Vuelta a Espana 2019

Jakobsen wins final stage as Roglic takes overall Vuelta a España title

Jumbo-Visma's Primoz Roglic sewed up the overall title at the 2019 Vuelta a Espana, taking his – and Slovenia's – first Grand Tour title, with Movistar's Alejandro Valverde taking second place and another rising Slovenian star, Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) taking third.

The final sprint stage into Madrid was won by Deceuninck-QuickStep's Fabio Jakobsen, ahead of Ireland's Sam Bennett (Bora-Hansgrohe), giving the Belgian team five victories at this year's Vuelta, but the day belonged to Roglic, who took a well-earned, and hard-fought, overall victory.

The 29-year-old former ski jumper finished the race 2:16 ahead of Valverde and 2:38 ahead of compatriot Pogacar.

"Thank you for the support – to my family and everyone that was involved in this big result," said Roglic after his win. "See you at the next races."

For a full report of the final stage of the 2019 Vuelta a España, click here.

Overview

The 2019 Vuelta a España begins in Torrevieja on Saturday August 23 and finishes in Madrid on September 15.

The route, unveiled in a ceremony in Alicante in December, sees the number of summit finishes cut back a touch from nine to eight, but it's still a mountainous route that sticks with the Vuelta’s recent traditions.

Some brutally steep climbs have been sought out for the occasion, with the 4km Mas de la Costa and the painfully steep Los Machucos returning to the route. Andorra is also back on the menu and will host a short but punchy stage to bring week one to a close. The 100-kilometre route comprises five climbs and will ensure some gaps in the overall classification.

There will be just over 60 kilometres against the clock, with a 24km team time trial in Torrevieja opening the race and a 36.1km individual chrono in Pau at the start of the second week.

The final week of action gives the sprinters more opportunities to find glory, along with two important mountain stages in the Sierras around Madrid, before the last stage into the Spanish capital.

• Race preview: Opportunity knocks at Vuelta a España 2019

In the absence of 2018 champion Simon Yates, the 2019 Vuelta looks wide open, with a range of candidates and a sense anything can happen. Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde are two of three former winners on the start line - alongside Fabio Aru (UAE Team Emirates) - and head up a Movistar team without Giro d'Italia champion Richard Carapaz, who was ruled out through injury just 48 hours before the start of the race.

Primoz Roglic, third at the Giro, is very much among the favourites, and his Jumbo-Visma team have a credible alternative in Steven Kruijswijk, who was third at the Tour de France.

Movistar and Jumbo-Visma seem the strongest teams in the race, but elsewhere are a number of interesting challengers, including Colombians Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana), Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott), and Rigoberto Uran (EF Education First). Team Ineos leadership is shared between Wout Poels and 24-year-old Tao Geoghegan Hart, while two-time top-10 finisher Wilco Kelderman leads Sunweb and Rafal Majka leads Bora-Hansgrohe.

Vuelta a España countdown features

• Race preview: Opportunity knocks at Vuelta a España 2019
• Form ranking: Vuelta a España 2019 favourites
• Vuelta a España 2019: 5 key stages
  
• 10 riders to watch at the 2019 Vuelta a España
• Jumbo-Visma attempt third Grand Tour opening stage win out of three - Robert Gesink interview

Vuelta a España biggest stories 

• Carapaz ruled out of Vuelta a España
• Elissonde replaced by De la Cruz in Team Ineos' line-up
• Vuelta a España teams roll out in Moraira - Gallery
• Chaves on the comeback trail at Vuelta a España
• Roglic: I'm here to win the Vuelta a España
• Valverde set to hunt stage victories at the Vuelta a España
• Gilbert and Jakobsen headline Deceuninck-QuickStep at Vuelta a España
• Geoghegan Hart and Poels lead Ineos at the Vuelta a España 

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2018 Vuelta a España general classification