Roglic Dominates Vuelta a Espana for Historic Fourth Title

Slovenian cyclist Primoz Roglic clinched his fourth Vuelta a Espana title, matching the record of Spaniard Roberto Heras. Roglic reclaimed the lead with a solo attack on stage 19 and maintained it through the final time-trial in Madrid. Stefan Kung won the final stage, finishing 31 seconds ahead.

Slovenian cyclist Primoz Roglic made history on Sunday by securing his fourth Vuelta a Espana title, equalling the record held by Spaniard Roberto Heras. Roglic dominated the final stage, a 24.6 km individual time-trial in Madrid, ultimately retaining his overall lead earned from a decisive solo attack on stage 19.

The Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rider reclaimed the iconic red jersey from Australian contender Ben O'Connor. Roglic crossed the finish line with a commanding overall lead of two minutes and 36 seconds over O'Connor, while Spaniard Enric Mas took third place. As Roglic crossed the finish line, his celebratory gesture to the sky encapsulated his emotional victory.

This victory is particularly sweet for Roglic, who was forced to pull out of the Tour de France earlier this year due to crashes. Despite being the favorite, he faced unexpected challenges, including losing the red jersey to O'Connor on stage six. Roglic's relentless determination culminated in his climactic performance on the Alto de Moncalvillo summit finish.

(With inputs from agencies.)