Hailstorm Stops Peloton in Rare Stage Cancellation at Vuelta a España

Heavy rain and pounding hail forced officials to cancel Stage 3 of the Vuelta a España on Monday.

A violent summer storm hammered the peloton as it approached the race’s first major summit finale in the French Pyrénées.

Pea-sized hail pounded riders after they crested the day’s first Cat. 1 climb, quickly turning the race into chaos.

Tadej Pogačar led the bunch off the road and the pack sought shelter in nearby buildings as the downpour intensified.

Officials later canceled the stage as crews scrambled to clear accumulating hail from the finish area.

“For the security of the riders, stage three has been cancelled due to hail and severe weather. There will be no winner and no podium ceremony,” Vuelta officials said.

Although last year’s Vuelta was rocked by protests that disrupted and forced the cancellation of two stages, abandoning a stage because of weather is exceptionally rare.

Stages are sometimes neutralized or shortened because of extreme conditions, but calling off an entire stage underscored just how severe conditions became on the road.

Sun to storm in no time

The 174km stage from Gruissan to Font Romeu was the last in France and first summit finale.

Heat and even strong winds that blew the peloton into bits mid stage didn’t hint of what was waiting in the French Pyrénées.

UAE’s Kevin Vermaerke led the bunch up the day’s main obstacle at the Cat. 1 Col de Mont-Louis (19km at 4.9%) when a sudden mountain stage pelted the bunch with rain and then hail.

Video showed Pogačar playing the role of patron and he helped steer the pack to nearby buildings to seek shelter.

Officials initially neutralized the stage and then canceled it after the final descent was wet and caked in hail leading toward the final Cat. 2 summit with about 10km to go.

The peloton was denied its first summit showdown of the 2026 Vuelta,  leaving the GC unchanged on a day when some reshuffling at the top was expected.

Pogačar appeared poised to attack after UAE Emirates-XRG controlled the stage and reeled in the early six-rider breakaway.

What’s next: Stage 4 in Andorra

The 81st Vuelta continues Tuesday with a short but explosive 104.8km Andorra la Vella circuit packing nearly 3,000 meters of climbing.

Pogačar keeps his nine-second lead ahead of Wout van Aert, with four-time Vuelta winner Primož Roglič in eighth at 20 seconds.

The Vuelta leaves France and enters Andorra with three Cat. 1 ascents stacked up in rapid succession, including Envalira, Beixalis and Ordino climbs.

The final Cat. 3 Alto de la Comella provides one last sting before a raging descent to the finish in Andorra la Vella.

With half the peloton living in Andorra, including American Sepp Kuss, the climbers will want to put on a good show.

And after missing out Monday, Pogačar might be ready to pounce.