Oscar Onley is 'back to his old self' after stomach problems at La Vuelta, but INEOS teammate Rodriguez is struggling

Oscar Onley was unable to compete at the 2026 Tour de France, but he is now making up for it at the Vuelta a España for Netcompany INEOS. The British rider is making a strong impression, and with Tadej Pogačar out of the race, he suddenly has a shot at the top prize. Also riding for the British team is Carlos Rodriguez, who, unlike his younger teammate, is putting in a less impressive display.

Onley is fourth in the general classification, 2.20 minutes behind red jersey holder Enric Mas. "Sitting here on the rest day, I'm actually quite happy with where I'm at considering what I've been through in this first week, with some stomach problems and the crash on stage eight. I haven't lost too much time with those setbacks so I'm pretty happy with how I'm feeling now and ready for the next two weeks."

Onley was a little nervous about the grueling ninth stage. “Everyone was a bit scared of the stage yesterday. With that amount of climbing, it was always going to be a hard stage but from the beginning, I felt like I was back to normal. I felt good during the stage," said the young Scot.

"When Decathlon set the pace in the final climb, it suited me a bit more to put a bit more fatigue in the legs and putting the group under pressure. It got a bit tactical in the last five, six kilometres. I was still feeling quite in control then and was quite conscious of what was going on so I was able to assess the situation. I felt in control during the final part which was quite nice,” said Onley, who finished second in that stage.

Onley is surrounded by older riders in the general classification. “This race for me is a bit different in the guys I'm competing against because they are a bit older and have some more experience which probably makes it a bit more difficult for me," he confirms.

"I'm used to competing against riders of a similar age and we race in a similar way and probably make a few more mistakes, whereas the likes of Mas and [Primož] Roglič, they've got a lot of Grand Tour experience and have been in this position a lot more. They kind of know what they're doing and so you can't afford to make any mistakes as you know that they're in control.”

Of course, Onley wouldn't be in this situation if Tadej Pogačar were still in the race. The Slovenian had a commanding lead in the general classification, but crashed on the eighth stage and had to withdraw from the race. As a result, the riders who would normally be competing for the podium suddenly have a rare chance to win a Grand Tour. Onley is one of them.

But he says nothing has changed: "The other guys I'm competing against stays the same. Obviously if I beat these guys now, the consequences are much bigger and there's a Grand Tour up for grabs, but I'm not really thinking about that. I'm just thinking about, firstly how to gain back time on these guys, and also to race the way I want to and put myself in the best position possible."

Last year, the Scot rode for Picnic PostNL, but things are very different at Netcompany. He feels more at ease during the race. "I think it's key for a Grand Tour to have a group that really gets on and we can really be there for each other and be really committed. The way we raced on stage five with the crosswinds, we were really in control there," he said.

"For someone like me, before I joined this team, I was always quite nervous for crosswinds, and now I'm quite excited for them because of the strength we have in the team and the experience we have as well. We also really click with each other; there's guys here I've not raced with all year, but we all get on really well which has made it so much easier."

Is Onley thinking about the red jersey now? “I think just getting the most out of myself and knowing that I've put together the best race I could. Obviously, I want to win a stage and be up there on GC but I think if I cross that final finish line knowing I gave everything I could and finish as empty as possible then I will be satisfied. I want to get as much out of myself and out of the team as well."

Carlos Rodriguez, Onley’s teammate, is now 29th in the overall standings. The climber, who finished sixth four years ago on his Vuelta debut, is struggling to recapture his form from back then. “Obviously there was a point where I didn't feel at the level I was hoping to be at and it was a big disappointment for me."

That moment when things went wrong? That was in Andorra, where Rodriguez finished 109th and lost a lot of time. "The main setback has been on the mental side, but the mental side controls the legs. When you're suffering full gas, you can't always rely on pushing the legs but the mind as well. I hope I can keep pushing and enjoy, while suffering," said the Spaniard.

"To be honest, I'm not quite where I want to be yet," says the Spaniard, who is thoroughly enjoying himself during his home race. This is such a nice group of riders in the team here. Everyone is on the same page, having fun and the atmosphere is great. The fans have also been super great, supportive and also respectful so I'm enjoying it. I still think the best part is coming so I'm looking forward to it. On Friday, the Vuelta starts in Almuñécar, his hometown.

In the coming weeks, Rodriguez will put Onley first, hoping to secure the win. “It's been really good, and having someone that is coming to deliver a good result, and we can have confidence in him, has been really nice. I want to support Oscar even better in the next part of the race as so far I haven't been too decisive."