• Richard Carapaz won the last stage of the Vuelta a Espana.
• Outstanding solo effort in Gran Fonseca de Guadalajara.
• Remco Evenepoel appeared to have won the women’s Vuelta.

Remco Evenepoel of Speedy Step Alpha Vinyl held a benefit more than two minutes over Enric Mas heading into stage 20.

And confronted little difficulty in seeing out the day after his Spanish opponent neglected to close the hole regardless of completing fifth.

“I don’t know what’s going through my head and my body right now. It’s amazing,” said Evenepoel, who was overcome with emotion after crossing the line in sixth.

“All the critics and the bad comments I received after last year, I think I answered with my pedals. I’ve been working so hard to come here in the best shape possible. To now win this Vuelta is just amazing.”

The 181km ride from Moralzarzal to Puerto de Navacerrada, the last mountain stage in the current year’s race, saw a fight among Carapaz and Sergio Higuita on the last trip yet it was the Ecuadorian who advanced with 7km to go.

Group DSM’s Thymen Arensman required second while Juan Ayuso of UAE Group Emirates returned home in third spot.

Carapaz, champ of the 2019 Giro d’Italia, likewise fixed triumph in the mountain order with his third stage win this year.

“I was targeting this day, I knew it was very important. We knew it was a super hard stage because there were so many things at play, especially in the general classification,” said the Ineos Grenadiers rider.

“I rode my way, being smart, making my moves when I had to. Then I enjoyed a lot of support from the breakaway riders. The truth is I’m very moved… to fight for the King of Mountains was one of my goals.”

The three-week race finishes up on Sunday with a level 96.7km excursion from Las Rozas to Madrid.