FONT ROMEU: A torrential hailstorm in the French Pyrenees forced the abandonment of the third stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Monday.

With 15km remaining of the 174-km ride from Gruissan to Font-Romeu, the skies darkened as the peloton scaled the Col de Mont-Louis and huge hailstones began pelting the riders.

Race leader Tadej Pogacar was seen indicating to the main group to pull off the course and soon afterwards drenched riders were shuffling into a hotel for shelter. Shortly afterwards organisers announced the stage would not resume. Mats Wenzel and Lorenzo Fortunato had been leading ahead of the peloton when the decision was made.

On Sunday, Britain’s Matt Brennan sprinted to victory in the second stage.

The 21-year-old Visma-Lease a Bike rider laid down the power on the uphill drag to the finish in Manosque after a 214-kilometer ride from Monaco and held on comfortably.

Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2026