“It’s not about the heat, they’re too quick to climb off” - Contador has a theory on why so many are abandoning the Vuelta a España

Cycling
Tuesday, 08 September 2026 at 10:45
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The Vuelta a España enters its decisive phase with a striking data point: 34 riders have already abandoned after 14 stages, a notably high figure compared with the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia. Most notable is that none of these withdrawals were due to missing the time cut.
The attrition is leaving several teams threadbare. Alpecin-Premier Tech are down to just three riders, while UAE Team Emirates XRG and Picnic PostNL start the final week with four. Only five teams still have their full eight-man line-ups.
The contrast with the other two Grand Tours is stark. At this point in the Tour and the Giro, there were barely 14 DNFs recorded, whereas the Vuelta has already surpassed the total number of non-finishers in those races.
Heat, cumulative fatigue, and the proximity of the Worlds are among the possible explanations, but Alberto Contador points to a more structural factor. “I think this is the Grand Tour where it’s easiest to step off,” said the former rider on La Montonera, highlighting a season entering its home straight and the Vuelta’s particular context.
Enric Mas, in the red jersey at the Vuelta a España 2026.
Enric Mas at the Vuelta a España 2026.

A race that punishes the peloton

Sandra Alonso believes the Vuelta’s position as the final Grand Tour on the calendar has significant influence. With the Worlds drawing near, some riders and teams arrive with less ambition than at the Tour or the Giro. “It’s the last Grand Tour of the year, with the Worlds very close,” she explained, linking that calendar squeeze to the high number of withdrawals.
The number of debutants may also be taking a toll. For Alonso, young riders are facing for the first time the strain of a three-week race, with hot stages and increasingly difficult recovery. “There’s a big workload and, as you say, so many young riders… in the end I think that’s showing,” she noted.
Contador, however, argues the problem cannot be pinned solely on high temperatures. He believes certain riders approach the Vuelta with a different mindset because it’s the last big date of the season. “It’s not about the heat or anything like that; the season is advanced and many already have their contracts sorted,” he said.
That context can make it easier for some to call time on their race at the first setback. Contador added that the difference also lies in the accumulation of small situations: “One drops out for one thing, another for another, another… and before you realise it, one year you finish with one, the next year with two, the next with three.”

Teams increasingly weakened

The steady loss of riders is having a direct impact on the race. Teams tackling the final week with three or four riders have fewer tactical options and must focus efforts on specific targets. Alonso stressed the fatigue of debutants, exposed for days to extreme conditions.
Contador also focused on the peloton’s make-up and the commitment of certain structures to the Vuelta. “There are WorldTour teams that come to the Vuelta a bit, in quotes, obliged,” he explained, referring to squads that may approach the race with less ambition than at other Grand Tours.
In that scenario, wildcards take on added weight. Teams invited to the Vuelta often arrive with greater motivation than some WorldTour structures. “The invited teams are much more committed because of how important it is for them,” Contador said.
Even so, the tally of 34 abandons may yet rise in the remaining stages. The Vuelta now heads into its decisive week with a shrinking peloton and several teams on the limit. The sight of riders simply stepping off the bike captures a trend that, according to Contador, sets the Spanish Grand Tour apart from the rest.
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