The Albany Gazette - Spaniard Enric Mas wins home Vuelta a Espana

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

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

Mas crossed the finish line arm-in-arm with his six Movistar team-mates stretched out beside him.

It was the Spaniard's first ever Grand Tour triumph, which he effectively sealed by reducing losses to Roglic in the individual time-trial on Thursday and then expanding his lead on Saturday in the last mountain stage.

Norwegian Johannessen prevailed in the 112-kilometre final stage, which started in a supermarket and featured a series of loops through Granada and around the famous 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 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 Slovenian superstar, who was overwhelming favourite to triumph and win 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 veteran Roglic and Gall along the way and proved a worthy winner, rising to every challenge.

(F.Jackson--TAG)