Stefan Küng won the Vuelta time trial on stage 18 of the 2026 Vuelta a España, beating Callum Thornley by just two seconds.
The Tudor Pro Cycling rider delivered the fastest ride in the race’s second individual time trial. He crossed the line 2.2 seconds ahead of Thornley, who had spent a long spell in the hot seat.
Thornley, riding for Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, had earlier set the benchmark after beating Ethan Hayter of Soudal Quick-Step by 29 seconds. The 23-year-old British rider, described as a young Scot, eventually had to settle for second place.
Küng wins Vuelta time trial after late push
Küng said after the stage that the margin did not matter once victory was secured. He called the result a team success, despite standing alone on the podium.
The Swiss time trial specialist said the 32km test demanded full concentration from the opening metres. He noted that such a fast course left little room for expensive mistakes.
Küng admitted he had a difficult spell after the second climb. He said he misjudged several corners there, before finding his rhythm again and making the decisive difference.
The win also continued a strong Vuelta for Tudor Pro Cycling. Küng pointed to teammate and roommate Marco Brenner’s earlier victory, calling it a strong outcome for their room.
He also thanked the staff and support network who helped him return after an injury in February. The stage win marked an important result for both rider and team.
Mas defends red jersey against Roglič
While Küng claimed the stage, Enric Mas produced one of the most important rides of his race. The Movistar leader defended the red jersey in a discipline he dislikes.
Mas started the day with Primož Roglič sitting two minutes and 10 seconds behind him overall. Roglič, racing for Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, had been expected to pressure the race leader.
Instead, Mas limited the damage with the best time trial performance of his career. He finished 12th on the stage and lost only 33 seconds to Roglič.
That result leaves the 31-year-old Spaniard with more than a minute and a half at the top of the general classification. Three stages remain in the 2026 Vuelta a España.
Two of those stages are in the mountains, terrain much more suited to Mas. His position now looks increasingly strong as he chases an unexpected home victory.
Roglič finished fourth on the stage, missing the podium behind João Almeida of UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Almeida took third in the time trial.
Oscar Onley, riding for Netcompany-Ineos, also produced a solid performance. He retained the white jersey after the stage 18 test.
The general classification remains firmly shaped around Mas and Roglič, but the day belonged to Küng. His narrow victory rewarded precision, recovery, and a late return to speed after a difficult middle section.
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