Tearful Evenepoel set to win Vuelta after protecting lead

PUERTO DE NAVACERRADA, Spain (AP) — Remco Evenepoel all but clinched his first Grand Tour title after the 22-year-old Belgian protected his lead in the Spanish Vuelta on the final competitive stage of the three-week race. The Quick-Step rider burst into tears on crossing the finish line. Evenepoel had little trouble ensuring that Enric Mas and the Spaniard’s Movistar team were never able to challenge the two-minute lead he took into the 20th stage in mountains just north of Madrid where the race ends on Sunday. Richard Carapaz won the 181-kilometer (112-mile) stage from Moralzarzal to Puerto de Navacerrada. The final stage is a flat 97-kilometer ride from Las Rozas to a finish in Spain’s capital when custom dictates that no rider challenges the pacesetter.