![\"MANOSQUE,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/tLjJEmQ3z9yq9ehEaqMmiX.jpg\")
\n<\/p>\n2026-08-23T12:32:13.578Z<\/p>\n
Poga\u010dar gets his first day in the red jersey today. The first of likely many over the next three weeks. He adds it to the 71 days in yellow at the Tour de France and the 20 days in pink at the Giro d’Italia. Yes, the year he won the Giro he wore pink from stage 2 after being beaten on stage one by now teammate Jhonatan Narv\u00e1ez.<\/p>\n
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(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n
2026-08-23T12:28:46.733Z<\/p>\n
The gap is reduced again to 1’42”.<\/p>\n
\ud83c\udfc1 155 km | Stage 2\ufe0f\u20e3 – Etapa 2\ufe0f\u20e3 | #LaVuelta26
\n\ud83d\udcaa Two strong teams working together to bring back the breakaway for their sprinters
\n\ud83d\udc4a @teamvismaleaseabike.com y @lidltrek.bsky.social trabajan en el pelot\u00f3n para reducir la ventaja de la fuga
\n\u23f1\ufe0f1’30” Pelot\u00f3n<\/p>\n
\u2014 @lavuelta.bsky.social (@lavuelta.bsky.social.bsky.social<\/a>) 2026-08-23T12:28:27.972Z<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-08-23T12:19:24.159Z The gap grows to 1’55” between the peloton and the four man break of Hayter, Bouwman, Uriate and Fernandez.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T12:11:05.731Z<\/p>\n Jacopo Mosca (Lidl-Trek) and Steven Kruijswijk (Visma-Lease a Bike) are leading the way in the peloton.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T12:07:05.885Z Cian Uijtdebroeks (MOV)<\/p>\n The Belgian GC hope went down. No idea when as no information around but he appears to be back riding. Yet more bad luck for him, though.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images) 2026-08-23T12:04:27.960Z Into the final 100 miles of the stage and the gap is now stable at around 1’30”. The peloton are within striking distance for the intermediate sprint so Visma can deny Hayter a chance of taking red and keeping Van Aert’s dreams alive.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T12:02:42.126Z<\/p>\n Van Aert missed out on his goal of red yesterday but can take red today if everything goes to plan…<\/p>\n >>> ‘I know I lost time in the corners’ – Wout van Aert’s dream of returning to red in the opening Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a TT falls short<\/a><\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images) 2026-08-23T11:55:31.229Z<\/p>\n 43kph average speed in the first hour.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:51:09.839Z The gap is steady for now at 1’30”.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:47:16.264Z<\/p>\n The gap continues to fall with the peloton now at just 1’32” from the leaders as Fernandez finally makes it a group of four out front.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:46:08.439Z<\/p>\n In the break, Bouwman has experience of going for the mountains jersey in a Grand Tour. He won it at the Giro as well as two stages back in 2022.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:45:06.381Z<\/p>\n Lidl-Trek join Visma-Lease a Bike on the front of the peloton. Pedersen would have to win the intermediate sprint and the stage to go level on time with Poga\u010dar and Hayter.<\/p>\n I don’t know if that will give him red. Depends if Poga\u010dar or Hayter finish below 15th in the stage or not as that is the Danes finishing position yesterday.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:43:25.106Z 1. Bouwman (JAY) 3pts First points in the KOM standings handed out.<\/p>\n \u26a1\ufe0f First proper climb of this year\u2019s Vuelta! But don\u2019t worry, there is much more to come \ud83d\ude1c\ud83d\udc99 \u00a1Primer puerto de #LaVuelta26 para Bouwman en la lucha por el maillot azul!\u26f0 3\ufe0f\u20e3 \ud835\udc00\ud835\udc0b\ud835\udc13\ud835\udc0e \ud835\udc02\ud835\udc07\ud835\udc00\u0302\ud835\udc13\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc14\ud835\udc0d\ud835\udc04\ud835\udc14\ud835\udc05-\ud835\udc06\ud835\udc11\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc12\ud835\udc12\ud835\udc041\ufe0f\u20e3 \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddf1 Koen Bouwman – @GreenEDGEteam – 3p.2\ufe0f\u20e3 \ud83c\uddea\ud83c\uddf8 Diego\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/iLgpIkCKfyAugust 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:37:38.001Z Hayter, Bouwman and Uriate have 20″ on Fernandez but just 2’00” on the peloton led by Visma-Lease a Bike who want to give Wout Van Aert a chance to go into red at the end of the day. Van Aert starts today 9″ down in GC on Poga\u010dar and Hayter. If Hayter gets any bonuses at the intermediate sprint, it will not be possible for Van Aert to go into red.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:28:10.603Z<\/p>\n Fernandez is still pushing and is 55″ away from the front of the race, but the gap to the peloton is shrinking with the leaders now only holding 2’30” on the peloton with Fernandez now 1’35” ahead of the pack.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:26:07.223Z<\/p>\n It is a long day out front for Hayter but the intermediate sprint, with 48km to go, has 6, 4 and 2 bonus seconds available. Any would see him take virtual red. But, there’s about 140km between him and that point in the race.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:24:38.982Z<\/p>\n And Hayter joins the leaders Bouwman and Uriate with around 5km to the top of the climb.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:23:27.267Z<\/p>\n It looks like the leaders are waiting for Hayter as the gap is shrinking rapidly to him but they have also lost 30″ to the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:22:51.299Z<\/p>\n Bouwman and Uriate still have 33″ on Hayter despite having a big lead on the peloton with Fernandez still at 1’25”.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:18:50.181Z<\/p>\n The riders are on the first climb of the day, the Alto Ch\u00e2teauneuf-Grasse. All the climbs have a little bit of Spanish to them as it is La Vuelta, that is why the Alto is there. Cat 3 climb at 13km with a gentle average gradient of 2.9%. There are 3, 2 and 1 points available at the top.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:14:49.487Z<\/p>\n The leaders are being reported as Koen Bouwman (Jayco-AlUla) and Diego Uriarte (Kern Pharma). They have a gap of 3’28” on the peloton.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:13:57.638Z<\/p>\n Hayter is 35″ off the back of the leaders. He is not joined by Paret-Peintre as previously reported. Fernandez is now at 1’28” from the leaders but 2’00” ahead of the peloton. They have let Hayter go!<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:08:02.548Z<\/p>\n Valentin Paret-Peintre (Soudal-Quickstep) is said to be in the second chase group along with teammate and second overall, Ethan Hayter!<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:07:03.266Z It has been a very aggressive start to racing on the roads of south eastern France.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:06:13.897Z<\/p>\n Sinuh\u00e9 Fern\u00e1ndez (Burgos-Burpellet-BH) is in the third group on the road as he tries to bridge the 45″ gap to the leaders.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:02:18.867Z<\/p>\n Suddenly, there’s groups strewn across the road with the two leaders out front with 1’10” gap on the peloton with two chase groups in the gap.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T11:00:10.272Z<\/p>\n Its Slovenia central at La Vuelta this year! Primo\u017e Rogli\u010d (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe), Domen Novak (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Roman Ermakov (Bahrain Victorious) having a chat in the bunch.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:57:31.820Z<\/p>\n Two riders are clear of the bunch by 17″ but will surely want company.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:53:03.693Z<\/p>\n But the first moves are swiftly caught.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:52:29.564Z<\/p>\n Attacks firing off the front immediately to try and form the early breakaway.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:51:31.492Z Racing gets underway in France now that the riders have left Monaco. The long race to Manosque begins.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcaa Here is the real start of the first classical road stage! Let’s gooo \u2014 @lavuelta.bsky.social (@lavuelta.bsky.social.bsky.social<\/a>) 2026-08-23T11:02:56.570Z<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:50:41.386Z<\/p>\n Ethan Hayter is going to try and take red on today’s stage with tiny gap splitting him and Poga\u010dar.<\/p>\n >>> ‘It’s not completely under my control but I’m going to try’ – After ultra-narrow TT defeat to Poga\u010dar, Ethan Hayter throws hat in ring for red in Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a<\/a><\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images) 2026-08-23T10:48:14.046Z<\/p>\n The racing hasn’t got underway just yet as riders return to the peloton after various issues.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:45:20.579Z<\/p>\n Mechanical for Cl\u00e9ment Berthet (Groupama-FDJ) may delay things slightly.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:41:44.492Z<\/p>\n The racing is due to start any moment now.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:31:56.749Z<\/p>\n Jerseys:<\/p>\n Red – Tadej Poga\u010dar (UAX) *Worn by – Ethan Hayter (SOQ)<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images) 2026-08-23T10:25:01.204Z<\/p>\n The riders rolled out almost half an hour ago in Monaco.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udccd\ud835\udc0c\ud835\udc0e\ud835\udc0d\ud835\udc00\ud835\udc02\ud835\udc0e \u2014 @lavuelta.bsky.social (@lavuelta.bsky.social.bsky.social<\/a>) 2026-08-23T10:24:43.335Z<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:23:43.202Z<\/p>\n Just around 20 minutes left of the neutralised section of today’s stage. All in all, with the neutral included, the riders are riding 235.3km today. A huge distance so early in the race.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:22:11.142Z<\/p>\n It is another sunny day on the Mediterranean coast.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:06:02.087Z<\/p>\n The neutralised section of today’s stage is a massive 21km long as they leave Monaco and head into France. Through \u00c8ze, top of the famous Col d\u00c8ze that recently saw the end of the Tour de France Femmes and into Nice before starting the race at the other side of the frequently visited city.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:03:25.690Z<\/p>\n Its a happy birthday to Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility). The former Tour de l’Avenir winner turns 27 today.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T10:01:46.368Z The riders have rolled out of the start in Monaco. Hayter starts the race in the green skinsuit but on the same time as Poga\u010dar. Could the British rider maybe take bonus seconds at the intermediate sprint?<\/p>\n There are 6, 4 and 2 bonus seconds available in Gr\u00e9oux-les-Bains with just under 50km of the stage remaining. It would take a lot of managing by his Soudal-Quickstep team.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images) 2026-08-23T09:53:03.098Z<\/p>\n Full red but no custom bike just yet as he continues to ride the super lightweight Colnago that has almost no paint on the frame.<\/p>\n Red-hot \u2764\ufe0f Al Rojo vivo\ud83d\udcf8 @cxcling | #LaVuelta26 | @TeamEmiratesUAE pic.twitter.com\/BXojfh1kcWAugust 23, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n 2026-08-23T09:51:19.096Z<\/p>\n It feels like it is wrong but this is Tadej Poga\u010dar’s first time in the red jersey at La Vuelta and he has gone full red, as you would. The last rider to lead a Grand Tour from stage 1 all the way through to the end was Gianni Bugno in 1990 at the Giro d’Italia. Can Poga\u010dar pull off the achievement? Or will he try and give it away early to save his team?<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T09:32:58.476Z<\/p>\n The neutral start comes at midday local time, so the riders will be rolling out of Monaco in around 30 minutes time.<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T09:31:46.610Z<\/p>\n The riders are busy signing on and being presented to the crowd with local hero and Mon\u00e9gasque national champion, Victory Langellotti (XDS-Astana) after his switch from Netcompany-Ineos at the start of the month.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T09:27:50.885Z<\/p>\n The opening road stage of this year’s Vuelta is an intriguing one. Over 3000 metres of climbing on the menu but only two categorised climbs, it is a tricky one to call. Likely suiting the likes of Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek), Wout Van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Kaden groves (Alpecin-Premier Tech) but also brings in riders like Tadej Poga\u010dar himself into the mix and a possible second stage win in as many days.<\/p>\n \n (Image credit: ASO)<\/p>\n 2026-08-23T09:12:30.638Z<\/p>\n Josh Tarling (Netcompany-Ineos) put in a superb ride after eight horrendous days for him and his family.<\/p>\n >>> ‘I gave it everything I had’ \u2013 Eight days after brother Finlay’s death, Josh Tarling takes third in opening Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a time trial<\/a><\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images) 2026-08-23T09:02:56.681Z<\/p>\n It wasn’t a huge surprise to anyone last night that Tadej Poga\u010dar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) took the win, but the margin of victory was incredible. Just 0.09 of a second split the five time Tour de France victor and the British TT champion Ethan Hayter (Soudal-Quickstep) on the line in the principality famed for tight margins in Formula 1.<\/p>\n >>> Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a: Tadej Poga\u010dar claims stage 1 time trial and takes the first leader’s jersey in Monaco<\/a><\/p>\n \n (Image credit: Getty Images) Hola! Welcome to live updates on stage 2 of La Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a here on Cyclingnews.<\/p>\n
\n150km to go<\/p>\n![\"MANOSQUE,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AC8ZHaJ8xMG68W5L2ekjyX.jpg\")
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\nCrash<\/p>\n![\"MANOSQUE,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/YT23xiVRcLevu8mNMovrn8.jpg\")
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\n160km to go<\/p>\n![\"MANOSQUE,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CFRvGZ853QbVrc4JAa6myR.jpg\")
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\n170km to go<\/p>\n
\nKOM (Alto Ch\u00e2teauneuf-Grasse)<\/p>\n
2. Uriate (EKP) 2pts
3. Hayter (SOQ) 1pt<\/p>\n
\n180km to go<\/p>\n![\"MANOSQUE,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Roy2rMUFqC5j5Havz8vwDa.jpg\")
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\n200km to go<\/p>\n![\"MANOSQUE,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/nMzSPv58jpErAmjDbSczNe.jpg\")
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\n214.3km to go<\/p>\n
\n\ud83d\ude0d \u00a1Salida lanzada para la primera etapa en l\u00ednea! \u00a1Vamos!
\n#LaVuelta26<\/p>\n![\"MONACO](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7ETiiEL6UNptbN5ybNHAiP.jpg\")
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Green – Tadej Poga\u010dar (UAX)*
Polka dots – Technically not owned but worn by Callum Thornley (RBH)
White – Josh Tarling (NCI)<\/p>\n![\"MONACO](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/ocas76kW7ti4PV6ipvdvdR.jpg\")
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\n\ud83d\udcaa Stage 2\ufe0f\u20e3 neutral start!
\n\ud83d\ude4c \u00a1Salida neutralizada de la etapa 2\ufe0f\u20e3!
\n#LaVuelta26<\/p>\n![\"MONACO](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/pSCYCaD36Uv2Wn2iNeEe3j.jpg\")
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\nNeutral start<\/p>\n![\"MONACO](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/XL6gKkbf5ZXxMESZWqJVyK.jpg\")
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\n<\/p>\n![\"Profile](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/7ewxrqzPWd9iXfpiRK5xEU.webp\")
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\n<\/p>\n![\"UAE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/PpEhHGvv8AgcUn5LNYNkvU.jpg\")
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