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Wednesday August 26, 2026

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Bill & Carol McGann’s book The Story of the Tour de France, 2022: The Fastest Tour Ever is available in both Kindle eBook & audiobook versions. To get your copy, just click on the Amazon link on the right.

Current racing:

• August 22 - Sept 13: Vuelta a España
• August 25 - 28: Tour Poitou-Charentes en Nouvelle Aquitaine

Upcoming racing:

• August 30: Bretagne Classic Ouest-France

Latest completed racing:

• August 19 - 23: Renewi Tour
• August 18 - 21: Tour du Limousin-Périgord
• August 13 - 18: Arctic Race of Norway
• August 16: Cyclassics Hamburg
• August 16: La Polynormande
• August 3 - 9: Tour of Poland
• August 4 - 8: Vuelta a Burgos
• July 29 - August 2: Tour of Denmark
• August 2: Circuito de Getxo
• August 1: Clasica San Sebastian
• July 28 - 30: Tour de l'Ain
• July 4 - 26: Tour de France
• July 26: Vuelta a Castilla y Leon
• July 8 - 12: Tour of Austria
• June 24 - 28: National Championshps
• June 17 - 21: Tour de Suisse
• June 17 - 21: Baloise Belgium Tour

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Vuelta España stage four reports

We posted the organizer's report with the results.

Here's the report from stage winner & GC leader Tadej Pogacar's UAE Team Emirates-XRG:

With an imperious display in the mountains of Andorra, Tadej Pogačar won stage 4 of the Vuelta a España and assured himself of a sizeable lead in the Red Jersey.

Seizing control of the general classification with victory on stage 1, Pogačar extended his advantage with a trademark solo assault on Tuesday afternoon.

With stage 3 having been cancelled due to inclement weather, Pogačar and his UAE Team Emirates-XRG squad were determined to grab the bulls by the horns on stage 4. With Pogačar in red, their ambitions could be great.

At a little over 100km in length, Tuesday’s stage provided the perfect moment for the Slovenian to lay down a marker against his rivals for the overall title.

Right from the gun, the action was frenetic as opportunist climbers looked to make their way up the road in a breakaway. Such groups did emerge, but UAE Team Emirates-XRG, helped by Decathlon CMA CGM, kept the riders up front on a tight leash.

Decathlon CMA CGM were hoping to set things up for their team leader, Felix Gall, runner-up at this year’s Giro d’Italia.

It was Gall who looked to respond when Pogačar, already a six-time Grand Tour winner, made his stage-defining attack with 50km to go. For a few moments, it was only the Austrian who was able to live with the Tour de France champion’s pace.

That resistance, though, was only fleeting. With 50km to go on the live ticker, Pogačar was away, and away alone. The 27-year-old was beginning the latest in a long line of solo conquests.

It was on the Collada de Beixalis (6.5km at 8.5%) that Pogačar had made his move, and on the following Coll d’Ordino (9.9km at 7%), the UAE Team Emirates-XRG man consolidated his advantage. At the top of the final category 1 climb, his lead over those scrambling to chase from behind stood at a little under three minutes.

As Pogačar’s teammates Jay Vine and Pablo Torres continued to handle themselves well in the peloton, Pogačar kicked on towards the last climb of the day.

Stretching out for 3.8km at 5.6%, the Alto de la Comella gave Pogačar a further opportunity to demonstrate his climbing legs. The Slovenian needed no second ask.

Alone, he rode over the top of the climb before descending to the finish in Andorra la Vella. Across the day’s 104.8km, the reigning five-time Tour de France champion had seized sizeable control over the Vuelta a España.

Winner of stage 4, Pogačar now holds a lead in the general classification of three minutes and 21 seconds over the second-placed Primož Roglič (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe).

Naturally, Roglič, himself a four-time Vuelta champion, and the other contenders cannot be underestimated. As such, the battle for red will wage on as the race heads to Spain, but UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Pogačar can return to the race’s homeland buoyed full of confidence.

Pogacar takes off with 50 km to go.

Pogačar: “I didn’t have to do that, but the pace was super high already on the first climb. Then on the second climb we were going basically all out from the bottom. Then when Jay let me pass on the wheel of Decathlon, I knew that I didn’t want to be isolated against all the GC riders because they would always play against me. I tried with an attack on the climb, and then just hoped I could survive until the finish. I saw that I could open a gap, and I did it. It was pretty tough, but a beautiful day out there.

“Any gap is more than enough, but it is super good because now I can be calm and confident for the next days. We will just keep going day by day, and keep focused on each day after this.

“I have such beautiful memories from the first time in Andorra. It was really beautiful, and it is one of my favourite moments from my career. I will never forget that day.”

Here's the Vuelta report from fourth-place Oscar Onley's Team Netcompany INEOS:

Oscar Onley executed an impressive climbing performance on day four of the Vuelta a Espana - taking fourth place on the stage and moving up to fifth place overall.

The Scot looked strong on the climbs around Andorra, initially following a major acceleration and going clear alongside Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM). The pair would eventually be joined by more GC contenders as the group set about chasing down lone leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates - XRG).

Oscar Onley at the stage four teams' presentation ceremony. Sirotti photo

Onley was able to hit the front and claim four useful bonus seconds over the final climb of the Alto de la Comella, before finishing in the chasing group following the descent into Andorra la Vella. The result also saw Onley move into the white Young Rider's jersey.

Embret Svestad-Bardseng played a key role in supporting Onley, hitting the front over the top of the Collada de Beixalis climb and pacing the descent on behalf of Onley.

In the early breakaway phase Jack Haig also pushed on up the road as part of an initial move.

Here's the Vuelta report from fifth-placed Sepp Kuss' Team Visma | Lease a Bike:

Sepp Kuss finished fifth in the short but tough fourth stage of the Vuelta a España. In Andorra la Vella, the 31-year-old American finished in a chasing group, well behind stage winner Tadej Pogačar.

A day after the cancellation of the third stage, the riders lined up for the shortest stage of the Vuelta. Andorra la Vella hosted the start and finish of the 105-kilometer stage, which featured plenty of climbing. Along the way, the riders faced four categorized climbs.

The route went uphill from the start. The riders of Team Visma | Lease a Bike went on the attack right away. The yellow-and-black squad was represented by four riders in the large breakaway group: Wout van Aert, Ben Tulett, Bruno Armirail, and Matthew Brennan. Tulett ultimately held on the longest on the 22-kilometer climb to Port d'Envalira. However, the Brit and his fellow escapees were caught by the peloton before reaching the summit.

With more than fifty kilometers remaining, the riders reached the foot of the day's second climb, the Collada de Beixalis. This was where race leader Pogačar launched his attack. The world champion then soloed unchallenged to the stage victory. In the chasing group, the battle remained intense all the way to the finish. Together with five fellow chasers, Kuss fought for second place. The American, who lives and trains in Andorra, ultimately sprinted to fifth.

Sepp Kuss finishes fifth. Sirotti photo

“This performance gives me confidence for the rest of this Vuelta,” Kuss said afterward. “It quickly became clear that we would be fighting for second place, so the racing changed. I started today's stage without too many expectations. I mainly wanted to see how things would go. My initial plan was to make it into the breakaway, but shortly afterward I decided to go for a good result instead. In the end, I can be satisfied with this result and I’m happy with my form. It was also nice to race on roads that I know very well.”

And here's the Vuelta report from Team Soudal Quick-Step:

Andorra-la-Vella, the country’s capital, returned at the Spanish Grand Tour after an 11-year hiatus, at the end of a short but grueling stage four. Port d’Envalira, Collada de Beixalis, Coll d’Ordino and Alto de la Comella were all packed in just 105 kilometers, making for the first real test of the race after Monday’s summit finish was cancelled due to a hailstorm.

Halfway through the stage, race leader Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) attacked and distanced all the other riders, arriving alone at the finish, where he took the win. Mikel Landa, who is racing his tenth Vuelta, concluded as the first Soudal Quick-Step rider home, showing promising signs despite the gap that separated him from the top ten.

Stage four is about to start. Sirotti photo

La Vuelta continues Wednesday with a stage to Terres de l’Ebre. The small hills coming in quick succession in the final hour of the race are perfect for a breakaway, especially as from the top of the last climb only 26 kilometers remain until the finish.