Tadej Pogacar makes winning start to Vuelta a Espana: 'Red is a nice colour'

Tadej Pogacar kickstarted his Vuelta a España campaign with a remarkable victory in the opening stage. The Slovenian cyclist edged out Britain's Ethan Hayter by a mere 0.09 seconds in a 9.4km individual time trial, claiming the coveted red jersey. Racing out of Monaco's glamorous casino, Pogacar showcased his exceptional skill on the challenging narrow and twisty course, leveraging his familiarity with the roads to his advantage.

The 27-year-old, who has previously claimed 36 Grand Tour stage victories, including six Giro d'Italia and 26 Tour de France stage wins, tops the general classification after the first day of racing. Pogacar expressed his surprise at winning the stage by such a tiny margin and remarked on the appealing shade of the red jersey. He credited his in-depth knowledge of the route for helping him secure the win.

Meanwhile, fellow UAE Team Emirates-XRG cyclist Jay Vine, alongside Ivo Oliveira and Joao Almeida, also finished among the top 20 riders in Monaco.