Santiago Buitrago Crowned King of the Mountains at Vuelta a España

Santiago Buitrago claimed the King of the Mountains title at the Vuelta a España, a milestone that had eluded Colombian cyclists for 22 years. The Colombian Cycling Federation confirmed his victory, which marks a significant moment in the country's cycling history. Spaniard Enric Mas will be the overall winner of the race. Buitrago secured the title on Saturday, after the queen stage, ending a prolonged wait - since 2004 when Félix Cárdenas achieved the feat.

Throughout the three-week competition, Buitrago demonstrated consistent performance in high-mountain stages and adopted a strategy based on breakaways and competing for points at major climbs. This approach helped him build his lead and maintain control of the classification, even as other riders attempted to close the gap. A notable performance came in Stage 12, where he finished third at Calar Alto, further solidifying his position as the leader in the mountains classification.

His tactical approach kept him on the right side of the climbs, allowing him to reach the final stage with the coveted title secured. However, Buitrago did not achieve the stage victory he had set as a primary goal, a frustration evident in his post-race statement where he described feeling "the world come crashing down on me." Despite this setback, his achievement is all the more remarkable given the circumstances.

Buitrago's win comes at a time when Colombia is still reeling from a devastating earthquake that struck one month prior, forcing the suspension of a stage in the Vuelta a Colombia. The 7.4-magnitude earthquake affected several regions, and Buitrago dedicated his victory to those affected by the tragedy. With this title, Buitrago joins Félix Cardenas as the last Colombian to win the King of the Mountains classification at the Vuelta a España in 2004.

The 26-year-old cyclist's victory in Spain follows a Vuelta where he continued to prove that he excels on the great mountains of world cycling.