Wout Van Aert of Belgium and Team Visma heads to a hotel for cover after the abandonment of stage three of the Vuelta a España. Photograph: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesView image in fullscreenWout Van Aert of Belgium and Team Visma heads to a hotel for cover after the abandonment of stage three of the Vuelta a España. Photograph: Tim de Waele/Getty ImagesVuelta a España: giant hail forces stage three abandonment in PyreneesHuge hailstones prompt organisers to act 15km from end
Riders seen heading into hotel on route to take cover
A torrential hailstorm in the French Pyrenees forced the abandonment of the third stage of the Vuelta a España on Monday.
With 15km (9.32 miles) remaining of the 174km ride from Gruissan to Font-Romeu, the skies darkened as the peloton scaled the Col de Mont-Louis and huge hailstones began pelting the riders.
View image in fullscreenA view of the finish line following the stage cancellation. Photograph: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty ImagesRace leader and favourite Tadej Pogacar was seen indicating to the main group to pull off the course and soon afterwards drenched riders were shuffling into a hotel for shelter.
Shortly afterwards organisers announced the stage would not resume.
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