After searching so much, he found it. Wout Van Aert, the great agitator of the race, a natural fighter and a brawler by conviction, took the stage victory, a sprint that hardly had any story because he only measured himself against Paret-Peintre, a good climber and downgraded sprinter. So after playing a bit of cat and mouse, the Belgian left his mark. Now I expect you to attack; now I show you the wheel; now I take off and if anything, we’ll see each other at the finish. Laurel for Van Aert and for Visma, who already have four stage wins, three from Brennan — who was also in the battle — and this one from the green jersey, from which the best is always expected and it rarely disappoints.
After the mountains, the Vuelta took a day of rest, at least alpine-wise, goodbye to the ice axe, and the stage through the lands of Granada, where the sun and heat gave no respite, suggested the final sprint. Although it was also a terrain with traps, broken, with three gentle climbs, none a colossus, a whole invitation to breakaways. And, lenient Movistar because they are not in a position to control the race but to defend Mas’s lead, that’s how it went.
The multicolored snake left Almuñécar, a place that mixes Roman with Phoenician bathed by the sea, an idyllic postcard. But there was no time to savor the surroundings because there was a rush to get away, to leave the peloton in the rearview mirror. Thus, attacks and attempts soon came, ultimately massive and successful because 42 riders broke the peloton in two. Movistar was not worried, as for one day they could take off their work overalls because the teams with sprinters had to do the digging. But there was no reply and everything would be decided up front, thanks to a breakaway that did not ease up and that, after conquering the Alto del Legionario, with a four-minute difference and the best filtered out, already knew that the victory would be in their legs and wheels.
After overcoming the next ridge, the last one, a few mixed again and attacks followed, all hopeful to open a gap and reduce the chances in the sprint.
📊 Top 10 GC Stage 1⃣3⃣ | Stage 1⃣3⃣
+ info ➡️ https://t.co/jdNgUrshoY#LaVuelta26 pic.twitter.com/7Ay66o8tls— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) September 4, 2026
A fierce fight dignified by Van Aert with his effort and tenacity, highlighted in this Vuelta because there is no intermediate sprint or mountain that he does not contest. The attacks were his, also mixed with those of his teammate Brennan, who for a reason were the two fastest in the group. A tactic that made the final selection so that a few would fight for the prizes. Insufficient, in any case, for Van Aert, who with three kilometers to go brought out the hammer, a surge that, with everyone already exhausted, only Paret-Peintre could hold. It was not the same in the sprint, won by the one who deserved it most.
