Kelso cyclist Oscar Onley all white now after finishing as best young rider at 2026’s Vuelta a Espana

The Kelso 23-year-old claimed the 2,057-mile Spanish race’s white jersey for best rider under the age of 26 after the fourth of its 21 stages back on Tuesday, August 25, and kept hold of it all the way to its finale in Granada on Sunday.

His total time of 74 hours, two minutes and 23 seconds saw him end up 1:10 ahead of Slovenian runner-up Jakob Omrzel in that class, with France’s Leo Bisiaux third in 74:17:58.

It also earned him sixth place in general classification, trailing the winning time of 73:52:55 clocked by Spain’s Enric Mas by 9:28.

Onley, contesting his first grand tour since joining English-based team Netcompany Ineos last December, finished Sunday’s closing 62-mile stage in 63rd place as one of 23 riders on 2:55:57, trailing Norwegian winner Tobias Halland Johannessen by 1:49.

That followed placing 19th the day before in 5:08:20 for a 116-mile mountain stage from La Calahorra to Collado del Alguacil in Granada, 10:19 behind Spanish front-runner Mikel Landa, and 15th in last Friday’s 127-mile 19th stage from Velez-Malaga to Penas Blancas in Andalusia in 5:06:05, 5:11 off the pace set by Irish winner Eddie Dunbar.

Last Thursday’s 18th stage, a 20-mile time-trial from El Puerto de Santa María to Jerez de la Frontera, also in Andalusia, saw him finish 17th in 36:33, 1:11 back from Swiss winner Stefan Kung, with fellow Borderer Callum Thornley, riding for German team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, second in 35:25.

Stage 17 last Wednesday yielded a placing of 60th as one of 103 cyclists, including English winner Matthew Brennan, clocking 4:07:15 for 117 miles from Dos Hermanas to Seville, in Andalusia as well.

Onley’s teammates over the course of the three-week race were Norway’s Embret Svestad-Bardseng, Australia’s Jack Haig and Lucas Hamilton, France’s Axel Laurance, Spain’s Carlos Rodriguez, Welshman Josh Tarling and South Yorkshire’s Ben Turner.

Reviewing the Vuelta a Espana’s Monaco-launched 81st edition, his second top-ten finish in four grand tours, he added: “It’s been a long three weeks, I think.

“There’s always a lot of tension and stress surrounding the race, especially when you’re going for general classification, so it feels nice and it’s a bit of a relief to be done now.

“It’s something I will keep in my memory for a long time.

“I wouldn’t say I have any regrets. There were a few setbacks but they weren’t due to things I could really control. I got a bit sick during the first week and then I had a couple of crashes, which is obviously never ideal.

“I’ve learned a lot from the way the team and I made plans to get back into top shape.

“I think it’s fair to say this has been not a great season for me, so just to finish the Vuelta is already a success, and obviously to have been at a decent level for the three weeks was also nice.

“It gives me a lot of motivation and confidence going forward.”

Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic was second in general classification, trailing Mas, 31, by 2:15, with Austria’s Felix Gall third, 2:44 back.

Peebles rider Thornley, 23, ended up as 45th young rider and 128th overall in a field of 142 in 78:25:15.