Tadej Pogacar Claims Dramatic Opening Stage Win at the Vuelta a Espana in Monaco

Tadej Pogacar delivered a dazzling performance in Monaco, securing victory in the opening stage of the 81st Vuelta a Espana on Saturday. The Slovenian rider, who is aiming to capture the only Grand Tour title that has thus far eluded him, narrowly defeated Britain's Ethan Hayter by just 0.09 seconds in the 9.4km individual time trial.

Rolling down the start ramp out of Monte Carlo's glitzy casino, the UAE Team Emirates star tore around the narrow and twisty course, making up crucial time late in the route to snatch the win. Meanwhile, Britain's Josh Tarling claimed an emotional third-fastest finish, having courageously decided to race just eight days following the death of his brother Fin at the Volta a Portugal.

For the 27-year-old Tadej Pogacar, this marked his 36th Grand Tour stage victory, adding to his impressive palmares of six Giro d’Italia and 26 Tour de France stage wins. Making his first appearance at the Vuelta since his third-place finish as a Grand Tour rookie in 2019, he now proudly sits atop the general classification after the first day of action.

Reflecting on his triumph, Tadej Pogacar said: “It’s a weird feeling to win the opening time trial by such a small margin. I was not expecting it. And this red is a really nice colour. For sure, I think I gained that 0.09 seconds when we passed in front of my apartment, because that was the most technical part of the course. I walk and cycle there every day. Even though it’s completely different in a race, knowing these roads super well helped me a lot today.”

He continued, “When I was going to the start line, I saw that Josh had the best time. I really wanted him to win today, I was rooting for him. Then I came to the intermediate, and I heard a different name, it was Ethan Hayter in front of me by three seconds. I gave it all, without taking risks. And I would really like to see Josh perform well in this Vuelta.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming stages, Tadej Pogacar admitted, “Keeping the Red Jersey for three weeks is going to be tough. Already tomorrow, some guys can break away or take it with bonus seconds. It’s going to be tight for the Red Jersey, and we can see some shuffling in the GC.”

In addition, UAE Team Emirates-XRG enjoyed a strong team showing across the board in Monaco, with Jay Vine, Ivo Oliveira, and Joao Almeida all securing finishes inside the top 20.

Vuelta a Espana Stage 1 results:
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) 10:57
2. Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) +0.09″
3. Joshua Tarling (Netcompany INEOS) +4″