LA VUELTA 2026 | STAGE 19 | VÉLEZ-MÁLAGA > PEÑAS BLANCAS. ESTEPONA
Eddie Dunbar (Pinarello Q36.5) achieved a spectacular and emotional performance to fly to a summit victory at Peñas Blancas on stage 19 of La Vuelta 26. Affected by serious injuries in a training crash earlier this year, the Irish climber regained his best form to take his first victory in two years. His last wins came at La Vuelta 24, in Padrón and on Picon Blanco. This time, the Irishman beat Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victory) to the line after an exhilarating finale to cap off an attacking festival – it took almost three hours of battle before the breakaway was established. Among the GC contenders, Richard Carapaz (EF Education–EasyPost) kick-started the action with over 100 km to go, but his rivals controlled the Ecuadorian, and Enric Mas (Movistar) maintained his grip on La Roja on the eve of the final mountain stage.
Back to the mountains! After a couple of sprint stages and the ITT to kick-start the final week of La Vuelta 26, the riders face two mountain showdowns before Sunday’s finale in Granada. Stage 19 is entirely held in the province of Malaga, on familiar and demanding roads leading to a brutal summit finish at Peñas Blancas, where Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) claimed victory in 2022.
With 210.8 kilometres from Vélez-Málaga to Peñas Blancas, today is the longest stage of La Vuelta 26. The other 200+ kilometres stage of this edition was on day 2 (Monaco > Manosque, 202.1 km). But it was a rolling day, while today is a proper mountain stage, with over 4,000 metres of elevation gain.
Carapaz gets involved in a massive battle
With fewer and fewer opportunities to shine, attackers are determined to battle it out on the mountains of Malaga. After the start from Vélez-Malága, a brutal battle immediately begins. It will take almost three hours at a brutal pace to establish a 16-man breakaway.
After 65 kilometres, seven riders lead the way, including Ivo Oliveira and Kevin Vermaerke for UAE Emirates XRG, as well as Andreas Leknessund and Tobias Johannessen for Uno-X Mobility. The battle goes on up the Puerto de las Abejas (cat. 2, summit at km 91.0). Some 20 riders lead the way… But they fail to consolidate the break.
Up the Puerto del Viento (cat. 2, km 111.3), Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) and more attackers get in the mix. As a reduced peloton gets back to the leaders, Eddie Dunbar (Pinarello Q36.5) sets off 10.5 km from the summit. Behind him, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) kick-starts the GC action but his rivals are vigilant.
Dunbar crests the climb alone, and 16 chasers join him on the downhill, including Vermaerke and Leknessund. Darren Rafferty (EF Education-EasyPost) is also up there, but he sits back… Carapaz has attacked again! Rafferty tries to pace him to the front but the Irishman suffers a mechanical and the Ecuadorian attacker eventually waits for the bunch.
Dunbar frustrates Buitrago, Roglic has a go
As the peloton get back to Carapaz at km 125, the situation finally settles. The attackers work well together, and the peloton take it easier as there are no GC threats at the front – Guillaume Martin-Guyonnet is 13th overall, 21’23’’ behind the overall leader Enric Mas (Movistar). The gap increases to over 7 minutes before Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe increase the pace before the final climb. At the bottom of the Peñas Blancas ascent (cat. 1, 18.8 km at 6.5%), the peloton trail by six and a half minutes.
After a first acceleration from Rudy Molard (Groupama-FDJ United), Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) attacks with 13 kilometres to go. Three riders join him at the front: Dunbar, his Pinarello Q36.5 teammate Thomas Gloag, and Urko Berrade (Kern Pharma). Buitrago attacks again into the final 2 kilometres. He rapidly opens a gap… but Dunbar chases him and passes him with 350 metres to go to take his first win since e La Vuelta 24. Third at Calar Alto, second at Sierra de la Pandera, Buitrago is once again beaten to the line.
In the GC group, EF Education-EasyPost increase the pace. But this time, it’s Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) who attacks inside the final 2 kilometres. His rivals manage to get back to the Slovenian. Stage 20 is set to decide the GC battle with a most demanding finish at Collado del Alguacil.
Stage 19
- Edward Dunbar (Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) 5h00’54”
- Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) +0’14”
- Thomas Gloag (Pinarello-Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team) +0’23”
GC
- Enric Mas (Movistar Team) 65h52’03”
- Primoz Roglic (Red Bull- Bora – hansgrohe) +01’37”
- Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM Team) +03’01”
