Slovenian cycling star Tadej Pogačar claimed a razor-thin victory in the opening stage of the Vuelta a España on Saturday, taking a major first step toward completing a historic career Grand Tour treble.
Pogačar, who secured his fifth Tour de France title last month and won the Giro d’Italia in 2024, completed the 9.4-kilometer individual time trial through the streets of Monaco in 10 minutes and 57 seconds. He edged out Britain’s Ethan Hayter by a mere 0.09 seconds to claim the stage victory and put on the leader's red jersey.
Pogačar attributed his tiny margin of victory to local knowledge, explaining that the course passed right by his apartment in Monaco, where he routinely walks and rides. He admitted to being surprised by the outcome, describing the win on the short, technical course as unexpected.
The opening stage also featured an emotional performance from Britain's Joshua Tarling, who finished third, four seconds behind the winner. Tarling competed just one week after his younger brother, Finlay, died in a road accident during the Tour of Portugal. Pogačar expressed deep sympathy, noting he had been privately rooting for Tarling to win the stage.
If Pogačar holds the leader's jersey through the final stage in Granada on September 13, he will become only the fourth cyclist to win both the Tour de France and the Vuelta in the same season, and just the ninth in history to complete a career sweep of all three Grand Tours. The race continues on Sunday with a grueling 214.3-kilometer stage from Monaco to Manosque in France.