Vuelta a España 2026: Stage 18 time trial start times
Enric Mas the last rider off as he races to defend his overall race lead
Enric Mas will tackle the biggest obstacle to his first overall victory in his home Grand Tour at the 2026 Vuelta a España on Thursday: the 32.1-kilometre stage 18 individual time trial from El Puerto de Santa María to Jerez de la Frontera.
Mas doesn't have a great history when it comes to time trials in Grand Tours - in 2021, he lost over two minutes to Primož Roglič in a 33.8km test in the Vuelta. In 2022, it was 1:03 over 30.9km to Roglič (and 1:51 to Remco Evenepoel).
The 2026 Vuelta a España, without Tadej Pogačar since he abandoned after crashing on stage 8, is a very different scenario and could probably be better compared to the 2018 Vuelta.
Mas finished sixth in a 32km test on stage 16 that year, and hardly lost any time on any of his fellow GC contenders. In fact, he gained time on race leader Simon Yates and climbed up one spot after finishing sixth on the stage.
This year, Roglič has been off his best because of an accident before the start of the race, and is third overall at 2:10. Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) is second at 2:06. With the rest more than four minutes behind, Mas really only needs to worry about the Slovenian.
The stage will get underway at 2:07 p.m. local time with Mathias Norsgaard (Lidl-Trek) the first down the ramp.
Of the early starters, keep an eye on Ethan Hayter (Soudal-Quickstep) - fifth down the ramp at 2:11 p.m. - as an early favourite for the hot seat.
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The most imposing figure in the time trial is Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike), who will be starting at 3:50 p.m. ahead of the wave of GC favourites.
His teammate Sepp Kuss will lead off the top 10 of the Vuelta GC standings at 4:37 p.m., while Mas is the last rider to start at 4:55 p.m.
The time trial will take an estimated 35 minutes to complete so we will know where the GC contenders stand by 5:30 p.m.
Be sure to tune into Cyclingnews for our live coverage and expert analysis after the stage.
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Position |
Rider (Country) Team |
Time Gap |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Mathias Sunekær Norsgaard (Den) Lidl-Trek |
14:07:00 |
2 |
Paul Double (GBr) Jayco-AlUla |
14:08:00 |
3 |
Louis Rouland (Fra) Cofidis |
14:09:00 |
4 |
Domen Novak (Slo) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
14:10:00 |
5 |
Ethan Hayter (GBr) Soudal-QuickStep |
14:11:00 |
6 |
Asbjørn Hellemose (Den) Jayco-AlUla |
14:12:00 |
7 |
Jordi Meeus (Bel) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
14:13:00 |
8 |
Marc Brustenga Masague (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma |
14:14:00 |
9 |
Matevž Govekar (Slo) Bahrain Victorious |
14:15:00 |
10 |
Alexis Renard (Fra) Cofidis |
14:16:00 |
11 |
Steffen De Schuyteneer (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
14:17:00 |
12 |
Guillermo Juan Martinez Huertas (Col) Picnic PostNL |
14:18:00 |
13 |
Callum Thornley (GBr) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
14:19:00 |
14 |
Cesar Macias Estrada (Mex) Burgos Burpellet BH |
14:20:00 |
15 |
Vito Braet (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
14:21:00 |
16 |
Rasmus Tiller (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
14:22:00 |
17 |
Oscar Chamberlain (Aus) Decathlon CMA CGM |
14:23:00 |
18 |
Gianni Moscon (Ita) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
14:24:00 |
19 |
Alberto Dainese (Ita) Soudal-QuickStep |
14:25:00 |
20 |
Olivier Le Gac (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
14:26:00 |
21 |
Alessandro Covi (Ita) Jayco-AlUla |
14:27:00 |
22 |
Jasha Sütterlin (Ger) Jayco-AlUla |
14:28:00 |
23 |
Alastair Mackellar (Aus) EF Education-EasyPost |
14:29:00 |
24 |
Orluis Aular (Ven) Movistar Team |
14:30:00 |
25 |
Fabio Van Den Bossche (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep |
14:31:00 |
26 |
Sinuhe Fernandez Rodriguez (Spa) Burgos Burpellet BH |
14:32:00 |
27 |
Darren Van Bekkum (Ned) XDS Astana |
14:33:00 |
28 |
Timo De Jong (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
14:34:00 |
29 |
Iñigo Elosegui Momeñe (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma |
14:35:00 |
30 |
Ivo Oliveira (Por) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
14:36:00 |
31 |
David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Spa) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
14:37:00 |
32 |
Michael Gogl (Aut) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
14:38:00 |
33 |
Ivan Cobo Cayon (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma |
14:39:00 |
34 |
Roman Ermakov (Slo) Bahrain Victorious |
14:40:00 |
35 |
Bryan Coquard (Fra) Cofidis |
14:41:00 |
36 |
Mats Wenzel (Lux) Equipo Kern Pharma |
14:42:00 |
37 |
Georg Steinhauser (Ger) EF Education-EasyPost |
14:43:00 |
38 |
Martin Tjøtta (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
14:44:00 |
39 |
Sylvain Moniquet (Bel) Cofidis |
14:45:00 |
40 |
Thibau Nys (Bel) Lidl-Trek |
14:46:00 |
41 |
Yevgeniy Fedorov (Kaz) XDS Astana |
14:47:00 |
42 |
Pablo Castrillo Zapater (Spa) Movistar Team |
14:48:00 |
43 |
Mathijs Paasschens (Ned) Bahrain Victorious |
14:49:00 |
44 |
Nicholas Schultz (Aus) NSN Cycling Team |
14:50:00 |
45 |
Jorge Arcas (Spa) Movistar Team |
14:51:00 |
46 |
Chris Hamilton (Aus) Picnic PostNL |
14:52:00 |
47 |
Magnus Cort (Den) Uno-X Mobility |
14:53:00 |
48 |
Gal Glivar (Slo) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
14:54:00 |
49 |
Darren Rafferty (Irl) EF Education-EasyPost |
14:55:00 |
50 |
Xabier Mikel Azparren Irurzun (Spa) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
14:56:00 |
51 |
Matthew Brennan (GBr) Visma-Lease a Bike |
14:57:00 |
52 |
Ivan Ramiro Sosa Cuervo (Col) Equipo Kern Pharma |
14:58:00 |
53 |
Fredrik Dversnes (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
14:59:00 |
54 |
Lorenzo Rota (Ita) Lotto-Intermarché |
15:00:00 |
55 |
Jesus Herrada (Spa) Burgos Burpellet BH |
15:01:00 |
56 |
Sergio Samitier Samitier (Spa) Cofidis |
15:02:00 |
57 |
Frederik Wandahl (Den) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
15:03:00 |
58 |
Joao Almeida (Por) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
15:04:00 |
59 |
Gianni Vermeersch (Bel) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
15:05:00 |
60 |
Lucas Hamilton (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers |
15:06:00 |
61 |
Roland Thalmann (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:07:00 |
62 |
Lars Craps (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
15:08:00 |
63 |
Alessandro Romele (Ita) XDS Astana |
15:09:00 |
64 |
Ivan Romeo Abad (Spa) Movistar Team |
15:10:00 |
65 |
Walter Calzoni (Ita) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:11:00 |
66 |
Jacopo Mosca (Ita) Lidl-Trek |
15:12:00 |
67 |
Carlos Canal Blanco (Spa) Movistar Team |
15:13:00 |
68 |
Steven Kruijswijk (Ned) Visma-Lease a Bike |
15:14:00 |
69 |
Sander De Pestel (Bel) Decathlon CMA CGM |
15:15:00 |
70 |
Rémy Rochas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:16:00 |
71 |
Simon Dalby (Den) Uno-X Mobility |
15:17:00 |
72 |
Thomas Gloag (GBr) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:18:00 |
73 |
Rudy Porter (Aus) Jayco-AlUla |
15:19:00 |
74 |
Jose Luis Faura Asensio (Spa) Burgos Burpellet BH |
15:20:00 |
75 |
Marcel Camprubi Pijuan (Spa) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:21:00 |
76 |
Clement Alleno (Fra) Burgos Burpellet BH |
15:22:00 |
77 |
Andreas Leknessund (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
15:23:00 |
78 |
Finn Fisher-Black (NZl) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
15:24:00 |
79 |
Bastien Tronchon (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:25:00 |
80 |
Pau Miquel Delgado (Spa) Bahrain Victorious |
15:26:00 |
81 |
Fabian Weiss (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:27:00 |
82 |
Vincenzo Albanese (Ita) EF Education-EasyPost |
15:28:00 |
83 |
Ibon Ruiz Sedano (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma |
15:29:00 |
84 |
Gianmarco Garofoli (Ita) Soudal-QuickStep |
15:30:00 |
85 |
Pau Marti Soriano (Spa) NSN Cycling Team |
15:31:00 |
86 |
William Barta (USA) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:32:00 |
87 |
Axel Laurance (Fra) Ineos Grenadiers |
15:33:00 |
88 |
Andreas Kron (Den) Uno-X Mobility |
15:34:00 |
89 |
Bruno Armirail (Fra) Visma-Lease a Bike |
15:35:00 |
90 |
Lennard Kämna (Ger) Lidl-Trek |
15:36:00 |
91 |
Stefan Küng (Swi) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:37:00 |
92 |
Julien Bernard (Fra) Lidl-Trek |
15:38:00 |
93 |
Hugo Hofstetter (Fra) NSN Cycling Team |
15:39:00 |
94 |
Hannes Wilksch (Ger) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:40:00 |
95 |
Attila Valter (Hun) Bahrain Victorious |
15:41:00 |
96 |
Paul Ourselin (Fra) Cofidis |
15:42:00 |
97 |
Enzo Paleni (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:43:00 |
98 |
Rudy Molard (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:44:00 |
99 |
Mauri Vansevenant (Bel) Soudal-QuickStep |
15:45:00 |
100 |
James Shaw (GBr) EF Education-EasyPost |
15:46:00 |
101 |
Lorenzo Fortunato (Ita) XDS Astana |
15:47:00 |
102 |
Luke Tuckwell (Aus) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
15:48:00 |
103 |
Reuben Thompson (NZl) Lotto-Intermarché |
15:49:00 |
104 |
Wout Van Aert (Bel) Visma-Lease a Bike |
15:50:00 |
105 |
Jørgen Nordhagen (Nor) Visma-Lease a Bike |
15:51:00 |
106 |
Milan Vader (Ned) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:52:00 |
107 |
Kevin Vermaerke (USA) UAE Team Emirates-XRG |
15:53:00 |
108 |
Valentin Madouas (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
15:54:00 |
109 |
Lawrence Warbasse (USA) Tudor Pro Cycling |
15:55:00 |
110 |
Carlos Rodriguez Cano (Spa) Ineos Grenadiers |
15:56:00 |
111 |
Ramses Debruyne (Bel) Alpecin-Premier Tech |
15:57:00 |
112 |
Mikel Landa Meana (Spa) Soudal-QuickStep |
15:58:00 |
113 |
Edward Dunbar (Irl) Pinarello-Q36.5 |
15:59:00 |
114 |
Henok Mulueberhan (Eri) XDS Astana |
16:00:00 |
115 |
Marco Brenner (Ger) Tudor Pro Cycling |
16:01:00 |
116 |
Jose Manuel Diaz Gallego (Spa) Burgos Burpellet BH |
16:02:00 |
117 |
Patrick Konrad (Aut) Lidl-Trek |
16:03:00 |
118 |
Valentin Paret Peintre (Fra) Soudal-QuickStep |
16:04:00 |
119 |
Callum Scotson (Aus) Decathlon CMA CGM |
16:05:00 |
120 |
Pello Bilbao (Spa) Bahrain Victorious |
16:06:00 |
121 |
Tobias Halland Johannessen (Nor) Uno-X Mobility |
16:07:00 |
122 |
Emanuel Buchmann (Ger) Cofidis |
16:08:00 |
123 |
Urko Berrade Fernandez (Spa) Equipo Kern Pharma |
16:09:00 |
124 |
Jack Haig (Aus) Ineos Grenadiers |
16:10:00 |
125 |
Gijs Leemreize (Ned) Picnic PostNL |
16:11:00 |
126 |
Koen Bouwman (Ned) Jayco-AlUla |
16:12:00 |
127 |
Jarno Widar (Bel) Lotto-Intermarché |
16:13:00 |
128 |
Embret Svestad-Bårdseng (Nor) Ineos Grenadiers |
16:14:00 |
129 |
Raul Garcia Pierna (Spa) Movistar Team |
16:15:00 |
130 |
Santiago Buitrago Sanchez (Col) Bahrain Victorious |
16:17:00 |
131 |
Jan Hirt (Cze) NSN Cycling Team |
16:19:00 |
132 |
Filippo Zana (Ita) Soudal-QuickStep |
16:21:00 |
133 |
Finlay Pickering (GBr) Jayco-AlUla |
16:23:00 |
134 |
Mario Aparicio Muñoz (Spa) Burgos Burpellet BH |
16:25:00 |
135 |
Juan Felipe Rodriguez Contreras (Col) EF Education-EasyPost |
16:27:00 |
136 |
Matthew Riccitello (USA) Decathlon CMA CGM |
16:29:00 |
137 |
Guillaume Martin Guyonnet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
16:31:00 |
138 |
Léo Bisiaux (Fra) Decathlon CMA CGM |
16:33:00 |
139 |
Harold Alfonso Tejada Canacue (Col) XDS Astana |
16:35:00 |
140 |
Sepp Kuss (USA) Visma-Lease a Bike |
16:37:00 |
141 |
Clément Berthet (Fra) Groupama-FDJ United |
16:39:00 |
142 |
Cristian Rodriguez Martin (Spa) XDS Astana |
16:41:00 |
143 |
Mattias Skjelmose (Den) Lidl-Trek |
16:43:00 |
144 |
Jakob Omrzel (Slo) Bahrain Victorious |
16:45:00 |
145 |
Oscar Onley (GBr) Ineos Grenadiers |
16:47:00 |
146 |
Richard Carapaz (Ecu) EF Education-EasyPost |
16:49:00 |
147 |
Primož Roglič (Slo) Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe |
16:51:00 |
148 |
Felix Gall (Aut) Decathlon CMA CGM |
16:53:00 |
149 |
Enric Mas Nicolau (Spa) Movistar Team |
16:55:00 |
Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.
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