The short version
- Primoz Roglic finished fourth in the individual time trial, reducing his overall deficit to Enric Mas by more than thirty seconds.
- Stefan Kung won the stage for Tudor Pro Cycling, finishing ahead of Callum Thornley and Joao Almeida.
- The race concludes with two mountain stages and a final flat stage in Granada, where Mas aims to secure his first Grand Tour title.
The general classification at the Vuelta a Espana tightened significantly on Wednesday following the completion of stage eighteen, an individual time trial that reshaped the podium contenders. Primoz Roglic, riding for Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, delivered a strong performance to move into second place overall. The four-time winner of this race closed the gap on current leader Enric Mas by more than thirty seconds, bringing their separation down to one minute and thirty-seven seconds.
Roglic completed the 32.5-kilometer course from El Puerto de Santa Maria to Jerez de la Frontera in 35 minutes and 41 seconds. This effort was nineteen seconds slower than the stage winner but sufficient to overtake Felix Gall in the standings. The Austrian rider, who rides for Decathlon CMA CGM Team, finished twenty-fifth on the day, arriving thirty-six seconds behind Roglic. Consequently, Gall dropped to third place overall, trailing Roglic by one minute and twenty-four seconds.
Enric Mas, representing the Movistar Team, finished twelfth in the time trial. Despite not matching the pace of the top contenders on this specific stage, his previous accumulated advantages allowed him to retain the red jersey. The thirty-one-year-old Spaniard now holds a lead of one minute and thirty-seven seconds over Roglic with three stages remaining. Mas will look to defend this margin during the final weekend, which includes two demanding mountain stages before the race concludes in Granada.
Stefan Kung of Switzerland claimed victory on stage eighteen for the Tudor Pro Cycling Team. The time trial specialist finished in 35 minutes and 22 seconds, establishing a three-second advantage over second-place finisher Callum Thornley. Thornley, who rides for Roglic’s team, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, demonstrated strong form on the flat course. Joao Almeida of UAE Team Emirates-XRG took third place, finishing nine seconds behind Kung.
The time trial also saw significant movement among other contenders. Wout van Aert of Team Visma-Lease a Bike finished fifth on the stage, twenty seconds behind the winner. Finn Fisher-Black, another teammate of Roglic at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, placed sixth, just one second behind van Aert. Bruno Armirail, also from Visma-Lease a Bike, completed the top seven, finishing twenty-six seconds off the pace set by Kung.
In the young rider classification, Oscar Onley maintained his position as the leader of the white jersey competition. The British rider, competing for Netcompany Ineos Cycling, finished seventeenth in the time trial. This result allowed him to extend his lead over Jakob Omrzel of Bahrain Victorious. Omrzel, who sits sixth in the general classification, trails Onley by one minute and thirty-three seconds in the overall standings.
The race now turns its attention to Friday’s stage, which covers 205.1 kilometers between Velez-Malaga and Penas Blancas. This route is expected to test the endurance of the remaining contenders before Saturday’s mountainous stage from La Calahorra to Collado del Alguacil. The final day on Sunday features a shorter 99.4-kilometer course ending in Granada, where Mas will attempt to secure his first Grand Tour victory.
The current top ten in the general classification reflects a tight competition for the remaining podium spots. Richard Carapaz of EF Education-EasyPost holds fourth place, trailing Roglic by three minutes and forty seconds. Clement Berthet, Mattias Skjelmose, and Cristian Rodriguez occupy the seventh through ninth positions, all within less than two minutes of each other. Harold Tejada rounds out the top ten, sitting nearly ten minutes behind Mas.
Roglic’s previous successes in this event add weight to his late surge. He won the Vuelta a Espana in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2024, establishing himself as one of the most successful riders in the race’s history. His ability to gain time on rivals during time trials has been a consistent factor in his past victories. Whether he can replicate that form in the final mountain stages remains uncertain.
Mas faces pressure not only from Roglic but also from Gall and Carapaz, who remain within striking distance. The Movistar Team leader must navigate the remaining terrain without making costly errors. The gap of one minute and thirty-seven seconds is manageable but requires careful management, particularly on steep climbs where attacks are likely. The final three stages will determine whether Mas can hold off the experienced Slovenian rider.
Sources behind this briefing
Go to the original reporting
- BBC News↗Roglic closes gap on Mas in Vuelta time trial
