Vuelta a España Stage 3 Canceled After Hailstorm

Stage 3 of the Vuelta a España was canceled on Monday, August 24, 2026, after a severe hailstorm struck the peloton on the Col de MontLouis in the French Pyrénées, forcing race organizers to abandon the stage for rider safety. The decision left race leader Tadej Pogačar in the red jersey, with the general classification unchanged.

The 174-kilometer stage from Gruissan to Font Romeu was set to be the race's first major mountain test, featuring a category-one climb followed by a category-two summit finish. Early in the stage, a breakaway formed featuring Ethan Hayter, Mats Wenzel, and others, which was controlled by Pogačar's UAE Team EmiratesXRG team. As the peloton ascended the Col de MontLouis, crosswinds briefly split the bunch before conditions deteriorated rapidly. Heavy rain turned into a hailstorm, pelting riders with large hailstones and rendering the road dangerous.

Video footage showed Pogačar, acting as the peloton's patron, signaling fellow riders to halt and seek shelter. The race was neutralized as riders, including some who had stopped at the roadside, were moved into a nearby hotel. Race officials subsequently announced the cancellation. "For the security of the...