MADRID (AP) — American veteran Christopher Horner won the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday at the age of 41, making him the oldest champion of one of cycling’s three-week grand tours.
Horner completed the traditional arrival to the Spanish capital with his RadioShack-Leopard teammates without mishap.
Horner, who will turn 42 next month, beat nearest challenger Vincenzo Nibali by finishing ahead of the Italian in each of the final three mountainous stages before Sunday’s 68-mile flat ride from Leganes to Madrid.
Michael Matthews won the 21st and final stage in a sprint.
The previous oldest winner for one of the three grand tours– the Vuelta, Tour de France and Giro d’Italia– was Fermin Lambot, who won the 1922 Tour at the age of 36.
