ANALYSIS - Pablo Torres’ opportunity at the Vuelta a España and the role he can play alongside Pogacar

Cycling
Sunday, 09 August 2026 at 15:00
Collage_TadejPogacarPabloTorres
The 2026 Vuelta a España will mark a turning point in Pablo Torres’s career. The young rider from Madrid, one of Spanish cycling’s brightest prospects, will start his first Grand Tour on the 22nd of August in near-ideal conditions: lining up with UAE Team Emirates XRG, the leading favourite for the overall, and sharing the road with Tadej Pogacar.
For a 20-year-old, few scenarios are more demanding and, at the same time, more rewarding. Torres will not arrive at La Vuelta with the duty to lead or to chase a specific general classification result.
His mission will be to support the best rider in the world as he targets a race he finished third in on his only previous appearance, in 2019, and which returns to his schedule with a historic aim: completing the Grand Tour treble after five Tour de France victories and his 2024 Giro d’Italia win.
That, precisely, could be Pablo Torres’s big opportunity. La Vuelta will be his first experience of a three-week race and, crucially, he will learn first-hand alongside one of the sport’s greatest modern dominators.
The decision to pick the Madrilenian for UAE’s roster hardly looks coincidental. Torres has progressed through 2026, and his most recent rides have offered notably positive signals.
His season was already promising before summer. At the Sibiu Tour he placed 10th overall and took a stage podium, while at the Spanish time trial championships he won bronze. He also impressed at the Tour Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, where he fought for the front positions and finished fourth on stage six.
His latest races, however, suggest his development has accelerated. At the Vuelta a Burgos, Torres again highlighted his climbing ability and flashed the profile of a rider increasingly close to the very best. That is exactly the kind of form UAE needed to trust him in a three-week race.
The call-up also rewards his progression after a difficult 2025. The rider from Madrid had to recover from a heavy crash at the Tour of Hungary that affected much of his season. Even so, he closed that year racing the Tour de l’Avenir, where he finished seventh.
One year on, the picture is completely different. Torres heads to a Grand Tour in UAE colours, with Pogacar as leader and the chance to prove that his breakout at the 2024 Tour de l’Avenir, where he won two stages and finished second overall, was no one-off.
Pablo Torres will be at the upcoming Vuelta a España 2026
Pablo Torres will be at the upcoming Vuelta a España 2026 

Almeida’s withdrawal could hand him a bigger role

Another factor could reshape Pablo Torres’s role within UAE Team Emirates - XRG. Joao Almeida, initially set to be one of Pogacar’s main lieutenants at the Vuelta a España, crashed at the Tour de Pologne and was forced to abandon. His presence at La Vuelta is not entirely ruled out, but the outlook has changed.
The Portuguese rider has had a difficult 2026 and, even if he does make the start, it is hard to imagine him arriving in peak condition for Spain.
That opens the door for others to shoulder more responsibility around Pogacar. Enter Pablo Torres.
Alongside Jay Vine and Pavel Sivakov, the Spaniard could become a key figure to control mountain stages and stay with the leader in decisive moments. For a rider yet to start a Grand Tour, that responsibility is an exceptional chance to accelerate his education.
Tackling a first-category climb in the favourites’ group at a three-week race is not the same as doing it at a smaller event. Torres will face the world’s best climbers and, at the same time, ride alongside the man likely to dictate the pace for everyone else.

Could Pablo Torres have freedom at La Vuelta?

This is one of the big unknowns around Pablo Torres’s participation. His main task will be to work for Pogacar. That much is clear. UAE comes to La Vuelta to win the overall, and any individual chances will be shaped by the leader’s needs.
Even so, a three-week race serves up many scenarios. If Pogacar has the GC under control, if Torres feels good, or if a stage appears where the Madrilenian can join a break without compromising team strategy, it would be no surprise to see him given some freedom.
And that adds another incentive. Torres has shown promising traits for mountain days. His results in stage races and recent performances point to a rider who can thrive when the road tilts upward.
That’s why his first Vuelta doesn’t have to be limited strictly to a domestique role. It can be both: shield Pogacar and, when the race allows, hunt a stage win. For his development, it would be the ideal stage.
The buzz around Pablo Torres doesn’t stem solely from his participation in the Vuelta a España.
The Madrid native has long been tipped as one of Spanish cycling’s brightest hopes. His breakout at the 2024 Tour de l’Avenir put him firmly on the international radar. He took two stage wins there and finished second overall, results that underlined a huge ceiling.
Then came the 2025 crash, which partially slowed his rise. Now, in 2026, Torres is back where many expected to see him: growing within one of the peloton’s strongest structures and preparing to tackle ever bigger races.
The Vuelta a España will be the next test. And not just any test. It will be his first three-week experience, with all the pressure of racing a Grand Tour, but also with a luxury very few debutants enjoy: using the best rider in the world as both reference and teammate.

More responsibility for Pablo Torres at UAE

UAE’s situation makes his presence even more compelling. As noted, the team lost Almeida after his abandonment at the Tour de Pologne and needs to reach the Vuelta with enough depth for a race likely to demand a lot in the mountains. Pogacar will be the undisputed leader, but winning a Grand Tour is about more than having the strongest rider.
You need a team. And that’s where Pablo Torres can start to earn his place. Alongside Vine, Sivakov and the rest of the structure, the Spaniard will have to show he’s ready to hold the pace of the best for three weeks. No one can demand the impact of an established contender, but he must squeeze every kilometre to learn.
Because this Vuelta may matter more to Torres than the result that ends up next to his name. It could mark the start of his shift from prospect to Grand Tour rider. And if he also gets a day of freedom to fight for a stage, the showcase will be even bigger.
Pablo Torres racing for UAE Team Emirates - XRG
Pablo Torres racing for UAE Team Emirates - XRG 

Pogacar targets the triple crown and Torres can be pivotal

UAE’s objective is crystal clear. Pogacar returns to the Vuelta seven years after his third place in 2019 and does so with a historic opportunity. The Slovenian already has five Tours de France and a Giro d’Italia. If he wins in Spain, he will complete the set of all three Grand Tours on his palmarès.
To do it, he’ll need his best lieutenants. And one of them will be Pablo Torres. The Spaniard isn’t coming to the Vuelta to overshadow Pogacar. He’s coming to learn, work, and seize any chances that arise. But that very mix could turn his debut into one of the most intriguing storylines for Spanish cycling.
At just 20, starting a Grand Tour already represents a huge leap. Doing it as part of Pogacar’s guard is even more special.
And if Torres meets expectations, he could leave the 2026 Vuelta a España far better equipped to take on his own responsibilities in the coming seasons.
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