Andorra could blow La Vuelta wide open: Pogačar faces his first big opportunity

After the cancellation of stage 3 due to the heavy hailstorm, La Vuelta a España 2026 faces its first major mountain stage this Tuesday. It will be only 104.8 kilometers with a start and finish in Andorra la Vella, but it will concentrate 2,830 meters of ascent, three first-category climbs, and a final pass through La Comella before a quick descent to the finish line.

Stage 4 of La Vuelta 2026: four climbs in just 104.8 kilometers

• Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2026
• Start and Finish: Andorra la Vella
• Distance: 104.8 km
• Type of stage: mountain
• Start time: 14:49
• Estimated arrival: between 17:22 and 17:39
• Total ascent: 2,830 m
• Port d'Envalira: 1st category, 23.3 km at 5.1%
• Collada de Beixalís: 1st category, 6.5 km at 8.5%
• Coll d'Ordino: 1st category, 9.9 km at 7%
• Alto de La Comella: 3rd category, 3.9 km at 5.9%
• Favorites: Tadej Pogačar, Felix Gall, Richard Carapaz, Mattias Skjelmose, Oscar Onley, and Primož Roglič

  

A short, explosive stage with very little recovery terrain

There will be practically no time to get into the race. The peloton will start climbing the Port d'Envalira just 1.8 kilometers after the start, with 23.3 kilometers at 5.1% until reaching an altitude of 2,409 meters.

It is not the hardest climb by gradient, but it is a very long ascent to open a stage of just over 100 kilometers. Additionally, it includes some sections close to 12%, especially in its upper part, and can provoke a very intense battle to form the breakaway.

RECOMENDADO

Chaos at La Vuelta: hailstorm forces the cancellation of stage 3

Breakaway or Pogačar? Stage 3 of La Vuelta: route, schedule and favorites

It all came down to the final moments: XCO Les Gets highlights

Van Rysel takes gravel seriously: RCR-G for racing and EDR-G for exploring

“I guess this is harder than winning on the Champs-Élysées”: Van der Poel comes close to victory in Les Gets and sends a warning ahead of the World Championships

After a long descent, one of the key points of the day will arrive, the Collada de Beixalís. It is only 6.5 kilometers, but its average gradient of 8.5% and ramps reaching 16% make it the most explosive climb of the stage. Its summit is still 45.5 kilometers from the finish, so attacking there would require maintaining the effort for quite some time.

Almost without recovery, the Coll d'Ordino will follow, with 9.9 kilometers at 7%. It is less violent than Beixalís, but its greater length and the previous accumulation can make it the most logical place for the general classification contenders to start showing their cards.

From its summit, there will be 26 kilometers left. Most will be downhill, although the Alto de La Comella will still be pending, with 3.9 kilometers at 5.9%. Its figures are misleading because both the beginning and the final part are considerably more demanding and come after almost 3,000 meters of ascent.

The summit will be just 4.8 kilometers from the finish. From there, it will be almost all downhill to Andorra la Vella, so any difference gained at La Comella could be decisive.

Pogačar starts as the reference, but the breakaway may also have options

Tadej Pogačar starts as the main favorite in a stage that fits very well with his characteristics. UAE can harden the race from Beixalís or wait until Ordino and La Comella for the Slovenian to try to open gaps.

Felix Gall, Richard Carapaz, Mattias Skjelmose, Oscar Onley, and Primož Roglič appear as his main rivals, with Joāo Almeida and Enric Mas also among the men to watch.

If the breakaway gains a margin, Sepp Kuss is one of the most interesting names due to his knowledge of the roads in Andorra, alongside riders like Jay Vine, Valentin Paret-Peintre, Santiago Buitrago, Tobias Halland Johannessen, or Mikel Landa.

After the hail prevented the first mountain finish, Andorra thus becomes the first real mountain test of La Vuelta 2026.