Tadej Pogačar surged clear with 50km remaining on the fourth stage of the 2026 Vuelta a España in Andorra, riding solo to victory in Andorra la Vella. The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider extended his general classification lead to three minutes and 21 seconds.
Tadej Pogačar turned the fourth stage of the 2026 Vuelta a España into a commanding solo exhibition on Tuesday, attacking on the mountain roads of Andorra and leaving his general classification rivals far behind. The Slovenian is bidding to complete his Grand Tour collection by claiming the Spanish race for the first time in his career.
Beginning the day with a narrow nine-second advantage in the red jersey, Pogačar finished the 104.8km mountainous stage in two hours, 40 minutes and 35 seconds. His winning margin of two minutes and 39 seconds over the chasing group marked the largest victory gap of his Grand Tour career.
The 50-Kilometer Mountain Attack in Andorra
The decisive move unfolded as the race tackled its early mountain passes. Following an opening stage three cancellation caused by severe hailstorms in the French Pyrenees, the peloton faced a brutal test on Tuesday. Lorenzo Fortunato of UCI WorldTeam XDS Astana crossed the summit of the first mountain pass, the Port d’Envalira, to collect maximum mountain points while Pogačar rode patiently in the third group, roughly 32 seconds back.
As the road pointed upward toward the second climb, the UAE Team Emirates leader launched his race-defining acceleration with 50km left to race. Only Felix Gall, who finished second in the Giro d’Italia, attempted to follow, but the Austrian rider was quickly distanced by the world champion.
By the summit of the Collada de Beixalís, Pogačar had carved out a lead of one minute and 30 seconds over a chase group containing Enric Mas, Primož Roglič, Gall, Richard Carapaz, and Oscar Onley. By the final ascent of the Coll d’Ordino, that advantage had stretched to nearly three minutes.
“So I tried with an attack on the climb and hoped I could survive until the finish — and I did it. It was pretty tough but a beautiful day out there.”
Tadej Pogačar, UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider, via The Guardian
General Classification Shift and Chasing Group Dynamics
Behind the runaway leader, the battle for the remaining podium positions produced aggressive racing over the demanding Pyrenean terrain.
Further back, 20-year-old Belgian rider Jarno Widar delivered a breakthrough performance by winning the sprint for second place in Andorra la Vella, finishing two minutes and 39 seconds behind Pogačar. Primož Roglič of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe bridged across to the chasing contenders and moved up to second place in the general classification, replacing Wout van Aert, who dropped 24 minutes and 35 seconds off the pace. Spain’s Enric Mas of Movistar sits third overall.
Strategic Relief Ahead of the World Championships
Transitioning South Into Spain on Stage Five
The Vuelta leaves the Pyrenees on Wednesday, bringing the race onto Spanish soil for the 173.3km fifth stage. Starting in Falset near Tarragona—an area similarly affected by Monday’s severe hail storms—the route heads south down the east coast toward a finish in the Catalan town of Roquetes.
