Pogacar Beats Hayter by 0.09 Seconds to Take Vuelta a Espana Lead

MONACO —

Tadej Pogacar took the leader's red jersey at the Vuelta a Espana on Saturday, winning the opening time trial through the streets of Monaco by just 0.09 seconds over Britain's Ethan Hayter, according to Guardian Sport.

Pogacar finished the 9.4 kilometer course in 10 minutes, 57 seconds, the tightest margin of his career in a time trial, he said. "It's a weird feeling to win the time trial on the first stage and by such a small margin," Pogacar said, according to Guardian Sport. "I was not expecting it. I'm really happy. This red is a really nice color." He credited local knowledge for the win, saying the decisive fraction of a second came at the most technical point of the course, right by the apartment where he lives in Monaco.

A Tense Finish And A Rival's Grief

Britain's Josh Tarling had set the fastest time and looked set to take the stage before Hayter and then Pogacar passed him, Yahoo Sports and Channel NewsAsia reported. Tarling finished third, four seconds off the pace, in an emotional ride that came eight days after the death of his 19-year-old brother, Finlay, in a road accident during the Tour of Portugal, according to Guardian Sport.

Pogacar said he had been rooting for Tarling to win. "When I was going to the start line I saw that Josh had the best time. I was really wishing he would win today," Pogacar said, according to Guardian Sport. "Then I came to the intermediate point and I hear a different name. I hear Ethan Hayter is in front of me by three seconds. So I thought: I will give it everything, but no risks. I'll see what happens."

Geraint Thomas, Tarling's race director at Netcompany-Ineos, told TNT Sports the ride showed his rider's character. "It's unimaginable what he has gone through the last week and to put in a performance like that shows his class," Thomas said, according to Yahoo Sports and Channel NewsAsia. "We will try to be normal around him and support him as best we can."

Chasing A Career Grand Slam

Pogacar, who won his fifth Tour de France last month and the Giro d'Italia in 2024, is bidding to complete a career sweep of cycling's three grand tours, according to Guardian Sport. A Vuelta win would also make him the fourth rider to complete the Tour de France and Vuelta double in the same season. Slovenian rider Primoz Roglic, chasing a record fifth Vuelta title, finished 24th in the opening stage.

The 81st edition of the Vuelta a Espana continues Sunday with a 214-kilometer stage from Monaco to Manosque, France, before further stages in Gruissan and Andorra ahead of the race's return to Spain. The race is scheduled to finish in Granada on September 13.