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
Tadej Pogacar Extends Vuelta a Espana Lead with Record-Breaking Stage Four Victory Tadej Pogacar made a decisive statement in the Vuelta a Espana as he secured a dominant victory in the fourth stage, extending his lead in the general classification and setting a new benchmark for solo triumphs in the Grand Tour. The Slovenian rider, competing in the race for the first time since 2019, surged ahead of his rivals with a commanding performance on a mountainous route through Andorra la Vella, finishing 2 minutes and 39 seconds ahead of Jarno Widar. This margin marked Pogacar’s largest victory in a Grand Tour, solidifying his position as the race’s clear leader. The 104.8km stage, characterized by its challenging terrain, saw Pogacar take control of the race with 50km remaining. Starting the day with a nine-second advantage over the field, he widened his lead to three minutes and 21 seconds by the finish line. His victory not only bolstered his overall standing but also positioned him as the first rider since 1994 to lead a Grand Tour from start to finish, a historic milestone in cycling. Pogacar’s strategy involved patience in the early stages, as he remained in the third peloton, 32 seconds behind the leading group. Lorenzo Fortunato of UCI WorldTeam XDS Astana claimed the first mountain points after summiting the first climb, but Pogacar’s decisive move came later. With 50km to go, the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider launched an attack on the second climb, creating a 90-second gap. From that point, he raced alone, completing the longest solo victory of his Grand Tour career. His performance surpassed the 43km benchmark he set on the Col du Tourmalet during the Tour de France, showcasing his versatility across mountainous routes.#tadej_pogacar #vuelta_a_espana #jarno_widar #primoz_roglig #uciworldeamteam_xds_astana
