Lorraine Williamson
For Spanish cycling, it was a moment that had been a long time coming. Enric Mas crossed the finish line of La Vuelta in Granada as overall champion, finally turning years of podium finishes and near misses into the biggest victory of his career.
The Movistar rider finished 2 minutes 15 seconds ahead of Primož Roglič, with Austria’s Felix Gall taking third at 2 minutes 44 seconds. It makes Mas the first Spaniard to win the country’s biggest stage race since Alberto Contador claimed the red jersey in 2014.
A long-awaited victory for Spanish cycling
Mas has spent much of his career among the strongest Grand Tour riders without quite securing one of cycling’s three biggest stage races.
The 31-year-old Mallorcan had already finished on the podium at La Vuelta several times, making Sunday’s victory especially significant. This time there was no runner-up position: Mas ended the 81st edition of the race wearing the red jersey as champion.
His victory also brings to an end a surprisingly long drought for Spain. Despite the country’s deep cycling tradition and La Vuelta taking place largely on home roads, no Spanish rider had won the overall classification since Contador 12 years ago.
Granada hosts the final celebration
The 21st and final stage was a 112-kilometre circuit in Granada, bringing the race to a close with the Alhambra providing the backdrop.
There was no change among the main general classification contenders on the final day. Mas therefore retained the comfortable advantage he had built before the finale, with the decisive times taken before the closing kilometres so riders interested in the stage victory could race to the line.
Norwegian rider Tobias Halland Johannessen won the final stage itself after beating Alessandro Romele in a fast finish, but the biggest celebration belonged to Mas and Movistar.
How Mas won La Vuelta
The race began on 22 August and took riders through three demanding weeks before arriving in Andalucía for the decisive stages.
Mas took over the red jersey during the race and gradually strengthened his position as the route moved south. His advantage survived the individual time trial between El Puerto de Santa María and Jerez de la Frontera and the difficult final mountain stages.
The penultimate stage to Collado del Alguacil effectively settled the overall race. Mikel Landa took the stage victory, while Mas did enough to make his eventual triumph in Granada all but certain.
A Spanish winner at last
For Movistar, Mas and Spanish cycling, the victory carries weight beyond another entry in the record books.
La Vuelta has produced plenty of Spanish stage winners and contenders over the past decade, but the red jersey had repeatedly gone elsewhere. Mas now becomes the rider who finally ended that run.
He leaves Granada with his first Grand Tour victory and one of the biggest results of his career, while Spanish cycling can once again celebrate a home winner of its own race.
For Mas, after years spent standing close to the top step, 2026 will be remembered as the year he finally reached it.