Stefan Küng wins Vuelta time trial, Roglič cuts deficit to Mas to 1:37
Swiss time trial specialist Stefan Küng won stage 18 of the 2026 Vuelta a España on September 10, a 32.1-kilometer individual time trial from El Puerto de Santa María to Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain. The Tudor Pro Cycling Team rider completed the course in 35 minutes and 22 seconds, beating Callum Thornley of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe by just three seconds, while João Almeida of UAE Team Emirates-XRG was third, nine seconds behind. Primož Roglič finished fourth, 19 seconds behind the winner, but achieved a more important objective in the battle for the general classification: he gained 33 seconds on Enric Mas, overtook Felix Gall and moved into second place with three stages remaining. Mas, however, produced a considerably better time trial than many had expected and retained the red jersey with a 1:37 advantage over the four-time Vuelta winner.
Küng fastest on an exceptionally quick course toward Jerez
Official Vuelta data show that 149 riders started, and the 32.1-kilometer route featured only 217 meters of total climbing. Such a profile favored powerful time trialists and high average speeds, although the gaps among the best riders still remained very small. Thornley set an early time of 35:25 and stayed in the lead for a long time after covering the course at an average speed of more than 54 kilometers per hour. Küng then stopped the clock at 35:22 and took first place, and none of the later starters managed to dislodge him from the top. Almeida was nine seconds behind, Roglič 19 and Wout van Aert 20 seconds back, showing that only a few seconds separated the winner from several of his closest rivals.
For the 32-year-old Küng, this is his second stage victory at the Vuelta and also his second victory in a Grand Tour race. He achieved his first in the final time trial of the 2024 Vuelta in Madrid, when over 24.6 kilometers he was 31 seconds faster than Roglič. The Slovenian, however, had a much more important reason to celebrate on that occasion because he won his fourth title in the Spanish three-week race. Two years later, Küng was once again the fastest in the discipline in which he has ranked among the world's elite for years, and the official Vuelta also pointed out that he is a two-time European time trial champion. After his victory in Jerez, he emphasized that the result was the product of the work of the entire team, especially the people involved in equipment development and time trial preparation, and stressed that avoiding costly mistakes was crucial on such a fast course.
Küng admitted that he had a difficult moment after the second climb and judged several corners less well than he would have liked, but he managed to get back into his rhythm. It was precisely his ability to maintain high speed throughout the entire course that ultimately made the difference compared with Thornley. For Tudor Pro Cycling Team, the victory has additional value because it is the team's second stage success at this year's Vuelta, following Marco Brenner's triumph at Sierra de La Pandera on stage 14. Küng's result also confirms how important aerodynamics, positioning on the bicycle, choice of racing line and the ability to sustain power are in flatter time trials when the leading riders are separated by only a few seconds.
Roglič gains time, but Mas limits the damage
The greatest sporting tension of stage 18, however, unfolded in the battle for the red jersey. Mas entered the time trial with a 2:06 advantage over Felix Gall and 2:10 over Roglič, so the Slovenian, as a proven time trialist, was expected to have an opportunity to significantly reduce the gap. Roglič was indeed the best among the contenders for the overall victory and finished fourth in the stage, but Mas did not suffer the kind of collapse that would have opened up a completely new race. The Spaniard was 12th in the stage, 52 seconds behind Küng, meaning that he conceded 33 seconds to Roglič. After 18 stages, Mas leads with a total time of 60 hours, 45 minutes and 58 seconds, Roglič is second at 1:37, and Gall third at 3:01.
Mas's performance is particularly important because the individual time trial has traditionally not been his strongest discipline. According to Cyclingnews's analysis, Roglič was creating a noticeably larger time advantage in the opening section of the course, but the race leader stabilized his pace in the middle and final sections and prevented the gap from continuing to grow at the same rate. After the stage, Mas said in an official Vuelta statement that he was satisfied with the time he had lost because it was within the range his team considered acceptable. At the same time, he dismissed the possibility that the race was already decided, stressing that an advantage of 1:37 is not large considering the two difficult stages that follow before the final day in Granada.
Roglič achieved another important change with the time trial: he overtook Gall in the general classification. The Austrian, who had been second before the stage, had a considerably weaker day against the clock and finished 26th, 1:47 behind Küng. He lost 1:28 to Roglič, so he is now 3:01 behind Mas and 1:24 behind Roglič. Behind the top three are Richard Carapaz at 5:17 and Oscar Onley at 6:03, while Jakob Omrzel is sixth at seven minutes. Such a situation increases the likelihood that the final battle for victory will primarily be a tactical duel between Movistar and Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, although the mountainous profile of the following days leaves room for larger changes among riders fighting for the podium as well.
Mas's red jersey has defined the Vuelta since Pogačar's crash
Mas took the lead at the 2026 Vuelta on August 29 after the dramatic conclusion of stage eight, when then-leader Tadej Pogačar crashed a little more than 30 kilometers from the finish on the stage from Puçol to Xeraco. Pogačar tried to continue, but injuries to his left arm and shoulder forced him to abandon the race. Up to that point, the Slovenian had three stage victories and held the red jersey, and his departure from the race completely changed the battle for the general classification. The official Vuelta stated at the time that Mas became the first Spanish rider to wear the red jersey since Jesús Herrada in 2018.
The following day, Mas further strengthened his status as leader with victory on the climb to Alto de Aitana. According to the official race report, he became the first Spanish rider since Alberto Contador in 2014 to win a Vuelta stage while wearing the red jersey. During the following mountain days, he maintained control of the race, and at Calar Alto on stage 12 he again managed to gain time on Roglič and Gall. Although the gaps in the general classification subsequently changed, stage 18 had been identified in advance as one of the greatest tests of Mas's lead precisely because Roglič had regularly used time trials in the past to create large gaps.
For Mas, a possible overall victory would also carry broader historical significance. The last Spanish winner of the Vuelta was Alberto Contador in 2014, and Mas has already finished on the final podium of the Spanish Grand Tour four times in previous appearances. Roglič, on the other hand, is trying to become the first rider with five overall victories. He won the titles in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2024, equaling Roberto Heras's record. The final mountain stages are therefore not only a battle for this year's red jersey but also an opportunity for two different historical outcomes: ending the long period without a Spanish winner or Roglič moving alone to the top of the list of the most successful Vuelta riders.
Peñas Blancas is the first of two final mountain tests
As early as September 11, the peloton faces stage 19 from Vélez-Málaga to Peñas Blancas above Estepona, covering 210.8 kilometers. Organizers classify it as a hilly stage with an uphill finish, but the figures show that it will be a true endurance test for the general classification leaders. The official profile includes Puerto de las Abejas, a second-category climb of around 14.5 kilometers at an average gradient of 4.3 percent, followed by Puerto del Viento, also a second-category climb, and the final ascent to Peñas Blancas. The final mountain is 18.7 kilometers long with an average gradient of 6.5 percent and finishes at 1,268 meters above sea level. According to the Vuelta preview, the stage has around 4,000 meters of total climbing.
For Roglič, such terrain offers an opportunity that the time trial did not allow him to exploit fully. A deficit of 1:37 is large enough for Mas to ride defensively, but not so large that one strong attack, a bad moment for the leader or tactical isolation on the long final climb would be without consequences. Movistar will therefore have to control early attacks while simultaneously preserving enough support riders for the final twenty or so kilometers. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, on the other hand, can try to increase the pressure by setting a hard pace on the earlier climbs or forcing Mas to expend energy before Peñas Blancas. Gall, Carapaz and Onley also have an interest in racing aggressively because their positions in the standings are not yet completely secure.
Peñas Blancas will not be the final opportunity for a turnaround. The penultimate stage, stage 20 on September 12, runs from La Calahorra to Collado del Alguacil and is 186.8 kilometers long, and is officially designated as a mountain stage. The route includes Puerto de los Blancares, two passages over El Purche, a first-category climb 8.2 kilometers long at an average of 8.1 percent, followed by Puerto de El Duque, 7.4 kilometers at 8.3 percent, and the final Collado del Alguacil. The final climb is 8.3 kilometers long, averages 9.8 percent, and is classified by the organizers in the highest, special category. That stage, with a series of steep climbs and a finish at 1,884 meters, could be the last realistic opportunity to create major gaps among the contenders for the overall victory.
Finale in Granada comes after the mountain decision
If Mas retains the red jersey after stage 20, the final day should be considerably more favorable for him. The last stage, stage 21, takes place on September 13 over a 112-kilometer flat route from Carrefour Granada to Granada. Organizers have classified it as a flat stage, meaning that the biggest changes among the leaders are expected before it, in the mountains of Andalusia. In the standard scenario for the final days of Grand Tour races, such a stage rewards sprinters more and serves as a final celebration for the overall winner, although sporting risks such as crashes, mechanical problems or unexpected tactical situations remain all the way to the finish.
After the time trial in Jerez, Mas is therefore in a better position than he was before the start of the stage, even though Roglič reduced his advantage. The reason is simple: the Slovenian had terrain that suited him extremely well on paper, but gained only 33 seconds, while the number of remaining opportunities to attack has decreased. At the same time, the two mountain stages that follow are demanding enough that no team can treat 1:37 as a safe cushion. Mas warned of exactly that after the finish, saying that his team must remain fully focused until the end.
In the midst of the battle for the red jersey, Küng took the stage glory, while Roglič and Mas obtained a result that leaves the race open. The Swiss rider confirmed his status as one of the best time trialists of his generation with a second Vuelta victory, Roglič did what he had to do to remain a serious contender for the overall title, and Mas showed that he can limit his losses even in the discipline that suits him least. After 18 stages, the difference between the top two is 97 seconds. The decision now moves from the flat roads around Jerez to the long and steep Andalusian climbs, where over two days it will be decided whether Mas ends Spain's long run without a winner or Roglič gets another opportunity for a record fifth title.
Sources:
- La Vuelta - official stage 18 report, time trial result and general classification standings (link)
- La Vuelta - Stefan Küng's statement after his victory in Jerez (link)
- La Vuelta - Enric Mas's statement after the time trial and assessment of the final battle for the red jersey (link)
- La Vuelta - official report on stage 8 and Tadej Pogačar's abandonment (link)
- La Vuelta - official profile of stage 19 Vélez-Málaga - Peñas Blancas (link)
- La Vuelta - official profile of stage 20 La Calahorra - Collado del Alguacil (link)
- La Vuelta - official profile of the final stage 21 in Granada (link)
- La Vuelta - official report on stage 9 and Mas's victory at Alto de Aitana (link)
- La Vuelta - report on the final time trial of the 2024 Vuelta and historical context of Küng's and Roglič's results (link)
- Cyclingnews - stage 18 results and analysis of the battle for the general classification (link)