MADRID, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- Tadej Pogacar will be the overwhelming favorite when the 2026 Vuelta a Espana begins in Monaco on Saturday, as the Slovenian seeks to complete his collection of cycling's three Grand Tours.
The UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider has not competed in the Vuelta since announcing himself on the world stage with a third-place finish in 2019. He has since won the Tour de France five times and the Giro d'Italia, leaving the Vuelta as the only Grand Tour missing from his palmares.
Pogacar arrives in Spain after claiming his fifth Tour de France title in July and will be backed by another powerful UAE lineup that includes Joao Almeida, runner-up in last year's Vuelta.
Heat could play a significant role in this year's race, with the route spending more than two weeks in southern and southeastern Spain following an exceptionally hot summer. Storms could also complicate conditions during the three-week event.
The route offers little respite, with only four stages classified as flat across 21 days of racing. It also features six mountain stages, four medium-mountain stages, four rolling stages, one rolling stage with a summit finish and two individual time trials.
Pogacar will face several potential challengers. Sepp Kuss leads Visma-Lease a Bike in the absence of the injured Jonas Vingegaard, while Wout van Aert returns after missing the Tour de France through injury and is expected to target stage victories.
British climber Oscar Onley, who showed strong form at the recent Tour of Burgos, will lead Netcompany INEOS, while Colombia's Santiago Buitrago will target the mountain stages for Bahrain Victorious.
Former Giro d'Italia winner Richard Carapaz will spearhead EF Education-EasyPost's challenge. The Ecuadorian, known for his aggressive racing and long-range attacks, will be among the contenders for a podium finish.
Spanish hopes will again rest largely with Enric Mas. The Movistar rider has finished runner-up at the Vuelta three times and will look to challenge for another podium place on a route well suited to his climbing ability.
The general classification battle could begin taking shape almost immediately. Monday's third stage finishes at Font-Romeu after around 2,600 meters of climbing, much of it concentrated in the final 40 kilometers.
With Pogacar renowned for attacking early when opportunities arise, his rivals could face their first major test just three days into the race. ■
