Leknessund wins Vuelta stage seven; Pogacar extends lead

Norwegian rider Andreas Leknessund claimed his first Grand Tour stage win on stage seven of the Vuelta a España, breaking clear from a breakaway on the final Aramon Valdelinares climb to finish ahead of teammate Tobias Halland Johannessen for a Norwegian one-two. The duo wore black armbands for King Harald V, with Leknessund describing the victory as a special day amid the mourning back home. Pogacar, who has already won three stages, rode conservatively to the peloton before extending his overall lead over Enric Mas to about three-and-a-half minutes. Wout van Aert and other breakaway riders featured prominently, with Van Aert finishing third and gaining the green jersey points lead in some reports. The win marks Uno-X Mobility’s first Vuelta stage victory and the first Norwegian Vuelta stage victory since Thor Hushovd, underscoring a significant milestone for Norwegian cycling while the race keeps progressing with the GC battle intensifying behind the leaders.