Portugal Colonial - Pogacar wins Vuelta a Espana opening stage

The Slovenian, aiming to complete a career Grand Tour treble at the Vuelta, where he is the overwhelming favourite, completed the 9.4-kilometre 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.

UAE Team Emirates rider Pogacar clocked 10min 57sec for the short and technical course through the streets of Monaco, his home city, in the opening stage of the 81st edition of the Vuelta.

Pogacar, who won the Tour de France for the fifth time earlier this summer and claimed Giro d'Italia victory in 2024, is widely expected to finish in the red jersey too, in Granada on September 13.

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 career.

Pogacar's compatriot Primoz Roglic is chasing a record-equalling fifth Vuelta victory but came in 24th.

Tarling had been among the leading contenders for the opening stage, on a route designed to favour specialists, and moved into the lead before Hayter and then Pogacar usurped him.

The race continues Sunday with a marathon 214.3km stage from Monaco to Manosque in France.

M.A.Vaz--PC