Tadej Pogačar Takes Vuelta Lead in Monaco, Shares Emotional Moment With Joshua Tarling

A Historic Monaco Opener and a Razor-Thin Victory

Racing on the roads of his adopted home city of Monte Carlo, Pogačar completed the 9.4 km time trial along the iconic Formula 1 street circuit to secure the first Vuelta leader’s red jersey of his career. According to race reports, the Slovenian superstar edged out Ethan Hayter by just nine hundredths of a second—an extraordinarily tight margin in a discipline typically timed in tenths of a second. Hayter, who held a three-second advantage at the final intermediate check, finished in second place. Joshua Tarling secured third place, finishing four seconds back.

“I think I made up the 0.09 seconds when I rode past my apartment,” Pogačar joked after crossing the finish line, noting his local familiarity with the winding coastal course. The victory marked a milestone: no reigning Tour de France champion had immediately assumed the Vuelta race lead since the Spanish grand tour shifted to its post-Tour calendar slot in 1995.

A Bittersweet Podium and Tarling’s Personal Loss

Despite capturing the red jersey 28 days after sealing his fifth Tour de France crown, Pogačar’s primary thoughts after the stage rested elsewhere. In the holding area behind the podium at Port Hercule, Pogačar bypassed immediate celebrations to approach Joshua Tarling. One week prior, Tarling’s younger brother, Finlay, had died in a severe racing accident in Portugal.

Pogačar leaned down, embraced the young British rider, and offered words of support. “I really wished that Josh would win,” Pogačar said regarding the time trial standings, adding that he had crossed his fingers for his fellow competitor. Tarling, who collected the white jersey as the best young rider, expressed deep gratitude for the gesture, telling reporters, “I’m as happy as I can be.”

Ceremonial Triumphs and the Road Ahead

The podium presentations at Port Hercule featured Prince Albert of Monaco awkwardly helping Pogačar pull on the red leader’s jersey before handing him an AS Monaco football shirt. Within minutes, Pogačar also donned the polka-dot mountain jersey and the green sprinter jersey, sweeping the secondary classifications on opening day.

While Pogačar is widely expected to dominate the upcoming mountain stages across Spain as he pursues a grand tour sweep, his early focus remained anchored on the human side of the paddock. The Vuelta a España continues with its next stages on the Iberian Peninsula, where the peloton faces its first true climbing tests.