Pogačar records longest solo Grand Tour stage win of his career at Vuelta
Slovenian rider Tadej Pogačar claimed his longest solo victory in a Grand Tour, winning stage 4 of the Vuelta a España by 2:39 after a 50km breakaway.
Tadej Pogačar secured his 32nd Grand Tour stage win on Tuesday, breaking away for a 50km solo effort on the first-category Collada de Beixalis climb and finishing 2 minutes 39 seconds ahead of the nearest rival. The margin represents his biggest winning gap in a Grand Tour stage and extends his record for the longest solo victory in a Grand Tour to 50km, surpassing his previous best on the Col du Tourmalet at the Tour de France earlier this year.
The win came after Pogačar accelerated from a group that included former GC contender Felix Gall, while his UAE team helped control earlier attacks. He arrived at the finish line in Andorra la Vella well clear of the chase, with neo-pro Jarno Widar recorded as the second-placed rider.
Although the performance ranks as his longest Grand Tour solo win, it is shorter than his longest solo victories in other races, such as the 81km attack at the 2024 Strade Bianche. Analysts note that Pogačar now holds the four longest solo wins of the 2026 men's WorldTour season.
"When it was really raining a lot, I felt good and in my mind was to push and go solo," Pogačar said after the stage, praising teammates Isaac del Toro and Tim Wellens for their work in setting a hard race.
His achievement follows a series of long-range solo victories by other riders, including Sigrid Haugset’s 88km win at the Tour de France Femmes and Bob Jungels’ 60km break at the 2022 Tour de France. Pogačar’s continued success reinforces his reputation as a rider capable of decisive, long-distance attacks in stage races.