In Stage 6 of the 2026 Vuelta a España, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) secured his third stage victory by narrowly defeating Enric Mas (Movistar Team) in Castelló. The stage featured a challenging ascent of Puerto El Bartolo, including a gravel section, where Pogačar launched an attack. Mas responded strongly, catching up with Pogačar before the summit. During the descent, Pogačar experienced a near-miss but managed to maintain control. The two riders collaborated on the final stretch, with Pogačar ultimately winning the sprint to the finish line. (cyclingnews.com)
The top five finishers of the stage were:
- Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) – 4:12:40
- Enric Mas (Movistar Team) – 4:12:52
- Ramses Debruyne (Alpecin-Premier Tech) – 4:13:26
- Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) – 4:13:26
- Harold Tejada (XDS Astana Team) – 4:13:26
In the general classification, Pogačar extended his lead, with Mas now in second place, 3 minutes and 34 seconds behind. Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) is third, trailing by 4 minutes and 21 seconds. (lavuelta.es)
Highlights:
- Mas humaniza a Pogacar en la Vuelta a España, Published on Thursday, August 27
- Tadej Pogacar da caza a Enric Mas en una llegada con susto a Castellón y suma su tercera victoria de etapa en La Vuelta, Published on Thursday, August 27
- Pogačar gana en Castelló tras una exhibición de Enric Mas en El Bartolo, Published on Thursday, August 27