LaVuelta’s third stage, scheduled for 25 August 2026 from Gruissan to Font-Romeu in the French Pyrenees, was cancelled after a severe hailstorm made it unsafe to continue. The race was halted as riders approached the summit finish, with around 15 kilometres remaining, fewer than 20 kilometres from the finish. A heavy downpour escalated into large hail, forcing riders to leave their bicycles and take shelter in nearby buildings.
Race officials prioritised participant safety as conditions deteriorated. Television footage showed race leader Tadej Pogačar signalling to other riders to seek shelter. The storm affected the peloton and breakaway groups, including Lorenzo Fortunato of XDS Astana Team and Mats Wenzel of Equipo Kern Pharma, who were stopped when the race was halted. La Vuelta said the stage was cancelled because of hail and severe weather. There would be no stage winner or podium ceremony.
So, the Font-Romeu stage produced no completed race result. Pogačar retained the red jersey, with Wout van Aert nine seconds behind, while Spanish riders Pablo Torres and Carlos Rodríguez remained 31 seconds back as the race headed toward Andorra. The stage ended outright, rather than resuming after a temporary interruption.
Unpredictable weather has affected several sporting events in the region this season. Earlier, a rare Atlantic storm brought heavy rain and weather alerts to northern Spain, disrupting plans and prompting authorities to issue warnings for Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. More details on recent weather disruptions can be found in this report on severe August storms in northern Spain.
Forecasts suggested a return to sunny conditions for the next stage in Andorra. Organizers and teams were set to monitor the weather closely after conditions in Font-Romeu forced an abrupt halt. The incident showed the hazards of rapidly changing mountain weather and the need for swift decisions to protect riders and race staff.
