Second success at the Vuelta a Espana 2026 for Matthew Brennan. Perfectly launched by Christophe Laporte and Wout van Aert, the young British rider of Visma Lease a Bike, already victorious three days ago in Manosque, secured his personal double in the Spanish stage race by winning in a sprint the Falset. Costa Daurada-Roquetes. Terres de l'Ebre stage of 173.3 kilometers ahead of Jordi Meeus (Red Bull BORA hansgrohe), Vincenzo Albanese (EF Education-Easypost) and Alessandro Romele (XDS Astana).

No problems for the race leader in the general, points and mountains classifications Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) who, finishing safely in the bunch, confirmed his leadership in all three standings on the eve of a stage, the Alcossebre-Castelló of 177.4 kilometers, which with the first category Puerto del Bartolo (gravel in the final) 20 kilometers from the finish could once again see both him and his closest challengers in the standings in action.

THE RACE

The stage started with a slight delay on schedule due to mechanical problems for some riders in the transfer section, and it was Fredrik Dversnes who immediately broke away. The Norwegian from Uno-X Mobility, winner of the Milan stage at last year's Giro d'Italia, was soon joined by Mattia Gaffuri (Picnic Postnl), Diego Uriarte (Kern Pharma), Walter Calzoni and Stefan Küng (Tudor) with the Swiss rider, however, forced to abandon the group shortly after due to a mechanical issue and being caught by the peloton.

The latter, also aided by the threat of wind and possible echelons, did not give much room to the leading group which, reaching a maximum advantage of 2'20", was closely controlled for several kilometers before being definitively reabsorbed 98 kilometers from the finish on the wave of an acceleration produced by Netcompany INEOS.

This change of pace caused some riders (including Ethan Hayter, Lorenzo Fortunato and Jesus Herrada) to lose contact briefly but, taking advantage of a section with favorable wind, all the dropped elements found their way back to the tail of the peloton. At this point, on the impulse of Visma Lease a Bike, the group proceeded compactly and at a sustained pace until about ten kilometers from the Tiveys intermediate sprint when Hayter attacked solo to claim the 20 points on offer.

Having achieved this, the British rider from Soudal Quick-Step returned to the ranks and the peloton continued without incident until 43 kilometers from the finish and, in particular, to the attack of Andreas Kron (Uno-X Mobility) who, on one of the many small climbs inserted in the final 50 kilometers of the course, attempted a courageous solo breakaway. Gaining 50 seconds, the Danish rider managed to stay ahead until the approach of the day's only categorized climb when the peloton, thanks to the violent change of pace staged in the preceding kilometers, caught up with him.

On the Puerto de Paüls, apart from some riders dropping back, nothing significant happened and this meant that, despite some reckless attacks, a not perfectly compact group went to contest the stage victory in a sprint. Here, on the slightly uphill straightaway in Roquetes, it was Matthew Brennan again who found the right moment to leave everyone behind, perfectly launched by Laporte and van Aert, having no difficulty in finishing ahead of Meeus, Albanese and Romele.

For the 2005-born rider from Darlington, who turned professional just last year, this makes nine seasonal victories and twenty-one in his career among the elite of the sport who, in the coming days, could once again be forced to admire new triumphs from behind given the sparkling form with which he presented himself at the start of the third Grand Tour of the year.

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FINISHING ORDER

1. Matthew Brennan (GBR/Visma-Lease a Bike) - 3:47:02

2. Jordi Meeus (BEL/Red Bull - BORA – hansgrohe) - s.t.

3. Vincenzo Albanese (ITA/EF Education-EasyPost) - s.t.

4. Alessandro Romele (ITA/XDS Astana) - s.t.

5. Axel Laurance (FRA/Netcompany INEOS) - s.t.

6. Orluis Aular (VEN/Movistar) - s.t.

7. Christophe Laporte (FRA/Visma Lease a Bike) - s.t.

8. Alberto Dainese (ITA/Soudal Quick Step) - s.t.

9. Vito Braet (BEL/Lotto Intermarché) - s.t.

10. David González (SPA/Pinarello-Q36.5) - s.t.

GENERAL CLASSIFICATION

1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) - 7:38:59

2. Primoz Roglic (SLO/Red Bull - BORA – hansgrohe) at 3:21

3. Enric Mas (SPA/Movistar) at 3:32

4. Sepp Kuss (USA/Visma Lease a Bike) at 3:44

5. Oscar Onley (GBR/Netcompany INEOS) at 3:45

6. Richard Carapaz (ECU/EF Education-EasyPost) at 3:50

7. Felix Gall (AUT/Decathlon CMA CGM) at 3:57

8. Mattias Skjelmose (DAN/Lidl-Trek) at 4:06

9. Jarno Widar (BEL/Lotto Intermarché) at 4:06

10. Jay Vine (AUS/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) at 4:11

OTHER CLASSIFICATIONS

Points classification: Tadej Pogacar (SLO/UAE Team Emirates-XRG)

Mountains classification: Tadej Pogacar (SLO/UAE Team Emirates-XRG)

Best young rider classification: Oscar Onley (GBR/Netcompany INEOS)