Mikel Landa has won the queen stage 20 of the Vuelta a Espana at the Collado del Alguacil, ending a long wait to raise his arms in a grand tour again. Enric Mas has passed the last major mountain test and will arrive in Granada this Sunday as leader with 2:15 over Primoz Roglic. Mas will become the first Spaniard to win the Vuelta since Alberto Contador back in 2014.
For the 36-year-old Basque had suffered a major setback in his home race, the Tour of Basque Country, where he was struck by a vehicle during the second stage and was forced to abandon with a fractured pelvis. The injury ruled him out of his first major target of the season, the Giro d’ltalia. He returned to racing and rode the Tour of Burgos and eventually on the start list for the Vuelta a Espana. It will be his final Grand Tour with the Belgian team, with his return to former team Euskaltel-Euskadi next season. Until Saturday, 27th place on day four had been his best result of the race.
But in the final mountain stage, Landa was determined to change the narrative. The Basque climber made the move across to the front on his own. He showed that he had the climbing legs, making the difference on the punishing Collao del Alguacil, he rode clear to a magnificent victory.
“I feel very happy. Something that I’ve been looking for a long time and finally I win again. It’s really emotional. It’s been a really hard season, a really hard Vuelta for me and today was the last chance.”
-Mikel Landa
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