Tadej Pogacar battles back from scare on descent to win stage six of Vuelta a España Tadej Pogacar claimed victory in stage six of the Vuelta a España on Thursday, securing his third stage win of the race. The Slovenian rider outpaced Enric Mas in a tense finish to the stage, extending his lead in the general classification. Pogacar, the five-time Tour de France winner and favorite for the Vuelta, faced a critical moment on the final descent when he came off the road after misjudging a corner on the gravel section of the Puerto El Bartolo climb. Despite the incident, he swiftly recovered to maintain his position and hold off Mas, who briefly took the lead before Pogacar retook control. The stage’s final climb, Puerto El Bartolo, saw a breakaway of 15 riders establish a two-and-a-half minute gap on the peloton with 40km remaining. The gravel road section of the climb intensified the competition, with Pogacar launching an attack to distance himself from the chasing group. Mas, the four-time Vuelta winner, responded aggressively, charging past Pogacar to take the lead on the climb. However, Pogacar’s recovery from the crash on the descent allowed him to rejoin the race and ultimately outlast Mas at the finish line in Castellón de la Plana. Ramses Debruyne finished third on the podium, 46 seconds behind the leaders. The podium included Primoz Roglic, Richard Carapaz, and Felix Gall, all of whom were part of the chasing group during the final climb. Pogacar now leads Mas by 3 minutes 34 seconds and Roglic by 4 minutes 21 seconds in the overall standings. The stage also saw a significant setback for Oscar Onley, who lost over a minute and a half to his general classification rivals. Earlier in the day, Britain’s Josh Tarling abandoned the race with around 120km of the stage remaining.#tadej_pogacar #netcompany_ineos #vuelta_a_espana #primoz_roglig #enric_mas
Jonas Vingegaard Targets Grand Tour Slam as Giro d’Italia Begins in Bulgaria Jonas Vingegaard’s bid to complete a rare Grand Tour grand slam by winning the 2026 Giro d’Italia begins in Bulgaria on Friday, marking his debut in the race. The double Tour de France winner, who claimed victory in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Tour, is the overwhelming favorite for the final stage in Rome on 31 May. His chances are bolstered by the absence of Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian rider who has dominated this season with nine wins in 11 races. Pogacar’s absence, along with other top contenders, has created a void in the peloton, positioning Vingegaard as the most likely contender for the maglia rosa. Vingegaard’s bid is further complicated by the departure of several key rivals. Remco Evenepoel, the double Olympic champion, and Paul Seixas, the prodigious French teenager, have prioritized the Tour de France, with Seixas set to make his debut as the youngest rider in the race in 89 years. Notable absentees from the Giro include Tom Pidcock, who finished third to Vingegaard in the 2025 Vuelta a España, and Florian Lipowitz, a rising German rider who claimed a podium finish in Paris last July. Pogacar’s teammate Isaac del Toro is also absent, leaving the Giro’s field significantly weakened. For Vingegaard, the Giro represents an opportunity to reassert his dominance after being overshadowed by Pogacar’s recent success. At 29, he faces the challenge of staying ahead of Seixas, a rider 10 years his junior who has already demonstrated the ability to match Pogacar’s aggressive racing style. However, Vingegaard’s recent form suggests he is returning to his peak.#tadej_pogacar #jonas_vingegaard #giro_ditalia #netcompany_ineos #visma_leaseabike
