Jasper Philipsen of Belgium and Team Alpecin - Deceuninck sprint at finish line during the La Vuelta - 80th Tour of Spain 2025, Stage 8 a 163.5km stage from Monzon Templario to Zaragoza / #UCIWT / on August 30, 2025 in Zaragoza, Spain. (Photo by Dario Belingheri/Getty Images).
Minutes after the dust had settled at the finish of stage 8 of the Vuelta a España, veteran Elia Viviani (Lotto) was still hunched over his handlebars, teary and emotional in defeat, having almost rolled back the years in the sprint.
He had suffered great heartbreak as a first Grand Tour stage win in seven years went from staring him in the face to being snatched at the last by one of cycling's top sprinters – Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck).
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