Santiago Buitrago capped off a brilliant week for Bahrain Victorious in the South of Spain, successfully defending the leader’s jersey on the final stage of the Volta a La Comunitat Valenciana (Alfafar-Valencia, 104.2km) to claim overall victory. The Colombian finished 18 seconds ahead of Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates), with teammate Pello Bilbao securing third place in the General Classification (+39”).

With two riders on the final podium after a hectic 5th stage, Bahrain Victorious concluded the five-day race on a high note: two stage wins, two second-place finishes, the points classification (defended by Buitrago), and the best team classification.

“It’s a fantastic feeling. I was already super happy after yesterday’s result and to wear the leader’s jersey this morning, but you never know until the very end,” Buitrago said. “I have to give a huge thank you to my teammates. Today could have been tricky, but they worked exceptionally well to keep everything under control. I share this GC victory with them. Starting the season with such a result is incredible.”

Bahrain Victorious’ Sports Director, Roman Kreuziger, echoed the sentiment: “We couldn’t have asked for more. We set out to win a stage and took two. We aimed for a top-three GC finish, and we secured two spots on the podium—including the overall victory. Plus, we won the team classification. It’s something to be very proud of.”

The final stage, starting in Alfafar—a town heavily affected by the recent DANA storm—was suited to sprinters and was won by Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek). However, the technical course and strong winds added an extra challenge for the peloton.

“We had to stay alert, but the team executed the plan perfectly, just as they did throughout the week,” Kreuziger added. “The riders showed great form, and this victory is crucial for building confidence ahead of the next races. We’ll stay grounded, but with this group, we know we can achieve even more.”