Organisers of the Vuelta a España cancelled the third stage of the race on Monday after a severe storm, including hail, forced riders off the course before they could reach the finish in Font-Romeu, France.
The 174-kilometre stage had begun in Gruissan, with six riders quickly breaking away from the peloton, including Ethan Hayter, the deputy leader of the points classification. Within about ten kilometres, the breakaway had built a lead of more than two minutes, which it held for a long stretch of the race.
With 45 kilometres to go, the breakaway reached the intermediate sprint, where Hayter crossed first, 1 minute 45 seconds ahead of the main group.
Climb turns into a washout
The riders then began the climb of the Col de Mont-Louis, where the scattered breakaway gradually lost its advantage. Part of the group was caught roughly 27 kilometres from the finish, just as heavy rain began to fall. Mats Wenzel tried to take advantage by attacking off the front.
But the rain intensified and turned to hail. Riders began leaving the course on their own to shelter in nearby refuges, prompting organisers to suspend the stage.
A few minutes later, race organisers confirmed the stage had been cancelled. A statement on the official Vuelta a España website said the weather conditions had made it impossible to reach Font-Romeu.
Pogačar chasing a first Vuelta title
Tadej Pogačar, widely regarded as the best cyclist in the world, has yet to win all three cycling grand tours. He claimed his fifth Tour de France title this year and won the Giro d'Italia two years ago, leaving the Vuelta a España as the only one of the three he has not won.
He has raced the Vuelta only once before, in 2019, finishing third behind fellow Slovenian Primož Roglič and Spain's Alejandro Valverde. After a seven-year absence from the race, Pogačar returned this year to compete for the leader's red jersey.
He took the overall lead after winning the opening stage, a time trial in Monaco, and held it into the second stage despite finishing third into Manosque, France. Should he go on to win the Vuelta, Pogačar would become the ninth rider to have won all three grand tours, following Jonas Vingegaard, the last cyclist to achieve the feat.
