Vuelta a España stage three neutralised and then abandoned after hailstorm

Stage three of the Vuelta a España was neutralised and then cancelled on Monday after a hailstorm meant racing was impossible on the final climb.

Race leader Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was seen telling riders in the peloton to slow down with around 15km to go on the climb to Font Romeu, after they had topped the Col de Mont-Louis.

Riders were shown on TV sheltering in a hotel on the roadside atop the Col de Mont-Louis, with team staff handing out wet weather gear. While there was initially hope that the stage would be restarted, moments later the day was cancelled.

There are no results for today's stage, and the general classification remains as it was after yesterday, with Pogačar in pole position ahead of Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike).

The day had been largely warm and sunny, but as riders began the final third of the stage, which took them into the Pyrenees, the weather turned. At first it was simply wet and unpleasant, but this soon morphed into a torrential hailstorm with stones so big the riders had little choice but to shelter.

TV images showed riders sheltering at the roadside, before a race announcement urged them to take shelter if needed. This was followed a short while later that the stage had been abandoned.

The stage, which took riders 174km from Gruissan to Font Romeu, was widely expected to bear witness to Pogačar underlining his overall lead with another stage victory. Indeed, his UAE Team Emirates-XRG team had spent much of the day on the front, keeping the early breakaway in check.

The five-rider escape included stage one's nearly-man Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step), Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility), Mats Wenzel (Kern-Pharma) Timo Roosen (Picnic PostNL) and Olivier Le Gac (Groupama-FDJ United).

While Hayter, Le Gac and Roosen were caught with 28km to go, Wenzel and Cort pushed on up the penultimate climb of the Mont Louis, but the race was paused before either had the chance to register the mountains points at the top.

General Classification after stage 3

1. Tadej Pogačar (Slo) UAE Emirates-XRG in 4:58:40
2. Wout van Aert (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike +9s
3. Matthew Brennan (GBr) Visma-Lease a Bike +10s
4. Léo Bisiaux (Fra) Decathlon-CMA CGM, +12s
5. Finn Fisher-Black (NZl) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +14s
6. Stefan Küng (Sui) Tudor Pro Cycling, +18s
7. Jay Vine (Aus) UAE Emirates-XRG, at same time
8. Mads Pedersen (Den) Lidl-Trek, +20s
9. Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, +26s
10. Jordan Labrosse (Fra) Decalthon CMA CGM, +27s