Vuelta 2026: Pogacar caps long solo ride with second stage victory

fotobureau Cor VosOn the steepest climb of the day, with just over 50 kilometres to go, Tadej Pogacar goes on the attack. Felix Gall initially manages to follow, but after less than a kilometre he realises it is a mission impossible. The world champion powers on and solos to victory. (Slideshow route/profile)

Stage 4 Results – 2026 Vuelta

1. Tadej Pogacar (slo) 2:40:35
2. Jarno Widar (bel) + 2:39
3. Felix Gall (aut) s.t.
4. Oscar Onley (gbr) s.t.
5. Sepp Kuss (usa) s.t.
6. Enric Mas (spa) s.t.
7. Primoz Roglic (slo) s.t.
8. Richard Carapaz (ecu) + 2:57
9. Mattias Skjelmose (den) + 3:17
10. Gregor Mühlberger (aut) s.t.

GC after stage 4

1. Tadej Pogacar (slo)
2. Primoz Roglic (slo) + 3:21
3. Enric Mas (spa) + 3:32
4. Sepp Kuss (usa) + 3:44
5. Oscar Onley (gbr) + 3:45
6. Richard Carapaz (ecu) + 3:50
7. Felix Gall (aut) + 3:57
8. Mattias Skjelmose (den) + 4:06
9. Jarno Widar (bel) s.t.
10. Jay Vine (aus) + 4:11

Race report
Attacks fly from the outset, but it isn't until halfway up the first climb that a group opens up a meaningful gap. Eddie Dunbar, Matthew Brennan, Bruno Armirail, Pablo Castrillo, Raúl García Pierna, Finn Fisher-Black, Wout van Aert, Ben Tulett, Alexey Lutsenko, Simon Dalby, Paul Double, Georg Steinhauser, Lorenzo Fortunato and Mattia Gaffuri make the break, while Gijs Leemreize, Iván Sosa, Sergio Samitier and Mario Aparicio bridge across. Lutsenko and Van Aert, however, go in the opposite direction and lose contact.

With Brennan setting a strong pace, only Double, Tulett, Fortunato, Castrillo, García Pierna, Dunbar, Sosa, Dalby and Hirt are still able to follow his wheel near the summit of the Port d'Envalira. Double launches his sprint for the mountain points from a long way out, but Fortunato beats him to the line.

The UAE Emirates led peloton crests the climb half a minute later, and the groups come back together on the descent.

It is clear that Tadej Pogacar has plans, and that becomes even more apparent when he accelerates on the Collada de Beixalis with just over 50 kilometres remaining. Felix Gall is able to follow for a while, but the Austrian eventually has to let him go.

The world champion is on fire and crests the climb 1 minute and a half ahead of the chasers: Felix Gall, Juan Felipe Rodriguez, Primoz Roglic, Léo Bisiaux, Jay Vine, Enric Mas, Sepp Kuss, Oscar Onley, Mikel Landa, Embret Svestad-Bardseng, Mattias Skjelmose, Tobias Halland Johannessen, Richard Carapaz, Marco Brenner, Ibon Ruiz, Harold Tejada, and Jarno Widar.

On the Coll d'Ordino, Gall and Onley break clear of the chasing group, while Roglic is the first to bridge across to them, followed by Mas and Kuss.

Just before tackling the Alto de la Comella, Mühlberger, Carapaz, Widar and Skjelmose bridge across to the five chasers. Skjelmose soon loses contact again on the climb, while Mühlberger and Carapaz also fail to make it over the top with the group.

Pogacar, meanwhile, solos to a commanding victory, with Widar beating Gall in the sprint for second place.

Another interesting read: route 4th stage 2026 Vuelta a España.