Van Aert wins in Loja and fires a warning before Worlds

Wout van Aert claimed his first victory of the 2026 Vuelta a España on stage 13, covering 192.8 kilometres from Almuñécar to Loja. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider joined a breakaway of more than 40 riders and attacked 3.5 kilometres from the finish after a demanding day with 3,404 metres of climbing. Only Valentin Paret-Peintre could follow, but Van Aert comfortably beat him in the sprint, while Matthew Brennan led the chasing group home 24 seconds later.

The victory rewarded Van Aert after he had spent the first half of the race helping Brennan to win three stages. It was the Belgian's fourth Vuelta stage win following his three victories in 2024, and Visma's tactics worked perfectly as Brennan controlled the chasing moves while his teammate attacked.

Van Aert's performance also sent an important signal ahead of the Road World Championships in Montreal. He combined endurance in the heat and over three classified climbs with the power to attack and then sprint for victory, confirming that he is approaching the decisive part of the season in strong form.