Vuelta a España Stage 1: Pogačar Pips Hayter by 0.09 Seconds to Take First Red Jersey

Tadej Pogačar edged to the second-tightest victory of his pro career in Monaco on Saturday, putting all his chips down in the Casino city with a blistering fast finish to stage 1 of the Vuelta a España.

Pogačar was three seconds behind provisional leader Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) at the intermediate time check but pulled out all the stops to take back that time and finish 0.09 quicker.

He is from Slovenia but lives in Monaco, and drew on local knowledge to ace a tight, technical course and win.

The razor-thin margin comes two months after he devastated Mathieu van der Poel by just 0.04 seconds in the Tour de Suisse time trial.

The UAE Emirates-XRG is the overwhelming GC favorite, having taken a record-equaling fifth Tour de France victory weeks ago. It is his first Vuelta participation since he finished third overall at just 20 years of age in 2019.

Hayter will agonize over the tight margin, netting second, while Josh Tarling took an incredibly brave third place, just eight days after his younger brother Finn was killed when struck by a vehicle in the Volta a Portugal.

Just being at the Vuelta start took huge strength of mind for the Netcompany Ineos rider; going four seconds off the stage win was something else altogether, and a real tribute to his brother.

More to follow soon…

A revolving door of TT leaders

The opening stage of the Vuelta a España was in the somewhat surreal setting of Monaco, a jumble of high-rise buildings crammed into a tight space along the Riviera coast.

Famed for millionaires and billionaires, tax-wise sportspeople and Formula 1 racing, some of the same the tight, technical roads of the latter were used, as was a bizarre underground tunnel. In total it was a real test of skill and power for the riders.

The quickest time was set and broken several times, with Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility), Mathias Norsgaard (Movistar Team), Jorda Labrosse (Decathlon CMA CGM), Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Arthur Kluckers (Tudor) amongst the early leaders.

Decathlon’s superb time trial showing continued with Oscar Chamberlain then going quickest, with his own teammate Léo Bisiaux then bumping him down a notch. The latter is just 21 but used the skills that earned him a junior world title in the cyclo cross three years ago.

However he too had a very short time in the hot seat, being displaced by Callum Thornley (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).

Tarling then started, showing huge determination and strength of mind following the tragic loss of his brother Finn just eight days ago. He roared around the course, going best at the intermediate time check and then best again at the finish, channeling his emotion into a superb performance.

However as much as many wanted him to win and to give himself and his family a much-needed boost, compatriot Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) went a full four seconds quicker.

A hugely dramatic finale

Wout Van Aert was one of those to watch but the Visma-Lease a Bike was four seconds down on Hayter in the first time check in provisional fifth. Ivan Romeo (Movistar Team) was further back again and out of the hunt, but Pogačar was riding well and went through the intermediate check just three seconds back.

Primož Roglič, who started as last man, was off the pace, leaving the showdown between Pogačar and Hayter.

The Slovenian pushed hard all the way to the line, trying to make up the lost time, and thundered across the line to go 0.09 seconds quicker. That left Hayter hugely frustrated and, no doubt, replaying the race over and over again in his mind to wonder where he could have gone faster.

Still, losing to the best rider in the sport will soften the blow somewhat, and his close proximity will see him searching for bonus seconds on Sunday.