Hailstorm in Pyrenees forces abandonment of Vuelta a España stage 3

Key points

• Stage 3, a 174km route from Gruissan to Font Romeu, was abandoned with 15km remaining due to a hailstorm.
• Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) took control of the peloton, signaling riders to stop and seek shelter in a nearby building.
• The race organization cancelled the stage and podium ceremony, citing rider safety, resulting in no official winner.
• Pogačar retained the overall lead, holding a nine-second advantage over Wout van Aert, with Matt Brennan 10 seconds back.
• The stage was intended to be the first summit finish of the race, but the weather prevented any competitive conclusion.

Background

Pogačar had won the opening time trial in Monaco by a margin of nine-hundredths of a second over Ethan Hayter, securing the red jersey. The Vuelta a España features two time trials, including a 32km TT on stage 18. Pogačar is attempting to complete his Grand Tour collection with a first Vuelta victory, following his recent Tour de France campaign where he battled illness in the final stages.

How outlets are covering it

Cyclingnews emphasizes Pogačar's active role in stopping the race, describing how he dictated a slower tempo and signaled a turn-off to shelter. The Guardian highlights the sudden shift from sunny conditions to a torrential hailstorm, noting the frustration of fans at the finish line. Cycling Weekly focuses on the procedural aspect, describing the stage as first neutralized and then abandoned, while noting the breakaway group of five that was ahead before the weather intervened. All sources agree on the cancellation and the lack of a winner, but differ in emphasis on rider agency versus organizational decision-making.

Why it matters

The cancellation underscores the vulnerability of Grand Tours to extreme weather, particularly in mountainous regions. It also highlights the influence of race leaders in managing safety during emergencies. For Pogačar, the stage was a missed opportunity to extend his lead, but his retention of the red jersey keeps his Grand Tour collection bid alive. The incident may influence future race routing and weather protocols in the Pyrenees.

What to watch

Stage 4 will take place on Tuesday, featuring three first-category climbs with the race starting and finishing in Andorra la Vella. Pogačar will have another opportunity to assert his dominance in the mountains. The race organization will likely review safety protocols for future stages in adverse weather conditions.