Roglic defends Vuelta crown after Tour agony

MADRID: Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic won the Vuelta a Espana for the second time in as many years on Sunday to make up for his crushing disappointment at the Tour de France.

Jumbo-Visma’s Roglic becomes the first rider to defend the Vuelta since Roberto Heras in 2005, with Germany’s Pascal Ackermann clinching the 18th and final stage victory in Madrid.

Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz finished runner-up after leading the general classification for five stages and putting Roglic under intense pressure in the penultimate stage on Saturday.