Vuelta 2026 Recap: No Angliru, Pogačar's Crash and How Enric Mas Won
The 2026 Vuelta a España was supposed to be the race where Tadej Pogačar added a Vuelta to his fifth Tour de France title. Instead, it became one of the most dramatic Grand Tours in years: no Angliru, a cancelled stage, the race leader crashing out on stage 8, and a first Spanish winner since 2014. This recap uses the official results from lavuelta.es and statements from the teams.
Key Takeaways
- Enric Mas (Movistar) won, 2'15" ahead of Primož Roglič and 2'44" ahead of Felix Gall. He is the first Spanish winner since Alberto Contador in 2014.
- No Angliru in 2026. The men's route had no stage in Asturias, so no Angliru and no Lagos de Covadonga. The women's race climbed the Angliru for the first time in May.
- Pogačar won stages 1, 4 and 6 and led from the opening time trial, then crashed out on stage 8. UAE said he suffered a concussion, a stable C7 fracture and an open clavicle fracture, ending his season.
- Stage 3 to Font-Romeu was cancelled because of extreme weather.
- Jerseys: Wout van Aert won the points classification, Santiago Buitrago the mountains, Oscar Onley the young riders' classification and Decathlon CMA CGM the team prize.
The Route Without the Angliru
The 81st Vuelta ran from 22 August to 13 September, starting with a 9.4 km time trial in Monaco and finishing in Granada after 21 stages and 3,275 km (3,014.8 km raced after the stage 3 cancellation). The organisers called it "one of the toughest editions in the history of La Vuelta", with more than 58,000 metres of climbing.
What it did not have was a stage in Asturias. That meant no Angliru, the climb most associated with the race, and no Lagos de Covadonga. Instead the decisive summit finishes were spread through the south and east of Spain:
| Stage | Finish | Winner |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | Font-Romeu | Cancelled (extreme weather) |
| 7 | Aramón Valdelinares | Anders Leknessund |
| 9 | Alto de Aitana | Enric Mas |
| 12 | Calar Alto (2,153 m) | Jakob Omrzel |
| 14 | Sierra de La Pandera | Marco Brenner (Tudor) |
| 19 | Peñas Blancas | Eddie Dunbar |
| 20 | Collado del Alguacil | Mikel Landa |
The Angliru Did Appear: at La Vuelta Femenina
The Angliru still featured in Spanish racing in 2026, in the women's race. On 9 May, stage 7 of La Vuelta Femenina finished on the Angliru for the first time: 132.9 km from Pola de Laviana, with the final climb measured by the organisers at 12.4 km at 9.7% and "slopes as steep as 23%". Petra Stiasny won the stage, and Paula Blasi (UAE Team ADQ) dropped Anna van der Breggen to take the overall lead, becoming the race's first Spanish winner. Blasi won by 24 seconds over van der Breggen.
Why the Angliru matters
The Angliru first appeared in the Vuelta in 1999, when José María Jiménez won there, and the organisers say the race has returned to it nine times since. Alberto Contador won on the Angliru in 2017. Its reputation comes from the steepest part of the climb: the organisers describe 12.4 km at an average of 9.7%, with slopes "as steep as 23%", and about 1,200 metres of climbing. That combination of length and steepness is why it so often decides the race, and why its absence from the 2026 men's route changed the shape of the Vuelta.
| Angliru fact | Official figure |
|---|---|
| Length | 12.4 km |
| Average gradient | 9.7% |
| Steepest slopes | "As steep as 23%" |
| Elevation gain | About 1,200 m |
| First Vuelta ascent | 1999 (José María Jiménez) |
| First women's ascent | 9 May 2026 (Petra Stiasny won the stage) |
Pogačar's Vuelta: From Dominance to Crash
UAE Team Emirates-XRG announced on 3 August that Pogačar would ride the Vuelta for the first time since 2019. "I'm excited to say I'm going back to La Vuelta," he said. He arrived as the winner of a record-equalling fifth Tour de France.
He started as he had at the Tour:
- Stage 1: won the Monaco time trial, by 0.09 seconds over Ethan Hayter.
- Stage 4: won in Andorra after a 50 km solo attack, gaining 2'39".
- Stage 6: won again, ahead of Mas.
On stage 8, from Puçol to Xeraco, a sprint stage won by Bryan Coquard, Pogačar crashed out while wearing the leader's red jersey. UAE later confirmed a concussion, a stable C7 cervical fracture and an open clavicle fracture that needed surgery, and said he would not race again in 2026. On 5 September, UAE announced that he had extended his contract to 2032.
Why the Vuelta still eludes Pogačar
The Vuelta remains the only Grand Tour Pogačar has never won. His only previous appearance was in 2019, when, according to UAE, he won three stages and finished on the final podium; his stage 1 win in Monaco in 2026 was his fourth Vuelta stage victory. He came into the race with very little recovery time: the Tour de France finished in Paris on 26 July, where he won his fifth title with five stage wins and a margin of 6'26" over Remco Evenepoel, and the Vuelta started in Monaco 27 days later. His crash on stage 8 means the Tour–Vuelta double remains out of reach for at least another year.
How Mas Won
Mas inherited the lead after Pogačar's crash and defended it for the rest of the race. The key moments:
- Stage 9, Alto de Aitana: Mas won the summit finish himself.
- Stage 14, La Pandera: the stage went to the breakaway, won by Marco Brenner; Mas matched Gall while Roglič and Richard Carapaz lost about 30 seconds.
- Stage 18, Jerez time trial (32.1 km): won by Stefan Küng.
- Stage 20, Collado del Alguacil: Mikel Landa won the queen stage. Gall gained 17 seconds on Mas, 55 on Roglič and 1'54" on Carapaz, but it was not enough.
- Stage 21, Granada: Tobias Johannessen won the final stage.
Mas finished in 73h52'55", becoming the 64th different winner of the race.
The race in numbers
| Measure | 2026 Vuelta |
|---|---|
| Dates | 22 August – 13 September |
| Stages | 21 (stage 3 cancelled) |
| Planned distance | 3,275 km |
| Distance raced | 3,014.8 km |
| Rest days | 31 August and 7 September |
| Time trials | 2 (Monaco 9.4 km; Jerez 32.1 km) |
| Winner's time | 73h52'55" |
Final Standings
| Classification | Winner |
|---|---|
| General classification | Enric Mas (Movistar) |
| 2nd overall | Primož Roglič (Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe), +2'15" |
| 3rd overall | Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM), +2'44" |
| Points | Wout van Aert (326 points) |
| Mountains | Santiago Buitrago (78 points) |
| Young rider | Oscar Onley (first British winner of the classification) |
| Teams | Decathlon CMA CGM |
The rest of the top ten were Carapaz, Sepp Kuss, Onley, Omrzel, Clément Berthet, Carlos Rodríguez and Harold Tejada. Several favourites from the summer did not start: Jonas Vingegaard (who abandoned the Tour on stage 15), Remco Evenepoel, Juan Ayuso and Tom Pidcock.
The Sprinters' Vuelta
The race also had a dominant sprinter. Matthew Brennan (Visma | Lease a Bike) won five stages (2, 5, 11, 16 and 17), and Wout van Aert won two (13 and 15) on his way to the points jersey.
The bikes behind the result
The podium riders and the race's biggest names all rode different equipment. These are the sponsors listed on the teams' own websites; the photos in this article are official equipment and brand photos from these companies, not race photos.
| Rider | Team | Bike | Groupset |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enric Mas (1st) | Movistar Team | Canyon Aeroad CFR | SRAM |
| Primož Roglič (2nd) | Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe | Specialized S-Works Tarmac | Not confirmed from an official 2026 source |
| Felix Gall (3rd) | Decathlon CMA CGM | Van Rysel | SRAM (new for 2026) |
| Tadej Pogačar (3 stage wins) | UAE Team Emirates-XRG | Colnago | Shimano |
Canyon said after the race that Mas won on the Aeroad CFR, an aero road bike, which he rode on 19 of the 21 stages. That is a notable choice for a Grand Tour with more than 58,000 metres of climbing: on a route built around long climbs at moderate gradients, rather than one very steep ramp like the Angliru, the time an aero bike saves on fast roads and descents can matter more than the small weight penalty on the climbs. Canyon did not say which bike Mas used on the other two stages.
The result was also a strong one for SRAM-equipped teams. Movistar and Decathlon CMA CGM both race on SRAM, which put SRAM groupsets under two of the three riders on the final podium, while Visma's Brennan and van Aert won seven stages between them. UAE, the team that dominated the first week with Pogačar, uses Shimano.
What It Means for 2027
The 2026 Vuelta showed both how dominant Pogačar can be and how quickly a Grand Tour can change. For Mas, it was a long-awaited Grand Tour win; for Gall, a podium before his move to Lidl-Trek; and for Onley, a breakthrough white jersey. The Angliru's absence from the men's race was offset by its historic debut in the women's race, a reminder that La Vuelta's most famous climb now belongs to both events.
Lessons for amateur climbers
The Vuelta's 2026 route was built on long climbs rather than one brutal ramp. For amateur riders, that is a useful reminder: long climbs at 6–7% reward steady pacing, good fuelling and gears low enough to keep a comfortable cadence, while very steep climbs like the Angliru demand much lower gearing still. If you plan to ride the Angliru yourself, check its gradient profile carefully and choose a lowest gear well below 1:1.
Frequently Asked Questions
Was the Angliru in the 2026 Vuelta a España?
Not in the men's race; there was no stage in Asturias. La Vuelta Femenina climbed it for the first time on 9 May 2026.
Who won the 2026 Vuelta?
Enric Mas (Movistar), ahead of Primož Roglič and Felix Gall.
What happened to Pogačar at the Vuelta?
He won stages 1, 4 and 6, then crashed out on stage 8 while leading. UAE reported a concussion, a stable C7 fracture and an open clavicle fracture.
Why was stage 3 cancelled?
Because of extreme weather; the organisers cancelled the stage to Font-Romeu.
Who won the queen stage?
Mikel Landa won stage 20 on the Collado del Alguacil.
Who won the jerseys?
Wout van Aert (points), Santiago Buitrago (mountains), Oscar Onley (young rider) and Decathlon CMA CGM (teams).
How many stages did Matthew Brennan win?
Five: stages 2, 5, 11, 16 and 17.
Who won the final stage in Granada?
Tobias Johannessen.
Who won the women's Angliru stage?
Petra Stiasny won the stage; Paula Blasi took the overall lead there and went on to win La Vuelta Femenina.
What bike did Enric Mas ride to win the Vuelta?
Canyon said Mas won on the Canyon Aeroad CFR, which he rode on 19 of the 21 stages. Movistar's partners are Canyon, SRAM and Zipp.
Who was the first Spanish winner before Mas?
Alberto Contador, who won the Vuelta in 2014. Mas's win in 2026 was the first by a Spanish rider since then.
Verdict
The 2026 Vuelta will be remembered for what was missing as much as for what happened: no Angliru, a cancelled stage and the loss of the race leader in the first week. Enric Mas made the most of it, winning a summit finish and defending his lead through the final mountains to give Spain its first Vuelta winner since 2014.
Sources
- La Vuelta: overall route, final rankings, stage 8 report, stage 21 report
- La Vuelta Femenina: the Angliru and final rankings
- UAE Team Emirates-XRG: Vuelta squad and Pogačar contract extension
Equipment mentioned in this article
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