We are nine stages into the Vuelta a España, and cycling's most dominant rider just had the worst day of his career. Tadej Pogačar — untouchable, unbreakable — crashed violently and had to abandon. Then, on the hardest mountain stage of the Vuelta so far, Enric Mas did more than just inherit red — he earned it. Oh, and there's an American lurking in here too.
In this video:
Podium Report: Pogačar never even got his hands up to protect himself. That's what made his crash so brutal. Pogačar's front wheel caught a rock and launched him over the handlebars. It happened so fast, his face and shoulder took the full force at race speed. It was a brutal, bloody reminder that nothing is inevitable in this sport. The damage: a concussion, a displaced clavicle fracture, and a C7 cervical fracture. Surgery on the clavicle is delayed until doctors clear the concussion. At 27 years old, Pogačar has abandoned a Grand Tour for the very first time. In fact, it's the first Grand Tour he's ever started without finishing on the podium — a string of 9 straight Grand Tours going back to 2019.
Americans in the Mix: Five Americans lined up for the 2026 Vuelta: Sepp Kuss, Matthew Riccitello, Will Barta, Kevin Vermaerke, and Larry Warbasse.
Spicy Takes: Two takes with 🌶️. Vuelta organizers are actually doing a good job — and I don't say that lightly. Remember last year? A total of 7 Vuelta stages were directly interrupted or shortened due to political protests, and organizers were caught without a plan. This year? When a violent hailstorm hit 10 miles from the Stage 3 finish, they quickly got everyone to safety then canceled the race. But officials erased the entire stage, including sprint and KOM points riders had already earned safely. Why erase racing that already happened? I’d love to know! What do y'all think?
⏱️ Spotify Chapters
[00:00] – Welcome to VIBE Racing!
[00:26] – Podium Report: Pogačar’s Dominance, Vingegaard’s Crash, Remco’s Climb
[03:38] – Americans in the Mix: Quinn Rides for Team, Sepp Has a New Role
[05:57] – Spicy Takes 🌶️ Vuelta Organizers Save the Day. Then Cancel Results.
[06:49] – Spicy Takes 🌶️ Losing Tadej Pogačar: Did it “Ruin” or “Save” the Vuelta?
What Americans are impressing you the most right now? What cycling hot topics are on your mind? Drop your spicy takes below! 🇺🇸👇
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VIBE Racing is the weekly pro cycling show: sharp analysis of the world's biggest races, an unapologetic focus on Americans in the pro peloton, and takes spicy enough to earn the name. Hosted by Ayesha McGowan — former cycling pro. New episodes every week.
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