Results Vuelta a Espana 2026 Stage 10 - Visma stunned as Bastien Tronchon takes upset win in chaotic uphill sprint with Wout van Aert missing out
CyclingTuesday, 01 September 2026 at 17:08
Bastien Tronchon delivered a major surprise on Stage 10 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana, beating Magnus Cort and Thibau Nys after a chaotic uphill finale in Elche de la Sierra denied Wout van Aert and Team Visma | Lease a Bike.
Tronchon emerged from a disorganised final kilometre to secure victory for Groupama – FDJ United, with Cort taking second for Uno-X Mobility and Nys completing the podium for Lidl – Trek.
Visma had controlled much of the stage before committing Matthew Brennan to Van Aert’s cause in the closing kilometres. That work brought the race back together with two kilometres remaining, but it also left the green jersey without a conventional sprint train when the decisive attacks began.
Walter Calzoni had attacked shortly before the catch, forcing Brennan into a prolonged effort at the head of the peloton. The British rider finally closed the gap as the road continued to rise, but the lull that followed allowed Yevgeniy Fedorov and Xabier Mikel Azparren to escape approaching the final kilometre.
Neither survived to take the victory. With the chase lacking organisation and the remaining fast men forced to improvise, Tronchon timed his effort best to defeat Cort and Nys on the line.
Visma control unravels in the finale
Van Aert had appeared increasingly well positioned after Mads Pedersen was dropped on the Puerto de Socovos. Brennan repeatedly covered attacks around the summit before Christophe Laporte drove the chase on the descent, suggesting Visma were preparing the Belgian for the uphill finish.
Sepp Kuss then supplied another tactical option by following a late counterattack alongside Milan Vader. Inigo Elosegui had reached Fredrik Dversnes at the front, but the gaps between the escapees, counterattackers and peloton remained only a matter of seconds.
Decathlon CMA CGM Team helped chase because Kuss remained relevant to the general classification. Once that move was neutralised, Calzoni immediately attacked and briefly opened another gap.
Brennan was Visma’s final remaining worker and was required to close it himself. By the time the Italian was caught, the expected sprint trains had disappeared and Van Aert was dependent upon other teams controlling any further moves.
Fedorov and Azparren exploited that hesitation, but their attack became the final launchpad for a finish won by a rider who had barely featured among the pre-stage favourites.
Team Visma | Lease a Bike on stage 10 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana
Dversnes leads breakaway resistance
The day’s principal break had contained Enzo Paleni, Michael Gogl, Jasha Sutterlin, Fabian Weiss, Sinuhe Fernandez and Ivan Cobo, with Dversnes bridging across to expand the group to seven.
Paleni was the best placed at more than 58 minutes behind Enric Mas, allowing Movistar to leave the pursuit to Visma and Cofidis. Those teams kept the advantage below three minutes while working towards possible victories for Van Aert, Brennan and recent stage winner Bryan Coquard.
The break began to fracture on the steeper uncategorised ramps before the Puerto de Socovos. Gogl forced the selection alongside Dversnes, Paleni and Cobo, while Weiss briefly regained contact before being dropped again.
Paleni and Cobo were distanced on the descent, and Gogl eventually surrendered inside seven kilometres. Dversnes continued alone before Elosegui reached him, prolonging the pursuit until the late counterattacks finally absorbed the remnants of the day’s escape.
The pressure also produced a brief exchange between the general classification contenders. Kuss moved with one acceleration, prompting responses from Richard Carapaz and Mas, while Decathlon protected Felix Gall when another split threatened to form.
No lasting separation was created among the principal red-jersey contenders. Mas reached the closing kilometres safely near the front, but the stage victory went elsewhere after a day controlled by Visma ended in precisely the kind of disorder Tronchon needed.
Carlos Silva is a writer for CyclingUpToDate.com, where he contributes race reports, interviews, analysis pieces, and live coverage of the international cycling calendar. Holding a degree in Sports from the Jean Piaget Institute, he combines academic knowledge of performance, training, and competition with hands-on journalism experience in professional cycling.
Throughout his career, Carlos has conducted interviews with leading figures in the sport, including Alberto Contador, Joaquim Rodríguez, Óscar Pereiro, João Almeida, Isaac del Toro, Derek Gee, John Degenkolb and Geraint Thomas. These conversations reflect direct engagement with Grand Tour winners, Classics specialists, and emerging talents.
He has provided on-site coverage at major events ranging from the Vuelta a España to the Tour de France, alongside stage races such as Vuelta a Andalucía, Volta ao Algarve, Volta a Portugal and O Gran Camiño. Covering the mythical climbs of the Giro d'Italia remains one of his professional ambitions.
Carlos is responsible for liveblog coverage of all major WorldTour races and beyond, including the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España. His reporting integrates verified data from ProCyclingStats to ensure statistical accuracy, contextual depth, and analytical precision.
A lifelong cycling enthusiast, he approaches storytelling across written, photographic, and video formats with a focus on credibility, tactical insight, and informed race interpretation.
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