Enric Mas (centre) smiles on the podium flanked by second-place Slovenia's Primoz Roglic (left), and third-place Felix Gall.
Enric Mas (centre) flanked by second-placed Primoz Roglic (left) and third-placed Felix Gall. ‘I’ve dreamed of this and fought for it,’ said the Spaniard. Photograph: Gregorio Marrero/AP
Enric Mas (centre) flanked by second-placed Primoz Roglic (left) and third-placed Felix Gall. ‘I’ve dreamed of this and fought for it,’ said the Spaniard. Photograph: Gregorio Marrero/AP

Enric Mas reigns supreme at last in Vuelta a España to delight Spanish fans

  • Mas wins title after three second-place finishes

  • Tobias Johannessen takes final stage in Granada

Spain’s Enric Mas secured his first Vuelta a España title on Sunday as Tobias Johannessen won the 21st and final stage in Granada, bringing the three-week Grand Tour to a close.

The 31-year-old, who took the red jersey after Tadej Pogacar abandoned the race after a crash on stage eight, held off the four-time champion Primoz Roglic to become the first Spaniard to win the Vuelta since Alberto Contador in 2014.

Mas, a three-time Vuelta runner-up, finished 2min 15sec ahead of Roglic in the general classification, with Felix Gall third, a further half-minute behind.

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Mas crossed the finish line arm-in-arm with his six Movistar teammates stretched out beside him. It was the Spaniard’s first Grand Tour triumph, which he effectively sealed by limiting his losses to Roglic in the individual time trial on Thursday and then expanding his lead on Saturday in the last mountain stage.

“I’ve dreamed of this and fought for it,” said Mas. “I felt some nerves, it was a day with a mix of emotions, all of them positive.

“We have to keep on doing what we’re doing, we’re sportsmen and it’s like this – we’re thinking about the next objectives and we have no time to enjoy our victories.”

Mas crosses the finish line in Granada arm-in-arm with his six Movistar teammates.
Mas crosses the finish line in Granada arm-in-arm with his six Movistar teammates. Photograph: Marcelo del Pozo/Reuters

The Norwegian Johannessen prevailed in the 112km final stage, which started in a supermarket and featured a series of loops through Granada and around the Alhambra palace. The Uno-X Mobility rider held off Alessandro Romele and Ramses Debruyne in a sprint finish.

The last 9.8km of the race was neutralised earlier on Sunday in agreement with the governing body, the UCI, after riders raised safety concerns, so for the general classification contenders it was a procession to the finish line.

Mas inherited the red jersey from Pogacar after the Slovene, who was the overwhelming favourite to triumph at the Vuelta for the first time, suffered a severe crash which ended his season. Five-time Tour de France winner Pogacar was hoping to become only the fourth rider to claim a Tour-Vuelta double in the same season.

A runner-up in 2018, 2021 and 2022, Mas fended off attacks from Roglic and Gall along the way and proved a worthy winner, rising to every challenge. It was Team Movistar’s first Vuelta win since Colombia’s Nairo Quintana claimed victory in 2016.

“The reality is that the team needed a victory like this, and now we have it,” said Mas.

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