Sunday, September 8 had arrived, and the scene was set for the final stage of this year’s Vuelta. Stage 21 of La Vuelta a Espana 2024 was designed as an individual time trial, which would determine the final general classification of the final Grand Tour of this professional road cycling season.

Vuelta race organizer had chosen the streets of Madrid as the venue for the final stage and the remaining cyclists in the Vuelta peloton would be deploying any energies left in their bodies on their time trial bikes. While some riders would be taking it easy on the 24.6-kilometer flat route while celebrating having completed the Vuelta, other riders would be aiming for maximum performance, hoping to secure a stage victory in the final stage, or advancement in the general classification.

Primoz Roglic (Team Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe) had increased his lead in the general classification of Vuelta a Espana to 02:02 minutes before the stage 21 time trial. Ben O’Connor was surprisingly still holding on to second place for Team Decathlon-AG2R, while Movistar’s Enric Mas was third, 02:11 behind the Slovenian race leader and three-time Vuelta Champion.

Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) was fourth in the rankings, exactly three minutes behind Roglic. David Gaudu was fifth for Groupama-FDJ, while Denmark’s Mattias “YoYo” Skjelmose was sixth for Lidl-Trek. Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep) was in eighth position before the final time trial, while Ineos-Grenadiers’ Carlos Rodriguez had dropped to tenth.

A well-skilled time trialist, it was expected Primoz Roglic would be able to defend his general classification lead in the stage 21 time trial. O’Connor had improved his time trialing skills significantly after having suffered in the discipline in previous seasons. Despite O’Connor’s improvements, Mas was hoping he could advance to second spot on the general classification podium by delivering a strong performance in the streets of Madrid. 

Although having animated this year’s Vuelta with courageous attacking efforts and immense persistence, it appeared Carapaz would be missing out on a spot on the podium of the race in which he finished second in 2020. Skjelmose was strong in the time trial discipline and would possibly be able to take valuable time on Gaudu in the flat time trial to climb to fifth in the GC – his best performance in a Grand Tour ever.

Many of the cyclists in the Vuelta peloton had mounted big chain rings on their perfectly optimized time trial bikes. Possibly inspired by previous endeavors of Wout van Aert, some were even using two disc wheels on their time trial bikes from bike brands such as Cervelo, Trek, Colnago, and Specialized. The route was categorized as flat, but the riders would be exposed to short hills, which could possibly distort the pace rhythm. The weather conditions were windy, sunny and hot.

Edoardo Affini (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) was one of the first riders to enter the hot seat, when he set the fastest finishing time of 00:27:34. Denmark’s Kasper Asgreen was expected to be able to compete for the stage win. The Soudal-QuickStep rider set the third-fastest time at the finish line. But many riders were yet to start their time trials.  

Thomas de Gendt started his time trial. It would be the final stage of a Grand Tour for the Belgian Lotto-Dstny rider, who will put an end to his long and impressive career at the end of this season. 

Victor Campenaerts set a new fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point One and Two. The Belgian rider was motivated as ever to deliver a fine performance for his Lotto-Dstny team. Campenaerts has signed a contract with Team Visma-Lease a Bike for the 2025-2027 seasons.

Campenaerts was also the fastest rider when he reached the finish line and he, therefore, dethroned Affini and entered the hot seat.

Oier Lazkano finished his time trial. The Movistar rider needed a well-deserved rest after having competed in both the Tour de France and La Vuelta a Espana this season. Despite many daring attacks, the Spanish rider had only won the Clasica Jaen this season.

Jay Vine also left the start ramp, which was situated inside the headquarters of the Spanish Telefonica phone company. Vine was riding for UAE Team Emirates and not the pro cycling team of phone company Movistar, which is owned by Telefonica. 

Matias Vacek was setting new fastest intermediate times on the roads of Madrid. Vacek is Czech national time trial champion, and his time would be used to pace teammate Mattias Skjelmose in his time trial effort later in the evening.

American National time trial champion Brandon McNulty showed his strong time trial skills on the roads of the Spanish capital. No other rider could fly the USA colors like McNulty, though he was riding for UAE Team Emirates.

Filippo Baroncini (UAE Team Emirates) clocked a new fastest time and replaced Mauro Schmid (Jayco-Alula) in the hot seat.

Stefan Küng set a new fastest time at Intermediate Timing Point One. He was also fastest at Point Two. Would the Swiss rider take the stage victory today and possibly even win in the time trial world championships in his home country next week?

Robert Gesink finished his time trial and the final cycling race of his career as a professional road cyclist. Gesink participated in twenty-four Grand Tours during his career and will now leave Team Visma-Lease a Bike.

Stefan Küng blast across the finish line in 26:28 minutes and received great applause from the spectators in the finish zone. Küng was now in the hot seat and time would tell if his performance had been sufficiently good to secure a stage win in a Grand Tour.

Sepp Kuss started his time trial. The defending Vuelta a Espana Champion would not be winning this year’s edition of the proud Grand Tour as he Visma-Lease a Bike rider was ranked thirteenth before today’s final time trial. The American rider would not even finish in the top ten of the GC.

Carlos Rodriguez (Ineos-Grenadiers) and Mikel Landa (Soudal-QuickStep) started their respective time trials. While Rodriguez was tenth in the general classification, Landa was eighth. 

Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) launched his attempt at reaching the top five in the final general classification. The Lidl-Trek captain is a decent time trialist.

Richard Carapaz was fourth in the GC before leaving the start ramp. Despite being Ecuadorian national time trial champion, Carapaz was not the strongest time trial rider in the peloton. The EF Education-EasyPost boss is admired for his admirable fighting spirit.

Movistar’s Enric Mas started his time trial. Was E.M. going to phone home today by delivering an almost extraterrestrial performance on his time trial bike? Or would he be forced to remain on the third podium spot by O’Connor and Roglic? 

Ben O’Connor launched his time trial – as did Primoz Roglic in the stunningly beautiful red aero suit. Had Roglic loaded up on Red Bull energy drinks from his team sponsor?

Mas and Skjelmose reached Intermediate Timing Point One as ninth and tenth best. Carapaz was fourteenth. Other GC favorites were yet to reach the same timing point.

O’Connor was second-best at timing point one until Roglic passed the same timing point and squeezed the Australian rider down to third place.

Carlos Rodriguez was fifteenth and Skjelmose eighth best at intermediate timing point two. Gaudu was only thirty-fifth, so Skjelmose looked set to climb to fifth in the final general classification of Vuelta a Espana 2024 ahead of Frenchman Gaudu.

Mikel Landa finished in 43rd place. Time trialing is not the much-adored Spanish rider’s favorite discipline.

Skjelmose reached the finish line in seventh place, but with other GC top ten riders yet to reach the finish line. Gaudu finished his time trial, but he was too late to save his fifth place in the GC from Danish Viking Skjelmose.

Carapaz proved unable to grab a podium spot in this year’s Vuelta but defended his fourth place well by fighting hard in today’s time trial. Carapaz received much applause from the crowds.

There were no surprise performances by the top three riders in the GC in today’s time trial. Mas protected his third place, O’Connor his second place, and Roglic his general classification lead.

Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ) won today’s stage 21 individual time trial of Vuelta a Espana 2024 ahead of Primoz Roglic and Matteo Cattaneo.

Primoz Roglic has won La Vuelta a Espana 2024 for Team Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe. Remarkably, it is the fourth Vuelta a Espana GC win for the Slovenian rider. Ben O’Connor finished in second place, while Enric Mas completed the general classification top three. Richard Carapaz finished fourth in La Vuelta a Espana 2024, and Mattias Skjelmose took the fifth spot. David Gaudu was sixth, Mikel Landa eighth, and Carlos Rodriguez completed the GC top ten.

Stay tuned to Roadcycling.com for additional coverage from the professional road cycling season, including the UCI Cycling World Championships in Switzerland.

Our cycling coverage is sponsored by BuzzBike – Rent the Bike, Own the City. Rental bikes and e-bikes in London and Manchester, United Kingdom. Visit www.buzzbike.cc to book your bike subscription today and the flexible, all-inclusive service perks that come with it. Unlock cycling with BuzzBike.