Overview
- Tadej Pogačar crashed on Saturday, sustaining a concussion and a broken left clavicle, withdrew from the Vuelta and underwent successful surgery on his clavicle while remaining in hospital for monitoring.
- Enric Mas won stage nine on Sunday and extended his overall lead to 1 minute 18 seconds over Primož Roglič, claiming Movistar’s first Vuelta stage win in five years.
- The race has shifted from a Pogačar-dominated event to an open contest with Roglič, Felix Gall and Oscar Onley among the principal challengers and teams revising tactics accordingly.
- Oscar Onley finished second on stage nine, moved up to fourth overall and leads the best young rider classification, while Felix Gall sits third at 1 minute 39 seconds.
- With four big summit finishes and a decisive stage 18 individual time trial still to come, the remaining mountain stages are likely to decide the podium and Pogačar’s injury puts his 2026 season and World Championships participation in doubt.