Mikel Landa (Soudal Quick Step) returned to the top in the Vuelta a España 11 years later, winning the queen stage of the 81st edition. The stage, which ran between La Calahorra and Collado del Alguacil over 186.8 km, also saw Enric Mas position himself very close to the overall victory.
After a long period of injuries and suffering, Landa, 36, won solo on the demanding final climb to Collado del Alguacil, attacking 7 km from the summit. The Basque cyclist crossed the finish line in tears, completing the stage in 4h.58.01.
At the finish line, Landa expressed his emotion: "I didn't expect it, but I dreamed of it, I had one last chance, I wanted to get off the bike without leaving anything unsaid. I thought of my children, if one day they see this and understand, they will know you can never give up. The team has helped me and given me affection. For the year and a half I've been through, I've suffered a lot... this is very special".
Meanwhile, Enric Mas (Artá, 31) firmly resisted attacks, securing his overall lead. After several second places and a third in previous editions, this stage win and the proximity of the final victory mark a milestone in his career. The provisional general classification places Mas at the top, followed by Primoz Roglic at 2.15 minutes and Felix Gall third at 2.44.
The queen stage, with 5 climbs and 4,890 meters of cumulative elevation gain, featured new ascents such as El Duque and Collado del Alguacil. An initial breakaway of 14 riders, including Van Aert, marked the start, while the main contenders remained grouped. Mas, Roglic, Gall, Carapaz, and Kuss rode at a distance from the race leaders.
In the battle for the stage victory, Landa joined Tobias Halland Johannessen and Ramses Debruyne. The Spanish rider crested the final climb in the lead and launched his decisive attack, achieving an emotional win. The final stage of the Vuelta will take place this Sunday with a 112 km route starting and finishing in Granada.
