Enric Mas wins 2026 Vuelta a España as Tobias Johannessen takes final stage in Granada

Final stage in Granada and safety adjustments

The 2026 Vuelta a España concluded on Sunday, 13 September, with a 112-kilometer stage starting and finishing in the Andalusian city of Granada. The stage featured a finishing circuit centered on the Côte de l'Alhambra, which riders climbed a total of four times. Prior to the stage start on Sunday morning, rider unions held discussions with race organizers to raise concerns about the safety of the concluding circuit. Organizers agreed to modify the race conditions by freezing all general classification times with 9.8 kilometers remaining before the final loop. This rule change ensured that riders fighting for the general classification podium could finish without taking unnecessary risks on the technical circuit.

Breakaway battle and Johannessen's sprint

With the overall standings settled before the final circuit, the race dynamic shifted toward the stage victory. A breakaway group of 12 riders formed quickly and opened a gap over the main peloton on the streets of Granada. The breakaway featured several prominent contenders, including French riders Axel Laurance, Bastien Tronchon, and Valentin Paret-Peintre. Visma-Lease a Bike rider Matthew Brennan, who entered the stage having already secured five stage victories in this Vuelta, was also present in the leading group. Brennan was closely marked by rival riders throughout the closing kilometers, opening an opportunity for Tobias Halland Johannessen. The Norwegian rider from Uno-X seized the opening in a sprint finish to earn his first victory of the season after recording 24 top-10 finishes.

Mas secures first Grand Tour title

Enric Mas completed the stage safely to confirm his victory in the general classification, earning the first Grand Tour triumph of his career at age 31. The Mallorcan climber representing Movistar had previously recorded three second-place finishes at the Vuelta in 2018, 2021, and 2022, alongside a third-place finish in 2024. Mas had spent the early part of the race as runner-up behind pre-race favorite Tadej Pogačar. His path to the red jersey opened on stage 8, when Pogačar suffered a crash and abandoned the race. Mas took the overall lead that day and reinforced his position by winning stage 9 the following afternoon. He defended the jersey across the second half of the tour, maintaining his advantage through Saturday's queen stage.

Spanish cycling milestone and final podium

Mas became the first Spanish rider to win the Vuelta a España in 12 years, following Alberto Contador's victory. The result also represents the first Grand Tour title for Movistar since Richard Carapaz won the Giro d'Italia in 2019. Mas stood on the final podium in Granada alongside Slovenian rider Primož Roglič of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, who finished in second place. Roglič had entered the race seeking a fifth Vuelta title, which would have made him the first cyclist to reach that mark. Felix Gall of Decathlon-CMA CGM completed the podium in third place.