The 2026 Vuelta a España goes into crunch time over the coming days with the individual time trial on Thursday 10 September, preceding two big days in the mountains before the finale in Granada.
Stage 18’s 32.1km time trial will help decide the direction of the race’s overall classification, as there is just 2:10 minutes separating the top three riders. Anyone with GC ambitions, be it the podium or the top ten, will need to bring their A-game. It is also the last chance for time trial specialists to win a stage, the first since the opening day in Monaco, and for the teams left with nothing to show from the race in the wake of Visma Lease-a-bike and UAE winning 10 of the 17 stages so far.
With stage one victor – Tadej Pogačar, remember him? – absent, the stage is clear for someone else to step up, whether that be a TT specialist like Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) or Stefan Küng (Tudor Pro Cycling), or a GC rider who is strong against the clock, like Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).
With just over 150m of climbing in today’s 32.1km effort, it is almost certainly a stage for the specialists who have spent time warming down in their TT positions after stages. How leader Enric Mas does will also be key. The Spanish climber typically loses time in flat time trials – 3:51 minutes in 42km to Jonas Vingegaard at the Giro d’Italia this May – but with the red jersey to defend, and home fans behind him, will have added motivation to apply himself.
The timing points come at 11.5km and 22km. The first rider will be the lanterne rouge, or last man on general classification, Mathias Norsgaard (Lidl-Trek) at 2:07pm CEST (1:07pm BST/8:07am EDT), with riders the heading out at minute intervals until Raúl García Pierna (Movistar) at 4:15pm CEST, at which time there will be two-minute gaps all the way to Enric Mas (Movistar) at 4:55pm CEST.
Favourites to look out for include Hayter, Küng, Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility), Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), Roglič and João Almeida (UAE Team Emirates-XRG).
Vuelta a España stage 18 ITT start times
|
Start order |
Rider |
Start time (CEST) |
|---|---|---|
|
1 |
Mathias Norsgaard (Den) Lidl-Trek |
14:07:00 |
|
2 |
Paul Double (GBr) Jayco AlUla |
14:08:00 |
|
3 |
Louis Rouland (Fra) Cofidis |
14:09:00 |
|
4 |
Domen Novak (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
14:10:00 |
|
5 |
Ethan Hayter (GBr) Soudal Quick-Step |
14:11:00 |
|
6 |
Asbjørn Hellemose (Den) Jayco AlUla |
14:12:00 |
|
7 |
Jordi Meeus (Bel) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
14:13:00 |
|
8 |
Marc Brustenga (Esp) Kern Pharma |
14:14:00 |
|
9 |
Matevž Govekar (Slo) Bahrain Victorious |
14:15:00 |
|
10 |
Steffen De Schuyteneer (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
14:17:00 |
|
11 |
Juan Guillermo Martinez (Col) Picnic PostNL |
14:18:00 |
|
12 |
Callum Thornley (GBr) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
14:19:00 |
|
13 |
César Macías (Mex) Burgos Burpellet BH |
14:20:00 |
|
14 |
Vito Braet (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
14:21:00 |
|
15 |
Rasmus Tiller (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
14:22:00 |
|
16 |
Oscar Chamberlain (Aus) Decathlon CMA CGM |
14:23:00 |
|
17 |
Gianni Moscon (Ita) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
14:24:00 |
|
18 |
Alberto Dainese (Ita) Soudal Quick-Step |
14:25:00 |
|
19 |
Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
14:26:00 |
|
20 |
Alessandro Covi (Ita) Jayco AlUla |
14:27:00 |
|
21 |
Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Jayco AlUla |
14:28:00 |
|
22 |
Alastair Mackellar (Aus) EF Education-EasyPost |
14:29:00 |
|
23 |
Orluis Aular (Ven) Movistar |
14:30:00 |
|
24 |
Fabio Van Den Bossche (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step |
14:31:00 |
|
25 |
Sinuhé Fernández (Esp) Burgos Burpellet BH |
14:32:00 |
|
26 |
Darren van Bekkum (Ned) XDS Astana |
14:33:00 |
|
27 |
Timo de Jong (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
14:34:00 |
|
28 |
Iñigo Elosegui (Esp) Kern Pharma |
14:35:00 |
|
29 |
Ivo Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
14:36:00 |
|
30 |
David de la Cruz (Esp) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
14:37:00 |
|
31 |
Michael Gogl (Aut) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
14:38:00 |
|
32 |
Iván Cobo (Esp) Kern Pharma |
14:39:00 |
|
33 |
Roman Ermakov (Slo) Bahrain Victorious |
14:40:00 |
|
34 |
Bryan Coquard (Fra) Cofidis |
14:41:00 |
|
35 |
Mats Wenzel (Lux) Kern Pharma |
14:42:00 |
|
36 |
Georg Steinhauser (Ger) EF Education-EasyPost |
14:43:00 |
|
37 |
Martin Tjøtta (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
14:44:00 |
|
38 |
Sylvain Moniquet (Bel) Cofidis |
14:45:00 |
|
39 |
Thibau Nys (Bel) Lidl-Trek |
14:46:00 |
|
40 |
Yevgeniy Fedorov (Kaz) XDS Astana |
14:47:00 |
|
41 |
Pablo Castrillo (Spa) Movistar Team |
14:48:00 |
|
42 |
Mathijs Paasschens (Ned) Bahrain Victorious |
14:49:00 |
|
43 |
Nick Schultz (Aus) NSN Cycling |
14:50:00 |
|
44 |
Jorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar |
14:51:00 |
|
45 |
Chris Hamilton (Aus) Picnic PostNL |
14:52:00 |
|
46 |
Magnus Cort (Den) Uno-X Mobility |
14:53:00 |
|
47 |
Gal Glivar (Slo) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
14:54:00 |
|
48 |
Darren Rafferty (Irl) EF Education-EasyPost |
14:55:00 |
|
49 |
Xabier Mikel Azparren Irurzun (Esp) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
14:56:00 |
|
50 |
Matthew Brennan (GBr) Visma-Lease a Bike |
14:57:00 |
|
51 |
Ivan Ramiro Sosa (Col) Kern Pharma |
14:58:00 |
|
52 |
Fredrik Dversnes (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
14:59:00 |
|
53 |
Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Lotto-Intermarché |
15:00:00 |
|
54 |
Jesús Herrada (Esp) Burgos Burpellet BH |
15:01:00 |
|
55 |
Sergio Samitier (Esp) Cofidis |
15:02:00 |
|
56 |
Frederik Wandahl (Den) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
15:03:00 |
|
57 |
João Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
15:04:00 |
|
58 |
Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
15:05:00 |
|
59 |
Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Netcompany-Ineos |
15:06:00 |
|
60 |
Roland Thalmann (Sui) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:07:00 |
|
61 |
Lars Craps (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
15:08:00 |
|
62 |
Alessandro Romele (Ita) XDS Astana |
15:09:00 |
|
63 |
Iván Romeo (Spa) Movistar |
15:10:00 |
|
64 |
Walter Calzoni (Ita) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:11:00 |
|
65 |
Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Lidl-Trek |
15:12:00 |
|
66 |
Carlos Canal (Spa) Movistar |
15:13:00 |
|
67 |
Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike |
15:14:00 |
|
68 |
Sander De Pestel (Bel) Decathlon CMA CGM |
15:15:00 |
|
69 |
Rémy Rochas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:16:00 |
|
70 |
Simon Dalby (Den) Uno-X Mobility |
15:17:00 |
|
71 |
Thomas Gloag (GBr) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:18:00 |
|
72 |
Rudy Porter (Aus) Jayco AlUla |
15:19:00 |
|
73 |
Jose Luis Faura Asensio (Esp) Burgos Burpellet BH |
15:20:00 |
|
74 |
Marcel Camprubí (Esp) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:21:00 |
|
75 |
Clement Alleno (Fra) Burgos Burpellet BH |
15:22:00 |
|
76 |
Andreas Leknessund (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
15:23:00 |
|
77 |
Finn Fisher-Black (NZl) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
15:24:00 |
|
78 |
Bastien Tronchon (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:25:00 |
|
79 |
Pau Miquel (Esp) Bahrain Victorious |
15:26:00 |
|
80 |
Fabian Weiss (Sui) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:27:00 |
|
81 |
Vincenzo Albanese (Ita) EF Education-EasyPost |
15:28:00 |
|
82 |
Ibon Ruiz (Spa) Kern Pharma |
15:29:00 |
|
83 |
Gianmarco Garofoli (Ita) Soudal Quick-Step |
15:30:00 |
|
84 |
Pau Marti Soriano (Esp) NSN Cycling |
15:31:00 |
|
85 |
William Barta (USA) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:32:00 |
|
86 |
Axel Laurance (Fra) Netcompany-Ineos |
15:33:00 |
|
87 |
Andreas Kron (Den) Uno-X Mobility |
15:34:00 |
|
88 |
Bruno Armirail (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike |
15:35:00 |
|
89 |
Lennard Kämna (Ger) Lidl-Trek |
15:36:00 |
|
90 |
Stefan Küng (Sui) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:37:00 |
|
91 |
Julien Bernard (Fra) Lidl-Trek |
15:38:00 |
|
92 |
Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) NSN Cycling |
15:39:00 |
|
93 |
Hannes Wilksch (Ger) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:40:00 |
|
94 |
Attila Valter (Hun) Bahrain Victorious |
15:41:00 |
|
95 |
Paul Ourselin (Fra) Cofidis |
15:42:00 |
|
96 |
Enzo Paleni (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:43:00 |
|
97 |
Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:44:00 |
|
98 |
Mauri Vansevenant (Bel) Soudal Quick-Step |
15:45:00 |
|
99 |
James Shaw (GBr) EF Education-EasyPost |
15:46:00 |
|
100 |
Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) XDS Astana |
15:47:00 |
|
101 |
Luke Tuckwell (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
15:48:00 |
|
102 |
Reuben Thompson (NZl) Lotto-Intermarché |
15:49:00 |
|
103 |
Wout van Aert (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike |
15:50:00 |
|
104 |
Jørgen Nordhagen (Nor) Visma-Lease a Bike |
15:51:00 |
|
105 |
Milan Vader (Ned) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:52:00 |
|
106 |
Kevin Vermaerke (USA) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
15:53:00 |
|
107 |
Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:54:00 |
|
108 |
Larry Warbasse (USA) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:55:00 |
|
109 |
Carlos Rodríguez (Esp) Netcompany-Ineos |
15:56:00 |
|
110 |
Ramses Debruyne (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
15:57:00 |
|
111 |
Mikel Landa (Esp) Soudal Quick-Step |
15:58:00 |
|
112 |
Eddie Dunbar (Irl) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:59:00 |
|
113 |
Henok Mulueberhan (Eri) XDS Astana |
16:00:00 |
|
114 |
Marco Brenner (Ger) Tudor Pro Cycling |
16:01:00 |
|
115 |
José Manuel Díaz (Esp) Burgos Burpellet BH |
16:02:00 |
|
116 |
Patrick Konrad (Aut) Lidl-Trek |
16:03:00 |
|
117 |
Valentin Paret-Peintre (Fra) Soudal Quick-Step |
16:04:00 |
|
118 |
Callum Scotson (Aus) Decathlon CMA CGM |
16:05:00 |
|
119 |
Pello Bilbao (Esp) Bahrain Victorious |
16:06:00 |
|
120 |
Tobias Halland Johannessen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
16:07:00 |
|
121 |
Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Cofidis |
16:08:00 |
|
122 |
Urko Berrade (Esp) Kern Pharma |
16:09:00 |
|
123 |
Jack Haig (Aus) Netcompany-Ineos |
16:10:00 |
|
124 |
Gijs Leemreize (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
16:11:00 |
|
125 |
Koen Bouwman (Ned) Jayco-AlUla |
16:12:00 |
|
126 |
Jarno Widar (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
16:13:00 |
|
127 |
Embret Svestad-Bårdseng (Nor) Netcompany-Ineos |
16:14:00 |
|
128 |
Raúl García Pierna (Esp) Movistar |
16:15:00 |
|
129 |
Santiago Buitrago (Col) Bahrain Victorious |
16:17:00 |
|
130 |
Jan Hirt (Cze) NSN Cycling |
16:19:00 |
|
131 |
Filippo Zana (Ita) Soudal Quick-Step |
16:21:00 |
|
132 |
Finlay Pickering (GBr) Jayco-AlUla |
16:23:00 |
|
133 |
Mario Aparicio (Esp) Burgos Burpellet BH |
16:25:00 |
|
134 |
Juan Felipe Rodriguez (Col) EF Education-EasyPost |
16:27:00 |
|
135 |
Matthew Riccitello (USA) Decathlon CMA CGM |
16:29:00 |
|
136 |
Guillaume Martin Guyonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
16:31:00 |
|
137 |
Léo Bisiaux (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM |
16:33:00 |
|
138 |
Harold Tejada (Col) XDS Astana |
16:35:00 |
|
139 |
Sepp Kuss (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike |
16:37:00 |
|
140 |
Clément Berthet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
16:39:00 |
|
141 |
Cristián Rodríguez (Esp) XDS Astana |
16:41:00 |
|
142 |
Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek |
16:43:00 |
|
143 |
Jakob Omrzel (Slo) Bahrain Victorious |
16:45:00 |
|
144 |
Oscar Onley (GBr) Netcompany-Ineos |
16:47:00 |
|
145 |
Richard Carapaz (Ecu) EF Education-EasyPost |
16:49:00 |
|
146 |
Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
16:51:00 |
|
147 |
Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon CMA CGM |
16:53:00 |
|
148 |
Enric Mas (Spa) Movistar Team |
16:55:00 |
