Rain and a treacherous descent shape the 2026 Vuelta

Rain and a treacherous descent turned the 2026 Vuelta into a game of chance

The stage of the 2026 Vuelta a España was not decided on the cobbles or on an out-of-category climb. It was decided on a descent that seemed designed for someone to break their face. Footage circulating from the course shows raised asphalt, with kerbs practically inviting crashes, and rain that turned the road into a death trap.

A descent with more traps than a maze

The problem was not just the water. The road, which critics said had been "patched up" for the occasion, antiestéticatured lateral slopes and a kerb that turned any mistake into a fall into the void. The comments spared no sarcasm: it looked like a rollercoaster, not a mountain pass. The comparison with Formula 1 came immediately: a few drops are enough for caution to prevail. At the Vuelta, some riders seemed to apply the same logic.

Enric Mas, the only one who didn't back down

Amid the chaos, the name Enric Mas stood out. Many fans wondered what he had taken before the start, such was his display. The Spanish rider delivered an unexpected performance, capable of astonishing even the most sceptical. While the peloton licked its wounds, he seemed to be enjoying the storm.

The organisers now face a flood of criticism questioning the safety of the route. The solution will not be as simple as they hoped. With these images, the 2026 Vuelta will go down in history as the day when rain and a badly designed descent nearly turned a race into Russian roulette. We will have to wait for the next edition to see if anyone dares to repeat the spectacle.