Vuelta a Espana 2026: Eddie Dunbar wins stage 19 as Enric Mas maintains overall lead

Ireland’s Eddie Dunbar won the 19th stage of the Vuelta a Espana as Spain’s Enric Mas maintained his overall lead with two stages remaining.

Friday’s stage was a hilly slog of 210.8km from Velez-Malaga to Penas Blancas, with Dunbar, 30, catching and passing Santiago Buitrago 300 metres from the finish.

Both were part of a four-man breakaway and the Colombian, the King of the Mountains leader, attacked with two kilometres to go.

Dunbar did not respond initially but the Pinarello-Q36.5 rider timed his counter-attack perfectly to cross the line 14 seconds before Buitrago, with his British team-mate Thomas Gloag in third.

Four-time Vuelta winner Primoz Roglic closed the gap on race leader Mas by 33 seconds during Thursday’s time trial, but the Movistar rider held on to his lead despite general classification rivals Roglic and Richard Carapaz trying to increase the pace on the 18km climb to the finish.

Britain’s Oscar Onley finished alongside the rest of the leading contenders to retain his fifth position overall and keep hold of the white jersey for the best young rider.

Mas, who has finished second overall three times in the Vuelta, has a cushion of one minute and 37 seconds heading into Saturday’s 186.8km mountain stage from La Calahorra to Collado del Alguacil.

The 31-year-old will hope to seal his first Grand Tour title when the race concludes on Sunday with a 112km stage in Granada.