Agnieszka shines with classy top five on Vuelta a Burgos opener

Agnieszka Skalniak-Sójka claimed her 12th top-ten result of the 2025 season, sprinting to fifth place on stage one of Vuelta a Burgos, once again demonstrating her powerful versatility.

Setting out from under the stillness of the Burgos Cathedral with chilly skies and light winds, the race quickly turned into a stark contrast. What followed was a frantic 125 kilometres marked by ever-changing road surfaces and terrain – a hallmark of racing in the Burgos province.

Two major breakaways shaped the day. The first gained over five minutes before being overtaken in a sliding doors moment by a dangerous group of 11 riders – a mix of GC and stage hopefuls – that formed during 6km of sinuous, technical descent. Among them was Antonia Niedermaier. The elite selection stayed clear until less than 25km remained, with all categorised climbs completed. The momentum of a fierce chase from those behind ultimately proved stronger than the group’s cohesion.

Once the race came back together, a new attacking duo demanded a big team effort to bring things under control and set up the finish for Agnieszka. The stage ultimately ended in a long, painful bunch sprint at the end of the leg-sapping climb a Poza de la Sal (1.6km at 5.9%).

Agnieszka reflected on the day:

“In some points we were going super slow, like when the first breakaway went, but it was still super dangerous and hectic in the bunch because we were on quite small roads. In the final, the girls did an amazing job for me, always motivating me and being there to close the breakaway, which was caught with just one kilometre to go. I could then sprint for fifth place in the end.”

“The final was really hard, but I gave it my all. After the last climb, there was only a small group in front, but no one really wanted to really work, so the second group came back with like 20km to go. From there, it was hectic and fast until the line, especially with a small road up to the finish where everyone was fighting for position.”

“The sprint started with 300m to go, so it was quite a long sprint, but in the last few metres, I was also able to pass a few riders. I’m happy with today – I couldn’t do anything more.”

Finishing behind four of the biggest names in women’s professional cycling – Wiebes, Balsamo, Kopecky, and Longo Borghini – Agnieszka found herself in elite company, further underlining the outstanding form she’s shown throughout 2025 across a range of terrains and finishes. With strong team cohesion behind the result, optimism and ambition run high for the next three varied stages: a sprint-friendly day, a summit finish, and a time trial still to come.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Stage 2 | Friday, May 23 | Villalba de Duero – Roa de Duero | 122.6km | 912m elevation | Start: 12:33 – Fastest finish: 15:36.

Stage 3 | Saturday, May 24 | Soncillo – Picón Blanco | 95.7km | 2045m elevation | Start: 12:50 – Fastest finish: 15:35.

Stage 4 | Sunday, May 25 | Valle de Mena | 9.4km (ITT) | 135m elevation | First rider start: 13:02 – last rider start: 15:32.

Live coverage begins at 14:30 CET each day on RTVE, Eurosport, Discovery Plus, TNT Sports, FloBikes and Proximus. Stay updated on X with #VueltaBurgos, and follow CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto’s social channels for the latest team updates.