Pogacar remains in the lead after the second stage of the Vuelta a España

• Pogačar is third in the second stage of the Vuelta a España
• The victory was claimed by British rider Matthew Brennan
• The Slovenian remains the leader of the general classification
• He spoke about the difficulties during the race

In the second stage of the Vuelta a España 2026, there was a reshuffling of the race leaders, but Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates – XRG) remained at the top of the general classification. Finishing third, Pogačar explained the challenges of the day in his personal interview.

The stage victory was claimed by British rider Matthew Brennan from the UCI WorldTeam Visma–Lease a Bike. During the race, his competitor for the lead created a significant gap on the course, forcing Pogačar to change his strategy during the stage.

A tough day in the race

In a conversation with journalists, the Slovenian spoke about the difficulties he faced during the race. According to him, he initially felt unwell and was unable to fully compete for victory in the stage. Despite being in good physical shape, his body did not show its usual level that day.

Pogačar noted that one of his competitors (specifically mentioning Van Aert) quickly created a gap with the main group, and the cyclist had to focus on recovering his strength to minimize losses in the overall classification. In such a situation, the priority was on maintaining positions in the general classification rather than competing for the stage win.

A Look into the Future

The titled Slovenian racer also believes that with better well-being and more correct tactical work from the team, he would have had a chance to win this stage. This indicates his confidence in his own abilities despite not having the best day on the track.

The Vuelta a España is one of the three grand tours in cycling and attracts the best riders from around the world. For Pogačar, who has already achieved significant success in his career, the fight for overall victory in this race remains the main goal. His current lead in the general classification gives him a good starting position for the final stages.

The second stage was a test for many participants in the race, with results showing that the competition will be intense until the finish. For Pogačar, it is important to gather strength before the upcoming challenging mountain stages, where the outcome of the race at the Vuelta is usually decided.

Source: Championat