Spain enjoyed a double celebration as Enric Mas successfully defended the red jersey through a brutal penultimate stage of the Vuelta a Espana while Mikel Landa rolled back the years to take an emotional victory on the Collado del Alguacil.
Barring injury or incident, Mas will become the first Spanish winner of the Vuelta since the last of Alberto Contador’s three titles in 2014, with the 31-year-old extending his advantage over Primoz Roglic by 38 seconds on a 187km stage from La Calahorra, now leading by two minutes and 15 seconds.
Landa was in tears as he secured his second career Vuelta stage win some 11 years after the first – his first stage win in any race in seven years and his first in a Grand Tour since the 2017 Giro d’Italia.
The 36-year-old’s season has been ruined by a broken pelvis suffered at the Itzulia Basque Country in April, but he has steadily improved in this Vuelta and after getting in the day’s break, he attacked to ride clear of Tobias Johannessen with six and a half kilometres left.
Behind Roglic had looked ready to test Mas’s resolve as his team put the pressure on approaching the final climb, but when third-placed Felix Gall attacked, Roglic could not respond as Mas followed to secure red.
PA
Read MoreEddie Dunbar wins third Vuelta stage as Enric Mas closes in on overall victory
Primoz Roglic cuts Enric Mas’ overall lead as Stefan Kung wins Vuelta time trial
Matthew Brennan makes history with fifth Vuelta a Espana stage win
