The use of glycals 3 and 4 as precursors to 1, 2-anhydrosugars greatly simplifies the installation of a 8-linked ceramide glycoside. By permuting the introduction of the ceramide and the sialic acid, one can access the ganglioside GM~(1) and, by an unexpected regioselective glycosylation, ita NeuAc (2+ 2) Gal positional isomer 10.