Enric Mas is on the verge of winning the Vuelta a Espana after defending the red jersey through a brutal penultimate stage, as Spain celebrated a double success with Mikel Landa taking victory on the Collado del Alguacil.
Mas extended his overall advantage over Primoz Roglic by 38 seconds on the 187km stage from La Calahorra, moving two minutes and 15 seconds clear. Barring injury or incident, the 31-year-old will become the first Spanish winner of the Vuelta since the last of Alberto Contador's three titles in 2014.
Landa was in tears as he secured his second career Vuelta stage win, 11 years after his first. It was his first stage win in any race in seven years and his first in a Grand Tour since the 2017 Giro d'Italia.
The 36-year-old's season had been ruined by a broken pelvis suffered at the Itzulia Basque Country in April, but he has steadily improved in this Vuelta. After getting in the day's break, he attacked to ride clear of Tobias Johannessen with six and a half kilometres left.
Behind, Roglic had looked ready to test Mas's resolve as his team applied pressure approaching the final climb, but when third-placed Felix Gall attacked, Roglic could not respond as Mas followed to secure red.