Andreas Leknessund wins Vuelta stage for mourning Norway

Andreas Leknessund turned a day of national mourning in Norway into an emotional sporting occasion, winning the seventh stage of the Vuelta for Uno-X Mobility. The victory came as the country grieved the death of King Harald V and gave the Norwegian rider one of the most significant wins of his career. Leknessund is now among the riders who have claimed stage victories in all three Grand Tours.

The 2025 Norwegian national champion broke clear of the day's escape during the final climb and finished alone at Aramon Valdelinares. He covered the 149.8-kilometre route from Vall d'Alba in victory. Leknessund's emotion was evident after he crossed the finish line, while teammate Tobias Johannessen completed a strong day for Norway by taking second. Johannessen dropped Wout van Aert in the closing two kilometres, with the Belgian finishing third.

Jakob Omrzel was fourth, 58 seconds behind Leknessund, after leading the next group home. Alexey Lutsenko and Eddie Dunbar were unable to stay with the front riders when the decisive attack came and finished seventh and eighth. Colombia's Juan Felipe Rodriguez and Ivan Sosa also placed in the pursuing group, while French riders Léo Bisiaux, Valentin Paret-Peintre and Guillaume Martin finished ninth, 11th and 14th.

Tadej Pogacar arrived 4 minutes and 23 seconds after Leknessund and took further time from his general-classification rivals. The stage therefore combined a major Norwegian success with another gain for Pogacar, but its defining moment belonged to Leknessund, who delivered the result in deeply personal circumstances for his country.