Britain’s Simon Yates all but secured the Tour of Spain overall title yesterday ahead of the final day ‘parade’ to Madrid, meaning British riders will have won all three of cycling’s Grand Tours this season.
The astonishing victory for the 26-year-old Mitchelton-Scott team rider Yates is a form of redemption after he led the Giro d’Italia for two weeks in May, only to lose over 40 minutes on the 19th stage - vowing however to “come back stronger”.
His success follows that of Sky’s Chris Froome in the Tour of Italy in May while another member of the Sky team Geraint Thomas won the Tour de France in July. Yates was third on the day in a short but mountainous run behind 20th stage winner Quick Step’s 23-year-old Enric Mas and Astana rider Miguel Angel Lopez, just 24, who climbed onto the virtual podium in second and third place.
The men who had been second and third overnight Spanish veteran Alejandro Valverde and Dutchman Steven Kruijswijk, both struggled on the final climb and fell to fifth and fourth respectively. The disappointment in Spain at Valverde dropping from second to finish off the podium on what could be his final chance, was made up for with the euphoria at the emergence of Mas, who was fourth in the Tour de Suisse this year.
Yates took the overall lead on the Vuelta from the ninth stage, and while he gave it up for two days to Spanish outsider Jesus Herrera, was always in pole position to win from that time.


RESULTS
STAGE
1. Enric Mas (ESP/QST) 97.3km in 2hr 59min 30sec,
2. Miguel Ángel López (COL/AST) at 0sec.
3. Simon Yates (GBR/MIT) 23s.
4. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 54.
5. Rigoberto Uran (COL/EFD) 57.
6. Wilco Kelderman (NED/SUN) 1:11.
7. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/LNL) 1:15.
8. David De la Cruz (ESP/SKY) 2:17.
9. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 3:09.
10. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 3:09.
Overall standings 
1. Simon Yates (GBR/Mitchelton) 79hrs 44mins 30sec
2. Enric Mas (ESP/QST) at 1min 46sec.
3. Miguel Ángel López (COL/AST) 2:04.
4. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/LNL) 2:54.
5. Alejandro Valverde (ESP/MOV) 4:28.
6. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) 5:57.
7. Rigoberto Uran (COL/EFD) 6:07.
8. Nairo Quintana (COL/MOV) 6:51.
9. Jon Izagirre (ESP/BAH) 11:09.
10. Wilco Kelderman (NED/SUN) 11:11.