Felix Gall Eyes Vuelta Podiums After Strong Showing on Aramón Valdelinares Climb
- Felix Gall raced to a fourth-place overall standing at the Vuelta a España on August 28, 2026, after an aggressive final ascent on the summit finish climb of...
- During the second major mountain stage of three in the race, the French squad launched a concerted challenge against UAE Team Emirates-XRG.
- The guys always push me to be more aggressive, Gall said, as reported by Cyclingnews.
Felix Gall raced to a fourth-place overall standing at the Vuelta a España on August 28, 2026, after an aggressive final ascent on the summit finish climb of Aramón Valdelinares, according to reporting from Cyclingnews. The Decathlon CMA CGM rider crossed the finish line six seconds behind race leader Tadej Pogačar, securing a crucial 10-second advantage over Enric Mas and gaining time on the rest of the general classification contenders.
Gall Climbs to Fourth Overall at Vuelta
Decathlon Challenges UAE Team Emirates-XRG
During the second major mountain stage of three in the race, the French squad launched a concerted challenge against UAE Team Emirates-XRG. Halfway up the final climb, with UAE reduced to four riders including Pogačar, Decathlon deployed Gregor Muhlberger and Matthew Riccitello to the front to swamp the leader’s team. According to Cyclingnews, the tactic successfully isolated Pogačar and culminated in an intense 300-meter acceleration by Gall that only the Slovenian leader could match.
The guys always push me to be more aggressive,
Gall said, as reported by Cyclingnews. Gregor is always motivated, he can always push me to try something. It was super nice, I suffered quite a bit on Gregor’s wheel, that’s for sure, but it’s a pleasure to race with such a strong team and nice to get some gaps today.
Rebounding From Puerto de El Bartolo
Gall’s performance on the Aramón Valdelinares climb marked a sharp turnaround from the difficult gravel-capped stage on August 27 up Puerto de El Bartolo, where he conceded time to his main rivals. By finishing behind only Pogačar, Gall moved up one spot in the general classification to fourth overall. He sits just 11 seconds behind Primož Roglič of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, tightening the battle for the final podium steps in Madrid.
Tadej was just doing his pace, and I wasn’t really focusing on him,
Gall explained, according to Cyclingnews. This is a race for the podium; you take him out of the equation.
Saving Energy for the Grand Tour Finale
By forcing UAE Team Emirates-XRG to shoulder the workload throughout the stage, the French team ensured Gall reached the final slopes with fresh teammates to launch their attack.
With the race heading deeper into the Grand Tour schedule, Gall’s ability to distance riders like Mas confirms his climbing form. The battle for podium positioning continues as the race progresses toward Madrid.