Tadej Pogačar stormed to victory in the individual time trial to claim the leader's red jersey after the first stage of the Vuelta a España 2026 on Saturday.
The Slovenian, aiming to complete a career Grand Tour treble at La Vuelta, where he is the overwhelming favorite, completed the 9.4-kilometer ride a fraction of a second faster than Briton Ethan Hayter.
Joshua Tarling finished third, four seconds behind the top two, to complete the podium a week after his younger brother Finlay Tarling died in a road accident while racing in the Tour of Portugal.
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UAE Team Emirates rider Pogačar clocked 10 minutes, 57 seconds for the short and technical course through the streets of Monaco, his home city, in the opening stage of the 81st edition of La Vuelta. He was 0.09 seconds faster than Soudal-Quick-Step's Hayter.
"It's a weird feeling to win the time trial on the first stage and by such a small margin," Pogačar said. "I was not expecting it. I'm really happy. This red is a really nice color."
Pogačar said home advantage was the key to his victory.
"That 0.09 happened when I passed my apartment because that was the most technical part, and I walk and cycle there every day," said the Slovenian.
Pogačar, who won the Tour de France for the fifth time earlier this summer and claimed the Giro d'Italia in 2024, is widely expected to finish in the red jersey in Granada on Sept. 13.
He is competing in the Spanish Grand Tour for the first time since his only prior entry, 2019, when he finished third.
A Vuelta victory would make the Slovenian only the fourth rider to complete a historic Tour-Vuelta double in the same season, while only eight riders have won all three Grand Tours in their careers.
Pogačar's compatriot Primoz Roglic is chasing a record-equaling fifth Vuelta victory, but came in 24th in Stage 1.
Tarling had been among the leading contenders for the opening stage, on a route designed to favor specialists, and moved into the lead before Hayter and Pogačar usurped him.
Hayter has never won a Grand Tour stage and came incredibly close to doing so before Pogacar stole in to take the glory.
Pogačar said he had been hoping Tarling could win the stage after his brother's tragic death.
"When I was going to the start line, I saw that Josh had the best time," Pogačar said. "I was really wishing he would win today. I was going to give my best, but it was a strange moment, I was really rooting for Josh as well.
"Then, I came to the intermediate point, and I hear a different name. I hear Ethan Hayter is in front of me by three seconds. So, I said 'I will give it everything, but no risks - I'll see what happens'."
The race continues Sunday with a marathon 214.3-kilometer stage from Monaco to Manosque in France.
Vuelta a España 2026 Stage 1 Results – Top 25
- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) – 10:5
- Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) – 10:57
- Joshua Tarling (Netcompany INEOS) – 11:01
- Callum Thornley (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 11:02
- Christophe Laporte (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 11:03
- Léo Bisiaux (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) – 11:05
- Oscar Chamberlain (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) – 11:06
- Wout van Aert (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 11:06
- Arthur Kluckers (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 11:07
- Finn Fisher-Black (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) – 11:08
- Alessandro Romele (XDS Astana Team) – 11:10
- Stefan Küng (Tudor Pro Cycling Team) – 11:11
- Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) – 11:11
- Ivo Oliveira (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) – 11:11
- Mads Pedersen (Lidl - Trek) – 11:13
- Matthew Brennan (Team Visma | Lease a Bike) – 11:13
- Sander De Pestel (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) – 11:15
- João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates - XRG) – 11:15
- Iván Romeo (Movistar Team) – 11:15
- Rasmus Tiller (Uno-X Mobility) – 11:17
- Lennard Kämna (Lidl - Trek) – 11:18
- Luke Tuckwell (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 11:18
- Ben Turner (Netcompany INEOS) – 11:18
- Primož Roglič (Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe) – 11:19
- Jordan Labrosse (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) – 11:20
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