Enric Mas is one day closer to the biggest victory of his career after comfortably defending the Vuelta a España red jersey on the longest stage of this year’s race, a 211km route in the mountains above the Costa del Sol.Pinarello Q36.5’s Eddie Dunbar, who won two stages at last year’s Vuelta, recorded his first victory for his new team, after an entertaining battle with mountains classification leader Santiago Buitrago on the final climb, ably assisted by his teammate Thomas Gloag, who came across the line in third place.Mas’ lead over Primož Roglič remains one minute and 37 seconds, ahead of a brutal looking stage 20 on Saturday that contains almost 5000m of elevation for the riders to tackle.Jacob Whitehead analyzes the key storylines from today’s stage.Dunbar’s Vuelta love affair continuesIrishman Eddie Dunbar continued his love affair with the Vuelta a España by taking his third win in the race, the only Grand Tour in which he has tasted victory in his career.The 30-year-old climber was part of a large breakaway group allowed to escape by the peloton, which also included polka dot jersey holder Santiago Buitrago, veteran French rider Guillaume Martin, and American climber Kevin Vermaerke.Buitrago has come closest to taking victory this Vuelta, having worn the king of the mountains jersey for the vast majority of the race, only being pipped to victory in the final metres by Marco Brenner on stage 14.The 26-year-old Colombian looked to have delivered the stage’s decisive attack with two kilometres remaining, gapping Pinarello-Q36.5 pair Dunbar and Thomas Gloag. However, Dunbar rode his own tempo to return to Buitrago’s wheel, before rising from the saddle and kicking hard out of his draft.Dunbar gained 14 seconds on the final 500m to the line, capping off an outstanding day for his Q36.5 squad, who returned three riders in the stage’s top five.It was another heartbreaking finish for Buitrago, who has not won a Grand Tour stage since the 2023 Giro d’Italia, but who has now sealed the polka dot jersey, as long as he crosses the line in Granada on Sunday.