Pogacar beats Hayter by nine hundredths in Monaco

Tadej Pogacar won the opening time trial of the 2026 Vuelta a España and claimed the first red jersey after an extraordinarily close contest with Ethan Hayter in Monaco. Both riders were officially credited with 10:57 over the technical 9.4-kilometre course, but the Slovenian prevailed by only nine hundredths of a second.

Hayter had taken the provisional lead with a fast, controlled ride and appeared set to win as the final favourites completed the course. Pogacar matched him through the twisting streets of the Principality and found enough speed in the closing metres to decide the stage by a fraction. Joshua Tarling finished third, four seconds behind, completing a strong British presence in the top three.

The result gives Pogacar the first lead of a race he has never won and immediately confirms his condition as the main general-classification favourite. The short time trial created only modest gaps, although every second could matter later in the three-week race. Iván Romeo was the best Spanish rider in 19th place, 18 seconds behind the winner.

The Vuelta continues with a 214.3-kilometre rolling stage from Monaco to Manosque. Pogacar will start in red, while Hayter remains level with him to the nearest second and within striking distance through the bonus seconds available on the road.