La Vuelta 2026 | Stage 5 | Falset . Costa Daurada > Roquetes. Terres de l’Ebre
Stage 5 of La Vuelta 26, the first on Spanish soil, gave the sprinters a second opportunity to battle for the win though they had to earn it against the wind and over the day’s uphill sections. After 173.3 km from Falset, Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) doubled his tally after his first success he claimed three days earlier in Manosque (France). This time, he got the better of Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education-EasyPost) with perfect support from his teammates, including birthday boy Ben Tulett, Belgian star Wout van Aert, and luxury lead-out man Christophe Laporte. Three weeks after his 21st birthday, he became the youngest rider with multiple stage wins in the Spanish Grand Tour since Tadej Pogacar’s three stage wins in 2019. UAE Emirates XRG’s Slovenian leader navigated the stage to retain La Roja on the eve of a mountain showdown to Castello.
A second opportunity for the sprinters? After Tadej Pogacar’s historic solo victory in Andorra La Vella, La Vuelta 26 is in Catalunya with a mostly flat stage from Falset to Roquetes, from Costa Daurada to Terres de l’Ebre (173,3km). The route features 1,662 metres of elevation with a single categorised climb: Puerto de Paüls (cat. 3), to be summited as the race enters the final 25 kilometres.
At the start, everyone is wary of the weather conditions in a wind exposed area. Notably, Matthew Brennan (Visma-Lease a Bike) won a stage of the Volta a Catalunya 2025 in Amposta (passed at km 83.8 on today’s course) in a day marked by echelons.
Dversnes leads the early break
After a handful of kilometres, Fredrik Dversnes (Uno-X Mobility) is the first attacker to open a gap. He pulled off a career defining upset in theGiro 2026 as he fended off the sprinters in Milan, and he hopes to repeat the feat in Roquetes. He his joined at the front by Walter Calzoni (Pinarello-Q36.5), Stefan Küng (Tudor), Mattia Gaffuri (Picnic Postnl) and Diego Uriarte (Kern Pharma).
Their lead is up to 2’20’’ when Küng sits up and waits for the peloton paced by Visma-Lease a Bike and Netcompany Ineos. The tension is high early in the stage and the gap rapidly decreases to around a minute.
The tension rises through the wind
As the race reaches the Ebro Delta, the tension increases. Visma-Lease a Bike and Netcompany Ineos up the ante. Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek) is also up there taking turns with his compatriot and teammate Mattias Skjelmose on his wheel. The breakaway riders are caught with 99 kilometres to go, and the peloton momentarily splits before the calm returns.
Among the stragglers who make their way back to the bunch, Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) attacks 15 kilometres from the intermediate sprint in Tivenys (km 114.7). Wearing the green jersey on behalf of Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates XRG), the British rouleur takes 20 points 25 seconds ahead of the bunch led by Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) across the line.
Pedersen, Groves and Turner off the back
Onto rolling terrain, Andreas Kron (Uno-X Mobility) attacks with 44 kilometres to go. The Danish puncheur has two victories in Catalonia, including stage 2 of La Vuelta 23 in Barcelona. He opens a gap of 45 seconds but the peloton accelerate towards the categorised ascent of the day and Kron is caught as the road rises up the Alto de Paüls (cat. 3, summit with 24.9 km to go).
Pavel Sivakov (UAE Emirates XRG) leads the way to the summit. Some 60 riders remain in the bunch, with contenders such as Mads Pedersen, Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Premier Tech), and Ben Turner (Netcompany Ineos).
Van Aert and Laporte guide Brennan
Xabier Mikel Azparren (Pinarello Q36.5) tries to make the most of the twisty roads leading to Roquetes, but Wout van Aert and the rest of the field are vigilant. Visma-Lease a Bike control all the way to the final kilometre, where Van Aert and then Christophe Laporte open the sprint for Brennan.
Three days after his first success in Manosque, the 21-year-old British sprinter fends off Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) to double his Grand Tour tally: two victories in just five days. Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education-EasyPost) completes the day’s top 3 while Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates XRG) retains La Roja on thieve of another mountain showdown.
Stage 5
- Matthew Brennan (Team Visma – Lease a Bike) 3h47’02”
- Jordi Meeus (Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe) +0’00”
- Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education – Easypost) +0’00”
GC
- Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) 11h26’01”
- Primoz Roglic (Red Bull – Bora – hansgrohe) +3’21”
- Enric Mas (Movistar Team) +3’32”
