Overview
- Tadej Pogacar won the 9.4‑km individual time trial in Monaco on Saturday, Aug. 22, clocking 10min 57sec to take the red leader's jersey.
- The result strengthens his status as the clear favorite to win the Vuelta and would complete a career Grand Tour treble if he holds the overall lead to Granada.
- Jonas Vingegaard will not start the race after fracturing his collarbone in the Tour de France, removing one of Pogacar’s principal rivals from contention.
- Race organisers designed a mountainous 3,275 km route with about 58,000 metres of climbing, six high‑mountain stages and seven summit finishes that should favour climbers and GC specialists.
- UAE Team Emirates‑XRG named a support squad including Joao Almeida and Jay Vine, and team staff say the short turnarounds since the Tour will force careful management of Pogacar’s recovery and race strategy.