La Vuelta 2022 Stage 21 LIVE – Mads Pederson favourite to make it four wins in three weeks, Evenepoel set to become Vuelta champion

REMCO EVENEPOEL, VUELTA CHAMPION

“It really sinks in now. It’s official. Yesterday the emotions were quite high, because we could feel we were there, but to finish the race here safe, in a good way, we enjoyed it as much as possible, and now we can really enjoy it."

1. Sebastian Molano (UAE Team Emirates) 2'26'36
2. Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) ''
3. Pascal Ackermann (UAE Team Emirates) ''
4. Mike Teunissen (Jumbo Visma) ''
5. Danny van Poppel (Bora Hansgrohe) ''

For those wondering, Fred Wright finished 7th.

The lead-out man turned sprint star in the final hundred. He could sense the presence of the green jersey coming up beside him on his left and just went full gas. Pascal Ackermann, who he was originally leading out, didn't have the legs to come round him, so he just kept going. Pederson was second, with Ackermann in third.

A great result for UAE Emirates, and a great Vuelta all-round, as they take the team prize, combativity award and a stage for Marc Soler as well as having Ayuso on the final podium.

They've cooperated impressively, and battled formidably, but time is finally up. The bunch sprint is on.

It's the sharp hairpins where they're able to maintain and even increase their advantage. More teams have seen the threat that's posed and are adding their power to the front of the bunch to bring them back on the straights. Are there enough riders to do the job, though? They're all on the last lap and 12 seconds is the gap.

So far, it seems they can't. Plapp and Johansen are extending their lead, if anything. They now have a gap of 24 seconds over the peloton. Who's going to bring them back in the last two laps? Alpecin-Fenix are trying harder than anyone.

Plapp and Johansen are looking powerful, and the fight is looking the a committed one. Still, their 22 second advantage could disappear in an instant. Trek-Segafredo, in the diminutive shape of Kenny Ellissonde, are doing most of the chasing.

Xabier Mikel Azparren (Euskalktel-Euskadi) is wresting with his bike, attempting to ride across to Plapp and Johansen. I don't think he'll make it. The pair have a slender 18 second advantage over the peloton.

They have a ten second gap. In other news, Marc Soler has been named the most combative rider of the Vuelta. Fred Wright robbed again.

The Spanish champion is just one second behind Thymen Arensman (Team DSM) in the GC, so could move up a place with a fair wind. Unfortunately he does not get one. Although his Ineos team-mates Tao Geoghegan Hart and Richard try to lead him they manage to drop him as they go around the corner.

Enric Mas (Movistar) is the rider who ends up winning the sprint, which moves him from 5th place in the green jersey competition to 3rd. Nice work, Enric.

Not bad, given he's been clapping for most of the last 5km. And with that Enric Mas launches an attack. Maybe the GC isn't over after all. (It is.)

Where Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) is being allowed his moment in the sun. The 42 year-old laps up the applause from the crowds lining the road. He doesn't seem to be going for a flyer but why not give it a go, Bala?

There may not officially be an equivalent of the lanterne rouge at the Vuelta, but in case you're wondering who has finished last in this year's race, it's Davide Cimolai of Cofidis. Depending on exactly what happens in the next 55km or so, Cimolai will end the Vuelta 134th out of 134 riders, 5 hours 31 minutes 37 seconds behind the leader.

Just the outskirts, mind. Still about 10km to the finishing circuit, onto which QuickStep will have the privilege of leading Remco Evenepoel.

It seems at least likely that he'll take stage number four, but still not a foregone conclusion. The next fastest rider on paper, Tim Merlier, hasn't quite shown the competitive legs that we're used to from him. His best finish in the last three weeks has been two third places, but maybe today will finally be his day?

The average speed has increased to 31kph, to the gratitude of us all. Still much more chatting and smiling than racing, so far. QuickStep are on the front. Their one job, even more today than usual, is to keep Remco from crashing.

As Carlton Kirby has just said, the Spanish champion has been one of the revelations of this Vuelta. At just 19 years old, the youngest rider in this race has become the youngest rider on a Grand Tour podium since Henri Cornet at the 1904 Tour de France. Unlike Enric Mas, who many suspect has hit the highest level he can manage, Ayuso looks sure to achieve far more in his career.

Little faster than 20kph for the first dozen kilometres. Good job they don't have far to ride. I'm pretty sure the pace will pick up.

A few riders are having a play about at the front of the peloton - Rohan Dennis (Jumbo Visma) and a couple of riders from Burgos-BH.

At the back of the bunch a series of photocalls. How many teams can ride no-handed in a line to get the shot they want?

Update: QuickStep are doing it one-handed. Not calling them cheats, but...

Just how historic is Evenepoel's victory? In a few hours time he will become:

The youngest winner of La Vuelta since Angelino Soler in 1961 and the fourth youngest winner ever

The first Belgian winner of a Grand Tour since Johan De Muynck in the Giro 1978 and the first Belgian winner of La Vuelta since Freddy Maertens in 1977

The first Grand Tour winner in the history of Patrick Lefevere’s team

The first rider to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the Clasica San Sebastian and La Vuelta in the same year