Vuelta a España 2026: hailstorm cancels stage 3 to Font Romeu

The break of the day: Hayter and Wenzel lead the charge

Before the first fifty kilometres had passed, a group of six had gone clear: Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step), Olivier Le Gac, Magnus Cort, Asbjørn Hellemose, Timo Roosen and Mats Wenzel (Equipo Kern Pharma). Milan Vader tried to bridge across but couldn't close the gap. The lead grew to 2 minutes 40 seconds before UAE Team Emirates–XRG took control at the front. Hayter, who'd come within a whisker of winning the opening time trial a day earlier, also picked up the intermediate sprint at Villefranche-de-Conflent along the way.

Hail on the Col de Mont-Louis: the stage is cancelled

On the first-category climb to the Col de Mont-Louis, UAE lifted the pace and the breakaway splintered. Wenzel accelerated, dropped Cort and Hellemose, and pressed on alone with around 6.5 kilometres still to the summit. From the peloton, Lorenzo Fortunato (XDS Astana Team) bridged up to Wenzel, and the pair opened a lead of more than 20 seconds on the group of favourites.

Then the weather turned. Heavy rain gave way to hail — stones 'the size of golf balls', teams reported afterwards — around 15.5 kilometres from the line. Riders scrambled for shelter at the roadside, soaked and freezing. Tadej Pogačar himself signalled that the group should stop racing. Race organisers neutralised the stage and ultimately cancelled it officially: Font Romeu was never reached, and no stage winner was declared.

What does this mean for the standings?

Because the stage was cancelled outright rather than shortened, none of that day's times or points counted. The general classification stays frozen at the state after stage 2: Tadej Pogačar keeps the red jersey — and the green points jersey too — while Koen Bouwman holds on to the polka-dot mountains jersey. An unusual scenario, but one where the safety of the peloton came first.

Looking ahead: stage 4 through Andorra, and more Vuelta reading

There's no rest for the peloton: Tuesday's stage 4 is, at 104.9 kilometres, the shortest of the opening week, but with the Port d'Envalira, the Collada de Beixalís and the Coll d'Ordino on the menu, it's also one of the most explosive. A short route is often exactly what invites long-range attacks — precisely the kind of day nobody can hide on. Follow it on our stage 4 page, or check today's stage once the flag drops.

Want to go through the opening stages once more? Read our stage 1 and 2 results, the complete guide to the 2026 Vuelta a España or the favourites breakdown. And test your knowledge of this eventful opening week with our new stage 1-3 quiz, or build your own tier list of the contenders.