"We need to be smart" - INEOS loose Carapaz as a GC possibility as Hart and Rodríguez show great form
Cycling
INEOS Grenadiers came to the Vuelta a Espana with four possible GC cards. Their main, Richard Carapaz, has not been close to the form he's achieved at the Giro d'Italia, and is giving way to younger talents to test his legs.
“I would prefer a stage like this 100 times than the first five or six stages," Tao Geoghegan Hart said after completing the stage. "We had to find a balance between being patient, and using the team well, and not wasting them. We don’t have the best riders, we don’t have to impose ourselves. We need to be smart.”
The Ecuadorian had shown bad signs, but has lost today almost four minutes alone to the leading trio. Pavel Sivakov has also had a bad day, loosing over two after showing great signs across the opening week. Hart himself has been consistent and performing back at a high level, coming home in 11th place today and rising to fifth in the overall classification.
Perhaps more surprisingly however was that Carlos Rodríguez, a Grand Tour debutant, keeping up with Evenepoel, Roglic and Mas throughout most of the climb, and now sits ahead of Hart in the GC. “It was a good day for Carlos. We hope to keep getting better as the race goes on," Hart commented on his teammate.
The winner of the 2020 Giro has struggled in the last two years to find form, but seems to finally be back to his best level here at the Vuelta. “Stay healthy, and stay out of trouble. For me, if I am healthy, with my experience from the grand tours I’ve done … my level doesn’t change," he said, seemingly finding his way through the mishaps that have seen him underperform recently.
“That’s what I have to aim for, to stay healthy and just keep being smart to use the energy when it matters, and save your legs while you can," he concluded.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- Roglic could not have won anyway, after Jonas followed him when Roglic decided it was his turn for a stage win. Jonas had already attacked Kuss twice, so it was Jonas who was within seconds of taking the lead before Kuss was 'gifted' the win. It felt a bit like Roglic was being thrown under the bus when the team made his unhappiness public.Hills3314-11-2026
- POG1, another nice doc about our favourite, I watched most of it with a big smile on my face (except for the bits about his crashes 😢 obvs!).Lozza14-11-2026
- Martinez had a good year! 5th at the Tour was a great result for him, albeit largely through getting in successful breaks, but he held it better than Pidcock who’d done the same.Lozza14-11-2026
- guess what Valgren, you're 34, and no you're not good enough. sorry to say.mij14-11-2026
- I'm a sepp fan and like to think he earned that LOL, indulge me : ) I think Jonas was fine. Roglic did not want to concede to Sepp. and I don't think you ever attack your own teammate in the leaders jersey if he is holding his own, which Sepp just about was.mij14-11-2026
- enough time? he's 24 years old. He's won 10 races over the last 2 years and some are significant. I won't argue about his attitude being good - it needs to improve. But with some coaching and mentorship he has a lot of winning ahead of him and has plenty of time to win a GT. I don't think he will ever beat Tadej, but everyone else is fair game Look at Mas and Valverde - they were 31 and 29, respectively, when they won the Vuelta.mij14-11-2026
- Pogacar has a fine head on his shoulders.Careful investments and a couple of coffee shops sounds like a wonderful way to chill after an intense career.Stay healthy GOAT.
Brucegel14-11-2026 - I live in Maribor.PogiSloFans14-11-2026
- I live in Ljubljana and often go on trips in the surrounding area, where I frequently see young cyclists in 'Pogi Team' jerseys training, either alone or in groups. By simply motivating so many young people to take up cycling, Tadej has already achieved something truly significant.Velijo14-11-2026
- That's an excellent point. It's interesting that Vader came to that realization only after he learned that his contract wasn't going to be renewed.
santiagobenites14-11-2026
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Etapa 8⃣ Stage | 🏁 - 3 km 🫣 ⭕️ Acelera Tao! Tao pushing! #LaVuelta22
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