Vuelta Stage Three Cancelled After Hailstorm Hits Pyrenees

Stage three of the Vuelta a España was cancelled on Monday after a severe hailstorm struck the race in the French Pyrenees, leaving the day without a winner. Associated Press reported that organisers stopped the 174-kilometre route from Gruissan to Font-Romeu with roughly 15 kilometres remaining as conditions deteriorated rapidly. The difficult course had been scheduled to finish in the French Pyrenees.

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Heavy rain had begun to hit the peloton with about 25 kilometres to go. As the riders climbed the Col de Mont-Louis, large hailstones fell and ice formed on the road, while lightning posed an additional danger. Riders communicated with one another and asked for the pace to be slowed as the storm intensified.

Organisers first neutralised the race before suspending the stage on safety grounds. They confirmed there would be no winner and no podium ceremony. Riders sought protection from the weather in shops and restaurants beside the route, with some seen heading into a hotel for cover.

Mats Wenzel of Equipo Kern Pharma and Lorenzo Fortunato of XDS Astana were in a breakaway when the race was halted. Because the stage was abandoned rather than completed, neither rider was able to contest a finish, and the day ended without the usual stage result.

The cancellation left Tadej Pogacar in possession of the overall race lead after three stages. The UAE Team Emirates rider, who won the Tour de France and is seeking a sweep of cycling's three Grand Tours, remained nine seconds ahead of Wout van Aert. Matthew Brennan held third place, one further second behind Van Aert.

Attention now turns to Tuesday's 105-kilometre stage through the mountains of Andorra. The route is scheduled to include three climbs and, according to the Associated Press report, is expected to offer the leading contenders an opportunity to create gaps in the general classification. The field will proceed there after an extraordinary weather intervention prevented stage three from reaching its planned finish in Font-Romeu.