Spain’s Enric Mas claimed his first Vuelta a España title on Sunday as Norwegian rider Tobias Johannessen secured victory in the race’s final stage in Granada, concluding the three-week Grand Tour.

Mas, 31, took the overall lead after the early withdrawal of pre-race favorite Tadej Pogacar, who crashed out on stage eight. The Spaniard then held off four-time Vuelta champion Primoz Roglic throughout the competition to become the first Spaniard to win the event since Alberto Contador in 2014. Mas finished the general classification 2 minutes and 15 seconds ahead of Roglic, with Felix Gall rounding out the podium in third place, 30 seconds further behind.

Crossing the finish line in Granada, Mas celebrated alongside his six Movistar teammates, underscoring a collective effort behind his breakthrough victory. This marks Mas’s first overall Grand Tour win, following three previous runner-up finishes at the Vuelta. His command of the race was solidified by limiting time losses to Roglic in Thursday’s individual time trial, then extending his lead in the final mountain stage on Saturday.

“It’s something I’ve dreamed of and fought for,” Mas said after the race. “There was a mix of emotions, but all of them positive. We have to keep working; as athletes, our focus shifts quickly to future goals, leaving little time to savour victory.”

The closing stage spanned 112 kilometers through Granada and around the historic Alhambra palace. Johannessen, riding for Uno-X Mobility, emerged victorious in a sprint finish, outpacing Alessandro Romele and Ramses Debruyne. However, the final 9.8 kilometers of the stage were neutralized following safety concerns raised by the riders and approved by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), effectively turning the closing segment into a procession for the overall contenders.

Mas took over the leader’s red jersey from Pogacar after the Slovenian, who was aiming to achieve a rare Tour de France and Vuelta double in the same season, suffered a severe crash that forced his withdrawal. Prior to this year, Mas had finished second in the Vuelta in 2018, 2021, and 2022 but managed to fend off intense challenges from both Roglic and Gall this time around.

For Team Movistar, Mas’s victory represents their first Vuelta triumph since Nairo Quintana’s win in 2016. Reflecting on the team’s success, Mas remarked, “The reality is that the team needed a victory like this, and now we have it.”