Brenner claims La Pandera victory as Mas extends lead beyond two minutes

Marco Brenner claimed the biggest victory of his career on La Pandera, winning the 14th stage from Jaén after overtaking Santiago Buitrago in the final meters. The 24-year-old German rider, from Augsburg and racing for Tudor, completed the 154.5-kilometer stage in 4 hours, 15 minutes and 9 seconds at an average speed of 36.3 kilometers per hour.

Buitrago finished one second behind, while Cristian Rodríguez took third. Brenner reached the summit at an altitude of 1,800 meters after surviving a crash and receiving help from his teammates throughout the stage. "I find it hard to believe. I was not feeling very well at the end because of a crash I had, but my teammates helped me throughout the stage and I felt better on the final climb. You are a cyclist to live moments like this. It is not easy to win in a grand tour, and it is something that excites you," he said at the finish.

In the favorites’ group, Primož Roglič lost ground. Enric Mas and Felix Gall moved clear together and finished 4 minutes and 13 seconds behind Brenner, but 25 seconds ahead of Roglič. Gall moved to second overall at 2 minutes and 6 seconds, while Roglič fell to third at 2 minutes and 10 seconds from the red jersey.

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I find it hard to believe. I was not feeling very well at the end because of a crash I had, but my teammates helped me throughout the stage and I felt better on the final climb. You are a cyclist to live moments like this. It is not easy to win in a grand tour, and it is something that excites you.

Mas said the gap had passed an important threshold ahead of Thursday’s time trial. "It is good to get beyond two minutes of advantage. It is time that we deserve, and I thank the team from the bottom of my heart. With seven riders, we defend ourselves very well. We will see in the time trial. We have worked for this and I will defend myself," the Movistar leader said at the finish.

The stage began explosively, with a 44-rider breakaway forming immediately across three climbs and 4,338 meters of elevation gain. The heat was countered with ice and extra water. Santiago Buitrago secured the blue polka-dot jersey by leading over Puerto de los Villares, while UAE’s Kevin Vermaerke later attacked on the descent and tried to crest Puerto de Locubín alone. The stage then headed toward the final climb and finish at La Pandera.

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It is good to get beyond two minutes of advantage. It is time that we deserve, and I thank the team from the bottom of my heart. With seven riders, we defend ourselves very well. We will see in the time trial. We have worked for this and I will defend myself.