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Henok Mulubrhan at La Vuelta 2026 • Mesob Journal
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Henok Mulubrhan at La Vuelta 2026
Stage-by-stage coverage of Eritrean rider Henok Mulubrhan with XDS Astana Team across La Vuelta's 2026 route from Monaco through France and Andorra to Granada, Spain.
Henok Mulubrhan heads into the final weekend of the Vuelta a España in 36th place overall after finishing 47th on Friday’s uphill stage to Peñas Blancas above Estepona.
The Eritrean XDS Astana rider completed the 210.8-kilometre stage from Vélez-Málaga in 5:15:20, finishing 14 minutes 26 seconds behind winner Eddie Dunbar. His overall position was unchanged, although his deficit to race leader Enric Mas widened by 9:15 to 1:42:18.
Dunbar beat Santiago Buitrago by 14 seconds, with Thomas Gloag third. Mas finished with the main contenders, keeping the red jersey ahead of the race’s final mountain stage.
For Henok, Saturday brings another demanding test before Sunday’s finish in Granada. The 186.8-kilometre route from La Calahorra to Collado del Alguacil includes two ascents of El Purche and the climb of El Duque before an 8.3-kilometre summit finish averaging 9.8%. The terrain puts sustained climbing endurance at the centre of his penultimate day.
Henok Mulubrhan retained 36th place overall at the Vuelta a España on Thursday after completing the race’s second individual time trial in Jerez de la Frontera.
The Eritrean finished Stage 18 in 102nd place, covering the 32.1 kilometres from El Puerto de Santa María in 40 minutes and 10 seconds. He was 4:48 behind stage winner Stefan Küng, who clocked 35:22.
Mulubrhan’s cumulative time now stands at 62:19:01. His deficit to race leader Enric Mas widened by 3:56 to 1:33:03, although his overall position was unchanged. He remains on 22 points, placing him 45th in the points classification.
XDS Astana teammates Yevgeniy Fedorov and Harold Tejada finished 15th and 16th respectively, both recording 36:23. Mas retained the red jersey after finishing 12th on the stage.
Friday’s Stage 19 takes the peloton 210.8 kilometres from Vélez-Málaga to Peñas Blancas above Estepona. Two second-category climbs precede the final 18.7-kilometre ascent, averaging 6.5%. With three stages remaining, Mulubrhan faces a sustained climbing test after the flatter roads that brought his strongest finishes earlier in the race.
Henok Mulubrhan moved up two places to 36th overall at the Vuelta a España on Wednesday after finishing with the leading peloton in Sevilla.
The Eritrean placed 39th on Stage 17 from Dos Hermanas, recording 4:07:15, the same time as winner Matthew Brennan. His cumulative time stands at 61:38:51, with his deficit to race leader Enric Mas unchanged at 1:29:07.
Brennan secured his fifth stage victory of the race ahead of Jordi Meeus and Magnus Cort. XDS Astana’s Alessandro Romele finished fourth as the sprinters took their opportunity following the capture of lone attacker Enzo Paleni with three kilometres remaining.
Mulubrhan remains on 22 points, placing him 44th in the points classification. His best result in this Vuelta is eighth on Stage 15 in Córdoba, one of five top-15 finishes during the race.
Thursday’s Stage 18 brings a 32.1-kilometre individual time trial from El Puerto de Santa María to Jerez de la Frontera. Mulubrhan is scheduled to start at 16:00 local time. The race against the clock presents a different challenge after two sprint stages, before the demanding climbs of the final weekend.
Henok Mulubrhan retained 38th place overall at the Vuelta a España on Tuesday, finishing in the winner’s group as the race resumed after its second rest day.
The Eritrean placed 26th on Stage 16, completing the 181.1 kilometres from Cortegana to La Rábida in 3:56:33. Matthew Brennan won the sprint for his fourth stage victory, while race leader Enric Mas finished in the same group.
Mulubrhan’s cumulative time now stands at 57:31:36, leaving his deficit to Mas unchanged at 1:29:07. His points total remains 22, placing him 42nd in that classification.
The stage’s five-man breakaway was caught with 24 kilometres remaining. Exposed roads briefly split the peloton before the sprint teams regained control for the finish. XDS Astana’s Alessandro Romele crossed in 19th place.
Mulubrhan heads into Wednesday with five top-15 finishes in this Vuelta, including eighth in Córdoba on Sunday. The 185-kilometre Stage 17 from Dos Hermanas to Sevilla offers another likely sprint opportunity before Thursday’s individual time trial and the demanding climbing stages that follow.
Henok Mulubrhan recorded his best result of the 2026 Vuelta a España on Sunday, finishing eighth on the heat-shortened Stage 15 into Córdoba.
The Eritrean completed the 110.2-kilometre route from Palma del Río in 2:35:58, crossing 58 seconds behind winner Wout van Aert. Mulubrhan arrived with the first chasing group after five riders broke clear in the final third of a fast, attacking stage.
The result lifted him two places to 38th in the general classification. His cumulative time is 53:35:03, leaving him 1:29:07 behind race leader Enric Mas. Mulubrhan also rose to 41st in the points classification with 22 points.
It was his first top-10 finish and fifth top-15 result of this Vuelta, adding to strong placings on Stages 5, 8, 10 and 11. XDS Astana also placed Alessandro Romele second in Córdoba, giving the team two riders in the top eight.
The peloton rests on Monday before the race resumes on Tuesday with the 181.1-kilometre Stage 16 from Cortegana to La Rábida in Palos de la Frontera. Its hilly opening and long run toward the coast could offer another opportunity for Mulubrhan if he remains with the front selection through the early terrain.
Henok Mulubrhan moved into the top 40 of the Vuelta a España on Saturday after completing the demanding summit finish at Sierra de La Pandera.
The Eritrean finished Stage 14 in 45th place, covering the 154.5 kilometres from Jaén in 4:25:45. He crossed the line 10 minutes and 36 seconds behind winner Marco Brenner after a day featuring 4,338 metres of climbing and a final 11.9-kilometre ascent averaging 7.2%.
Mulubrhan rose six positions in the general classification to 40th, with a cumulative time of 50:59:05. He is now 1:30:53 behind race leader Enric Mas. His points total remains unchanged at 11, placing him 62nd in that classification.
XDS Astana also secured a podium finish through Cristian Rodríguez, who took third on the stage and advanced to eighth overall. Brenner won a two-rider sprint against mountains leader Santiago Buitrago after a 44-man breakaway shaped the race.
Sunday’s Stage 15 from Palma del Río to Córdoba has been shortened to 110.2 kilometres under the race’s extreme-temperature protocol. The revised medium-mountain route offers a markedly different test before Monday’s second rest day, with a faster finish potentially bringing Mulubrhan’s versatility back into play.
Henok Mulubrhan retained 46th place overall at the Vuelta a España on Friday after finishing Stage 13 in Loja, with another mountain summit finish awaiting the Eritrean on Saturday.
Mulubrhan completed the 192.8 kilometres from Almuñécar in 53rd place, clocking 4:37:29. He finished 3 minutes and 29 seconds behind stage winner Wout van Aert and 29 seconds behind the group containing race leader Enric Mas.
His overall position was unchanged from Thursday’s climb to Calar Alto, where he joined the breakaway and moved into the top 50. His cumulative time now stands at 46:33:20, leaving him 1:24:29 behind Mas. He also remains 61st in the points classification with 11 points.
XDS Astana featured in the attacking race through Cristian Rodríguez, who rode in the leading moves before finishing 17th, 45 seconds behind Van Aert. The Belgian settled the stage in a two-rider sprint against Valentin Paret-Peintre, with teammate Matthew Brennan taking third.
Saturday’s 154.5-kilometre Stage 14 runs from Jaén to Sierra de La Pandera. Two category-two climbs precede the final ascent, which rises for 11.9 kilometres at an average gradient of 7.2%. For Mulubrhan, the steep finish brings a sustained climbing test rather than the sprint opportunities that have delivered his best placings in this race.
Henok Mulubrhan moved into the top 50 of the 2026 Vuelta a España on Thursday after joining the breakaway on a demanding mountain stage to Calar Alto.
The Eritrean finished Stage 12 in 39th place, completing the 166.6-kilometre route from Vera in 4:49:40, 19 minutes and 47 seconds behind winner Jakob Omrzel. He climbed 13 positions to 46th overall, although his deficit to race leader Enric Mas widened to 1:24:00.
A day after recording his best finish of the race with 13th in the Lorca sprint, Mulubrhan took his racing to the front on very different terrain. He was part of the large breakaway on a route featuring five categorised climbs and a summit finish at 2,153 metres. Omrzel ultimately rode clear to claim the stage alone.
Mulubrhan remains on 11 points, placing him 61st in the points classification. His XDS Astana teammates Cristian Rodríguez and Harold Tejada finished 17th and 21st respectively on the stage.
Friday’s Stage 13 covers 192.8 kilometres from Almuñécar to Loja. An early category-one climb and two further categorised ascents could create another opening for attackers. With the final classified summit around 37 kilometres from the finish, the route offers a different prospect from Calar Alto: a chance for a breakaway to survive or a reduced group to contest the line.
Henok Mulubrhan recorded his best result of the 2026 Vuelta a España on Wednesday, finishing 13th in the mass sprint that decided Stage 11 in Lorca.
The Eritrean crossed the line in 3:17:18, the same time as stage winner Matthew Brennan, after 153.8 kilometres from Cartagena. The result improves on Mulubrhan’s 14th place on Stage 8 and gives him a fourth top-15 finish at this year’s race. It is also his second such result in two days, following 15th place on Stage 10.
Mulubrhan remains 59th in the general classification, 1:07:09 behind race leader Enric Mas. His four points from the stage lifted him to 57th in the points classification with 11 points.
XDS Astana placed two riders inside the top 15, with Alessandro Romele taking eighth and Mulubrhan 13th as the team again featured prominently in a fast finish.
Thursday’s Stage 12 brings a sharp change of terrain over 166.6 kilometres from Vera to Calar Alto. The mountain route includes the category-one Alto de Velefique before a category-one summit finish at 2,153 metres, presenting Mulubrhan and the peloton with one of the race’s sternest climbing tests so far.
Henok Mulubrhan secured his third top-15 finish of the 2026 Vuelta a España on Tuesday, placing 15th on Stage 10 after a demanding 184.7-kilometre route from Alcaraz to Elche de la Sierra.
The Eritrean crossed the line in the lead group in 4:07:41, recording the same time as stage winner Bastien Tronchon. The result follows his 15th place on Stage 5 and 14th on Stage 8, extending a consistent run in the race’s selective fast finishes.
Mulubrhan climbed six places to 59th in the general classification, with his deficit to race leader Enric Mas unchanged at 1:07:09. He is 62nd in the points classification with seven points.
XDS Astana placed three riders inside the stage’s top 15. Alessandro Romele finished fifth, while Yevgeniy Fedorov took 12th after a late attack that was caught within sight of the line. Mulubrhan completed the team’s strong finish in 15th.
Stage 11 takes the peloton 153.8 kilometres from Cartagena to Lorca on Wednesday. The flatter course is expected to favour the sprint teams and could offer Mulubrhan another opportunity if he remains with the front group.
Henok Mulubrhan reached the first rest day of the 2026 Vuelta a España in 65th place overall after completing Sunday’s demanding mountain stage to Alto de Aitana.
The Eritrean finished Stage 9 in 60th place, recording 5:30:36 and crossing 19:56 behind stage winner and race leader Enric Mas. His overall deficit stands at 1:07:09, while he is 60th in the points classification with five points.
Mulubrhan has steadily recovered ground since placing 155th in the opening time trial in Monaco. His strongest result of the first nine stages remains 14th on Stage 8, evidence of the speed he can bring when the terrain produces a reduced finish. XDS Astana also strengthened its race on Alto de Aitana through Cristián Rodríguez’s fifth place and Harold Tejada’s eighth.
Racing resumes Tuesday with a 184.7-kilometre hilly stage from Alcaraz to Elche de la Sierra. Three third-category climbs, including the Puerto de Socovos before the run to the finish, could encourage another breakaway or a selective sprint.
Henok Mulubrhan delivered his strongest performance of the 2026 Vuelta a España on Saturday, finishing 14th in the crash-hit eighth stage from Puçol to Xeraco.
The Eritrean crossed with the leading group in the same 3:47:06 time as winner Bryan Coquard, improving on his previous best of 15th in Stage 5. His XDS Astana teammate Alessandro Romele placed sixth, giving the team two riders inside the top 14.
The result lifted Mulubrhan to 71st overall, 46:36 behind new race leader Enric Mas, and to 57th in the points classification with five points.
The race was reshaped when Tadej Pogačar crashed and withdrew, handing the red jersey to Mas. Mulubrhan now turns to Sunday's demanding 187.4-kilometre mountain stage to Alto de Aitana.
Henok Mulubrhan completed Stage 7's summit finish at Aramón Valdelinares in 71st place, 13:51 behind winner Andreas Leknessund. The Eritrean rider moved up two positions to 74th overall and now trails race leader Tadej Pogačar by 50:53. Henok is 62nd in the points classification with two points and has no mountains points. XDS Astana's first riders home were Harold Tejada in 27th and Cristián Rodríguez in 29th. Stage 8 is a 171 km flat run from Puçol to Xeraco, offering a possible bunch-finish opportunity after two demanding climbing days.
Henok Mulubrhan completed the demanding Stage 6 from Alcossebre to Castelló in 87th place, 16:14 behind winner Tadej Pogačar. The Eritrean rider moved up two positions to 76th overall and now trails the race leader by 41:25. XDS Astana had two riders in the top eight, with Harold Tejada fifth at 46 seconds and Cristián Rodríguez eighth at 1:38. Stage 7 brings another severe mountain test, ending with the 9.8 km category-one climb to Aramón Valdelinares.
Henok Mulubrhan delivered his best result of the 2026 Vuelta a España so far, finishing 16th in the front group on Stage 5 from Falset to Roquetes. The Eritrean crossed the line in the same time as winner Matthew Brennan and moved from 94th to 78th overall, 24:57 behind race leader Tadej Pogačar. XDS Astana also placed Alessandro Romele fourth, giving the team two riders inside the top 16. Stage 6 brings a much harder medium-mountain test, including the category-one Puerto El Bartolo and a gravel sector before the descent to Castelló.
Henok Mulubrhan completed the 104.8 km mountain Stage 4 around Andorra la Vella in 113th place, 24:57 behind winner Tadej Pogačar. The Eritrean rider remains 94th overall, 24:57 behind the race leader.
Stage 3 from Gruissan-Aude to Font-Romeu was cancelled with about 15 kilometres remaining after severe hail made the mountain route unsafe. No stage winner or times were recorded, so Henok Mulubrhan remains 94th overall, 1:56 behind race leader Tadej Pogačar.
Henok Mulubrhan finished Stage 2 from Monaco to Manosque in 91st place, 47 seconds behind winner James Brennan. He is 94th overall, 1:56 behind race leader Tadej Pogačar.
