The streets of Monaco are better known for its Formula One pedigree — but as the Vuelta a Espana begins in the principality with a nine kilometre time trial, it was the professional peloton racing through its streets on Saturday.Tadej Pogačar, seven years on from his Vuelta debut, took the red jersey for the first time in his career after seizing the lead from Ethan Hayter with the day’s penultimate effort, sensationally pipping him by just 0.09 seconds. He has a chance of going from start to finish in red.Elsewhere, Great Britain’s Josh Tarling produced an incredibly courageous ride to finish third, just eight days on from the death of his brother Finlay at the Volta a Portugal.The year’s final Grand Tour is underway. Here’s how the first day unfolded.
Here he is! The king of modern cycling is starting his #LaVuelta26 ❤️
¡Ya lo tenemos aquí! El Rey se prepara para asaltar #LaVuelta26 👑@TeamEmiratesUAE pic.twitter.com/CpUNKnsdoQ
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) August 22, 2026Josh Tarling’s emotional 11 minutesJosh Tarling puffed his cheeks, slapped his left leg, and rolled out of the front doors of the Monte Carlo Casino and into the Vuelta a Espana.It has been a horrific week for the 22-year-old, whose brother Finlay was killed last Friday after being hit by the driver of an unauthorised vehicle during stage eight of the Volta a Portugal. This Friday, his parents posted on social media that Tarling’s grandfather Gerald had also passed away.In many ways, it was a shock to see Tarling take the start line, given the tragedies he has endured. According to director of racing Geraint Thomas, the British time trial specialist was resolute in his desire to ride the Vuelta — in which he had a shot at a miraculous victory in the opening stage.“He’s a tough kid and he’s been down there in Portugal,” Thomas said on his Watts Occurring podcast. “He’s been over to Wales, but he’s still super keen to race the Vuelta. It wasn’t a decision taken lightly by him or the team, really, but he’s been adamant he wants to do it for the past week or so. I think he just wants to get back to sort of the day job.“He wants to just get back with the team, worry about bike racing, just think about that, get with the boys on the bus.”Tarling took the lead in Saturday’s stage before eventually finishing third (Miguel MEDINA / AFP via Getty Images)Friday’s nine kilometre time trial was highly technical, better suiting explosive riders rather than the huge engine of Tarling, but the number of pure watts that the Welshman is able to produce left him 1.3 seconds up on Arthur Kluckers.Featuring several underground tunnelled sections, more fitting his skillset, Tarling rose up the final ramp onto the finishing straight on Boulevard Albert Ier, tongue out with effort. With 100m to go, it was still too close to call Tarling’s effort — but he crossed the line in a flash of green.
