Vuelta a Espana 2019, stage 21 – live updates

• Latest results and standings following Saturday's stage

Primoz Roglic was confirmed the winner of the 2019 Vuelta a España after completing Sunday's stage 21 into Madrid, becoming the first rider from Slovenia to win a grand tour.

Roglic, 29, successfully defended his sizeable lead over second-placed Alejandro Valverde in the final stage of the 21-day race, a mostly processional 106.6km ride from Fuenlabada to the centre of Madrid which was won by Dutchman Fabio Jakobsen.

His compatriot Tadej Pogacar took the final position on the podium, rounding off a stunning race for the 20-year-old, who earned three stage wins on his grand tour debut.

Roglic was among the favourites to win a Vuelta lacking in household names and showed remarkable consistency throughout the race, despite a rocky start which saw him and his Jumbo-Visma team-mates involved in a mass crash on the opening stage.

7:01PM

But at least Movistar got to win the team classification. Again

7:00PM

And another Slovenian won another jersey . . .

6:58PM

. . . while Ag2r-La Mondiale's Bouchard crowned king of the mountains

6:57PM

Roglic also wins the points classification . . .

6:56PM

Roglic seals general classification . . .

. . . to become the first Slovenian to win a grand tour.

6:55PM

Jakobsen wins the stage!

And all the hard work from Deceuninck-Quick Step pays off in Madrid as the Belgian squad claims its fifth stage win at the Vuelta thanks to Fabio Jakobsen who lunged for the line ahead of Sam Bennett. Two stage wins from Jakobsen, a pair from Philippe Gilbert and a lone victory for Rémi Cavagna means that the team who normally dominates the early-season classics has in fact won 25 per cent of the stages available to individual riders. It is worth mentioning, too, that young British rider Jame Knox also managed to finish 11th on general classification missing out on the top 10 by just 35sec. What. A. Team.

6:53PM

700 metres to go

Zdenek Stybar takes over on the front for Deceuninck-Quick Step.

6:53PM

1.5km to go

Deceuninck-Quick Step has Rémi Cavagna – stage winner in Toledo on Friday – on the front, hammering along at around 70km/h.

6:52PM

3km to go

Astana team-mates Omar Fraile and Luis León Sánchez shunt towards the front briefly, but they are soon overhauled by the Deceuninck-Quick Step boys.

6:50PM

4km to go

Tim Declercq just won't give up. The Deceuninck-Quick Step tractor is motoring along at a fair old lick.

6:48PM

5.4km to go  | One lap to go

Sunweb are loitering, tucked in alongside Bora-Hansgrohe while Dimension Data, the team of Edvald Boasson Hagen, are also near the business end of the race as are Trek-Segafredo.

6:47PM

7km to go

Gam over for the two-man breakaway of Daniel Martínez and Diego Rubio. Over to the sprinters' teams now. The peloton is strung out in a fairly long line as Deceuninck-Quick Step set a fierce pace on the front.

6:45PM

8km to go

Daniel Martínez and Diego Rubio are about to be caught.

6:43PM

10km to go

Deceuninck-Quick Step and Bora-Hansgrohe are still riding hard on the front of the peloton. Surely today's stage will be contested by either Fabio Jakobsen or Sam Bennett, won't it?

6:41PM

12km to go

Daniel Martínez and Diego Rubio are refusing to give up, the peloton is looming large almost within touching distance of the leading pair.

6:39PM

13km to go

Juan Sebastián Molano has managed to get back on to the back of the main peloton, but at what cost? Will the Colombian lead-out rider have anything left in his legs to help deliver Fernando Gaviria to the line?

6:38PM

24km to go

Owain Doull (Inoes) just got a little tangled up with Oscar Cabedo (Burgos-BH), while elsewhere there has been a crash.

Daniel Martínez and Diego Rubio's lead is at 16sec.

6:36PM

16km to go

Juan Sebastián Molano has punctured which is not great news fro Fernando Gaviria as he ordinarily acts as a leadout rider. Ooops.

6:34PM

17km to go  | Three laps to go

The course these riders are flying along looks flat, but there are a couple of little rises which after three weeks of racing will feel like mountains for Daniel Martínez and Diego Rubio.

6:31PM

18.2km to go

And now it is 10sec.

6:31PM

18.5km to go

That lead is down to 12sec.

6:30PM

20km to go

That gap on the front has been whittled down to a measly 15sec. The peloton is just playing with Daniel Martínez and Diego Rubio now.

6:27PM

22.5km to go | Four laps to go

The peloton has this under control as they allow Diego Rubio and Daniel Martínez to hang out in front, 20sec up the road from the hungry looking bunch that is poised for action.

6:24PM

25km to go

Diego Rubio and Daniel Martínez lead by 20sec. Valerio Conti of Italy is the UAE Team Emirates rider up near the front of the peloton.

6:20PM

28km to go

Sunweb now have numbers up near the front of the bunch, could either Nikias Arndt – who won stage eight – or Max Walschield be contesting the stage win in 20 minutes or so? Interestingly, too, UAE Team Emirates has a man up front helping things along so maybe Fernando Gaviria is feeling like he has the legs today?

6:18PM

30km to go

Daniel Martínez and Diego Rubio's lead grows out to 20sec, but I don't honestly think anybody believes either the the Colombian or Spaniard can finish this off here today. Not when Deceuninck-Quick Step and Bora-Hansgrohe are looking so determined to get their men to the line.

6:14PM

33km to go | Six laps to go

Jonathan Lastra has caught by the peloton which now trails the stage leaders by 17sec. The big diesel that is Tim Declercq is pulling hard on the front, pulling along his Deceuninck-Quick Step team-mates.

6:12PM

Degenkolb has his say . . .

The German sprinter who is off to Lotto-Soudal next year, has been speaking about his chances today: "I’m really tired but I think everyone who’s done the last three weeks is tired. It’s been some really hard stages. The parcours is really nice, I like the circuit and it’s a nice finish for La Vuelta. I was struggling quite a lot and didn’t really make any result but that’s how it is and today is the last big chance."

6:09PM

36km to go

Jonathan Lastra(Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) is riding in no man''s land between the two stage leaders and the peloton, but the television pictures are not showing the time gaps which is not very helpful. I'd estimate the gap between Diego Rubio and Daniel Martínez and the peloton is roughly 20sec, but surely they will be caught?

6:04PM

40km to go | Seven laps to go

Daniel Martínez and Diego Rubio continue to lead the stage, while back in the pack Rafal Majka is putting in a turn on the front on behalf of Bora-Hansgrohe team-mate Sam Bennett who will e hoping to win a third stage at this year's race here later today. Deceuninck-Quick Step also has numbers near the head of the field, they will be riding for Fabio Jakobsen, their flying young Dutchman, winner of stage four.

6:01PM

42km to go

Gonzalo Serrano​ was unable to hold the wheels and the 25-year-old who is riding on home roads is heading back towards the bunch while Diego Rubio and Daniel Martínez continue to work together.

5:59PM

45km to go

Madrid-born Gonzalo Serrano​ (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) clipped off the front, but the Spaniard was soon joined by Diego Rubio (Bughos-BH) and Daniel Martínez (EF Education First).

5:54PM

50km to go

The riders wasted little time in attacking. First to go was a rider from Caja-Rural, but the Pro-Continental rider was soon joined by a posse of WorldTour colleagues including Willie Smit (Katusha-Alpecin), Jelle Wallays (Lotto-Soudal) and Manuele Boaro (Astana).

5:48PM

52.3km to go

As expected, Jumbo-Visma led the peloton over the line. Eight laps of this finishing circuit to follow before the expected bunch sprint finish, but who will take the honours? Sam Bennett, Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-Quick Step), Fernando Gaviria or even John Degenkolb (Trek-Segafredo) who has won here twice before (2012 and 2015).

5:44PM

55km to go

The bunch is, er, starting to bunch up as it senses it is reaching the finishing circuit in the centre of Madrid. Jumbo-Visma appears to be taking their place on the front and will lead the maillot rojo onto the circuit before, more than likely, a few bandits attempt to forge a breakaway . . . which will get reeled back in by the sprinters' teams ahead of the final battle in this three-week race around Spain.

5:35PM

60km to go

Sam Bennett, my pick of the day for this stage, looks fairly relaxed as he chats with the young South African rider Nic Dlamini (Dimension Data). He's an interesting young man is Dlamini who I was first made aware of in 2013 when he rode London-Paris with HotChillee. I was riding with a few friends and colleagues and didn't really get to speak with the then promising teenager, but there's a great piece here on theRouleur website that I shall implore you to read once this stage is over.

5:27PM

65km to go

No movement just yet, the peloton is just over 10km away from the finishing circuit. Once there I imagine a few riders will flex their muscles and attempt to get a few moments on the gogglebox.

5:22PM

She said yes . . .

Jesús Ezquerra(Burgos-BH) has just asked his partner if she would like to marry him live on television after pulling an engagement ring out of his rear pocket on his jersey. Luckily for him, she said 'yes'.

5:16PM

Beer o'clock!

Primoz Roglic, Tadej Pogacar, Geoffrey Bouchard and Alejandro Valverde are all having a beer while they ride. The beer of choice – supplied by a race sponsor – I think is alcohol free, so their bike handling skills shouldn't be hampered. Mind, from what I've heard Roglic likes a beer so maybe he could handle a full-strength brew.

5:12PM

70km to go

The riders are still on a big wide road that is definitely designed for cars or lorries. Not exactly the best advert for the region, not making me want to book my flights to the Madrid region anytime soon.

5:06PM

75km to go

He can smile, look . . .

5:00PM

80km to go

The entire Jumbo-Visma squad – those that remain in the race, at least – are riding alongside each other as the team of the race leader Primoz Roglic pose for the cameras. And why not, they will have posted a man in the top three of each of the grand tours this season, not bad for a squad that almost went out of business a few years ago. Roglic, as you will recall, finished third at the Giro d'Italia in May before his Dutch team-mate Steven Kruijswijk also took third at the Tour de France.

4:47PM

85km to go

Go home Bouchard, you're drunk.

4:41PM

90km to go

Fernando Gaviria(UAE Team Emirates) was just spotted riding all alone behind the slow-moving bunch. Quite surprised to see the Colombian sprinter there. I say that because I had completely forgot he was at the Vuelta a España. The best result the 25-year-old has managed so far here was third on stage four, but today should end in a sprint so the hugely talented rider will get one last chance to save his Vuelta.

4:30PM

95km to go

As the peloton taps away along what looks like a dual carriageway, Alejandro Valverde continues to be the focus of attention from the television production company who is relaying pictures of the race around the world. It's a bizarre sight watching the final stage of a grand tour riding along a dual carriageway – or perhaps a motorway?​

Anyway, it's currently fairly sunny where the riders are but further up the road in Madrid there is a threat of rain. It rained earlier ahead of the women's race which contributed to a number of crashes. If it does rain again race organisers have announced the timings for the general classification will be taken on the finishing line of the first of eight finishing circuits after 52.3km.

4:19PM

100km to go

Alejandro Valverde has been waving to the television cameras and the 39-year-old world champion is looking pretty pleased with himself. I'm not 100 per cent sure about his plans after today's stage finishes, but today could be his last competitive day in the rainbow bands.

4:13PM

Rolling, rolling, rolling . . .

The peloton has started to turn its collective pedal cranks and the roll-out from Fuenlabrada is under way. Each of the classification jersey wearers ​Primoz Roglic, Geoffrey Bouchard, Tadej Pogacar are leading the way, while the trio has world champion Alejandro Valverde for company.

Nairo Quintana is also up there dressed in the green jersey, although Roglic is the genuine holder of that particular garment but he can't wear two so the Colombian gets the honour despite sitting fifth in the standings behind Roglic, Pogacar, Valverde and Sam Bennett who would clearly prefer to wear his Irish national champions' jersey today. Quintana, tucked in behind the bona fide leaders, is looking a little sheepish.

3:55PM

Brennauer claims Madrid Challenge | Hosking sprints to stage two win

Earlier this afternoon the Australian sprinter Chloe Hosking (Alé Cipollini) won stage two of the catchily-titled WNT Madrid Challenge by la Vuelta in front of the Cibeles Square following 98.6km of racing.

Hosking outsprinted the young Italian Letizia Paternoster (Trek-Segafredo) while Roxane Fournier (Movistar) of France was third.

Lisa Brennauer (WNT-Rotor Pro Cycling) secured the general classification of the two-day race after the German finished 16th the day after winning the 9.3km individual time trial in Boadilla del Monte, a suburb on the western side of the Spanish capital, ahead of Lucinda Brand (Sunweb) and Pernille Mathiesen (Sunweb) who were also second and third respectively in the final general classification. The race was the penultimate event in the 2019 UCI Women’s WorldTour​ ahead of the Tour of Guangxi in October.

3:26PM

Welcome all

Hello and welcome to our live rolling blog from stage 21 of the 74th edition of the Vuelta a España, the 106.6km run from Fuenlabrada to Madrid. As you can see from the below profile of this the final stage of the final grand tour of the season, today is not the most testing day the riders will have encountered over the past three weeks.

With no classified climbs featuring in the almost panflat route, all Geoffrey Bouchard (Ag2r-La Mondiale) needs to do to secure the mountains classification is complete the stage within the time limit.

A little like the final stage in the Tour de France, the last day at the Vuelta is also traditionally a largely processional affair and so we are not expecting any changes in the various classifications – general, points, mountains and team. Assuming the days goes to plan then Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) will make history by becoming the first Slovenian to win a grand tour as well as the points jersey, while his compatriot Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) will take home the white jersey as the best young rider of the race. Movistar, who have three riders – Alejandro Valverde (second), Nairo Quintana (fourth) and Marc Soler (ninth) – in the overall top 10, will win the team classification. Of course they will, that's what Movistar do.

Today's racing is due to get under way at 4.10pm (BST).

3:25PM

Where are we?

Here's a reminder of the route of this year's Vuelta a España  . . .

 . . . and here are the details of each and every stage at this year's race:

3:25PM

As it stands . . .

Here's what the standings look like in the general, points, mountains, young rider and team classifications after 20 days of racing.

• Debutant Pogacar claims his third stage and podium place

3:25PM

The Cycling Podcast: re-cap of yesterday's stage

The penultimate stage and last in the mountains of the Vuelta a España saw a fierce battle among the main contenders with 20-year-old Tadej Pogacar winning his third stage to move up to third overall.

It means he will finish on the podium in Madrid on Sunday, with his fellow Slovenian Primoz Roglic on the top step and Alejandro Valverde in second.

Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Orla Chennaoui discuss the stage and also the controversy of the previous day. There are interviews with Philippe Gilbert and Rémi Cavagna of Deceuninck-Quick Step and with Pogacar’s manager at UAE Team Emirates, Joxean Fernández Matxin. And there are the latest instalments of rider diaries from Nick Schultz and James Knox.

• The Cycling Podcast is supported by Rapha and Science in Sport