Wout van Aert had to hide in a van during the Vuelta a España's stage 3 ending thunderstorm
CyclingTuesday, 25 August 2026 at 10:44
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Follow us on GoogleThe third stage of the Vuelta a España had to be called off early on Monday. The riders were battered by severe weather conditions during the final 20 kilometers on their way to Font Romeu, leading to the decision to cancel the stage. Visma | Lease a Bike praised this decision afterward.
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The Dutch team, which had been celebrating with Matthew Brennan as recently as Sunday, rode Monday’s stage with its three best climbers: Jorgen Nordhagen, Ben Tulett, and Sepp Kuss. A strong Wout van Aert could also have handled the final climb, in theory.
However, it never came to that: twenty kilometers from the finish line, it started pouring in southern France. What began as heavy rain turned into lightning and hail. As a result, the riders—including those from Visma | Lease a Bike—had to seek shelter in a nearby hotel.
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Visma | Lease a Bike welcomes the Vuelta organisers' decision
Team manager Maarten Wynants issued a statement on behalf of Visma | Lease a Bike after the stage. “It was a good decision by the organisers and the riders to stop the race. Given the weather conditions, it was simply too dangerous to continue, and it was best for everyone’s safety to cancel the race.”
Wout van Aert spoke to Sporza after the stage: 'I first hid in a van and then we were almost with all the riders in a hotel nearby. Suddenly the thunderstorm broke out and there were few racers left. It would have been very unsafe, because the road was full of hailstones. Now I'm going to warm up', the Belgian said afterwards, before boarding the Visma | Lease a Bike team bus.
The next mountain stage is scheduled for Tuesday. On that day, the peloton will head to Andorra, home to Kuss and Tulett, among others.
What to expect from stage 4 of the Vuelta a España
Stage 4 of the 2026 Vuelta a España is a short but brutal mountain stage in Andorra, starting and finishing in Andorra la Vella. The route immediately climbs the Port de Envalira (23 km at 4.9% to 2,409 m), followed by a long descent back to Encamp. Riders then face the steep Collada de Beixalis (6.5 km at 8.6%), an intermediate sprint in Ordino, the Coll d’Ordino (9.9 km at 7%), and a final punchy ascent of the Alto de la Comella (3.8 km at 8.6%) before a technical descent to the finish.
Weather is expected to be dry and mild with light winds. Tadej Pogacar leads the race and is the top favorite for this explosive terrain, with threats from Richard Carapaz, Felix Gall, Oscar Onley, and others; strong breakaway candidates could also contend if Pogacar’s team allows it.
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- - Felix Gall getting slept on again. If Gall attacks on the final mountain stage post-TT and Mas hesitates, gaps can open fast. Still, credit where due—Movistar are controlling every mountain day like it’scadencekingm07-09-2026
- - Not buying the “I’m not worried” line. He’s never beaten Roglič in a TT, and that stat is brutal. Article could’ve dug into aero gains, pacing splits, or wind forecasts instead of repeating history. Feels a bit surface-level.gearguru3307-09-2026
- - Does anyone know what wheels/TT setup Mas used last time he faced Roglič in a similar distance? Would the team switch to a slightly higher cadence strategy to keep him from blowing up late? Curious how much that can claw back.jeremya07-09-2026
- - Great read, but are we sure the TT gap will be “often one and a half minutes” over 30k? Course profile matters loads—if it’s rolling with crosswinds, Mas can survive. Roglič is lethal, sí, pero Mas tiene equipo fuerte hoy. Vamos Enric!jennifer1907-09-2026
- - Mas looks rock solid in red. Movistar have ridden super smart, especially on StageIf he limits losses to under a minute on the ITT, this could be done and dusted.patriciaw07-09-2026
- - Feel bad for Pogačar. Third straight would’ve been epic. But this opens the door for Del Toro big time; his late-season form screams contender.patriciaw07-09-2026
- - Carapaz as dark horse is spot on. If the weather turns and it’s attritional, he’ll sniff out the decisive split. Nunca subestimen a Richie — il sait souffrir.raceready707-09-2026
- - How hilly is the Montreal course exactly? Is it like the GP Montréal laps with Côte Camillien-Houde and Polytechnique, or flatter? Trying to picture which riders it favors.robert6507-09-2026
- - Not sure about putting Seixas on the same tier as Remco already. Evenepoel has the experience of winning worlds and managing chaos. Let’s see how Paul handles 260km and the pressure first.jennifer1907-09-2026
- - Love Hinault backing Seixas. Kid’s got a crazy engine and that Montréal circuit suits a punchy finisher who can ride long. If FDJ/France control the late moves, he’s a legit podium shout.davidm07-09-2026
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