Overview
- Matthew Brennan won stage 11 in Lorca on Wednesday to claim his third stage victory of this Vuelta, edging Bryan Coquard and Jordi Meeus in a photo finish after a Wout van Aert lead‑out.
- Enric Mas retained the red jersey after the mostly flat 153.8km stage and leads Primož Roglič by 1 minute 18 seconds in the general classification.
- Tadej Pogačar withdrew earlier in the race following a crash and fractured collarbone, a development that opened the overall battle and left teams to revise their GC plans.
- Stage 12 is a 166.6km mountain test from Vera to Calar Alto with five categorized climbs including a double ascent of Velefique and a summit finish that is expected to be the next major GC separator.
- Teams are shifting priorities with sprinters targeting flat days and contenders conserving for the high mountains, a dynamic that could hand Visma momentum in sprints while the coming climbs and a late time trial will likely decide the final podium.