“My world came crashing down” - Santiago Buitrago goes over the limit on Estepona and suffers another heartbreak
CyclingFriday, 11 September 2026 at 18:10
Defeat left Santiago Buitrago utterly shattered. The Colombian crossed the finish line at the Alto de Estepona in tears after brushing a victory that seemed on track until the final 500 metres. The Bahrain - Victorious rider had timed his attack well, opened a gap, and stood on the threshold of a hugely valuable win on stage 19 of La Vuelta a España.
However, Eddie Dunbar surged from behind in the final stretch and overhauled him with the line almost within the Colombian’s reach. Buitrago could not hold back his emotion after losing a chance he had chased all day. “I played my cards and, well, again I didn’t have it to the end. Well, another second place...” he told RTVE’s microphones.
Dunbar’s comeback was the decisive blow. When Buitrago saw the Irishman closing in, he realized the win he had worked so hard for was slipping away. “My world just fell apart and I just tried to get there,” he admitted, still in tears. The effort banked over a grueling stage weighed on his legs just when he most needed to save something.
The nineteenth day had been a battle almost from the gun. Establishing the definitive break demanded repeated moves, and the kilometers made it even harder to create gaps. Buitrago reached the decisive sector after spending plenty, yet still found the strength to play his last card and chase a victory that once again eluded him.
Santiago Buitrago being overtaken by Eddie Dunbar inside the final kilometer
Another chance slips away
Second place was a particularly hard blow for the Colombian. It was not the first time he had fallen just short, and after preparing for this moment so long, the disappointment cut deeper. “It’s a blow for me and, well, there’s one left, right?” Buitrago said, trying to gather himself after the finish.
He was forced to withdraw from the Giro d'Italia right on the first days and at this Vuelta, he has already finished third at Calar Alto and second at the Sierra de la Pandera. In the space of just over a week, it is his third near-miss, despite being in the right moves.
The reality is that the Bahrain Victorious rider had done virtually everything required to win. His attack came at the right moment, he held the front, and he entered the final kilometres with a real shot at a stage in La Vuelta’s third week. But Dunbar found one last reserve of energy and turned the final metres into a surge that left the Colombian with no answer.
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Now Buitrago must try to recover quickly, both emotionally and physically. La Vuelta still offers one last opening for riders hunting a stage win, and the Colombian is not ready to give up early. “Now try to recover and tomorrow will be another day,” he said, already focused on what comes next.
Despite the tears and the huge frustration, Buitrago keeps hope alive. “There are 21 chances here, right? Each day we spend one, there are two left and, well, why not, right?” he concluded. Dunbar’s victory snatched the win at Peñas Blancas, but the Colombian still has one last opportunity to end his Vuelta with the prize he has been chasing.
Javier RampeCycling Journalist
Javier Rampe is a sports analyst with more than 15 years of experience. He holds a degree in Economics from the University of Rome and a Diploma in Business Studies from the University of Cádiz. Despite coming from an academic background not particularly associated with cycling, his passion for both cycling and journalism was instilled in him from an early age. He grew up following Miguel Indurain and José María “El Chava” Jiménez. An admirer of Michael Robinson’s communication style and journalistic approach, he was inspired to pursue a degree in Journalism at the University of Buenos Aires, which he is currently completing.
He has always maintained close ties with the worlds of sport and culture, contributing from a young age to sports blogs and film and music review websites. His work has appeared in media outlets such as Cope, RAI, and Radio Con Vos. He is also the founder of the cycling-focused podcast El Contraanálisis and the football interview channel Días De Fútbol, dedicated to conversations with professional footballers.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Javier has interviewed some of the most influential figures in modern cycling, including Alejandro Valverde and Tadej Pogačar, as well as key voices in anti-doping policy such as Alberto Yelmo, David Varillas, and Marcelo Milano. Marcos Maynar, in relation to the ‘Operación Ílex’ case, is also among the personalities he has interviewed. He enjoys conducting in-depth analysis of the cycling ecosystem and has attended major events such as Strade Bianche, the Vuelta a Andalucía, and Itzulia, as well as numerous national cyclo-cross races.
His background in economics, combined with extensive experience in marketing and corporate communications, drives his continuous study of positioning strategies and ensures that he always keeps his focus on crafting compelling and evocative headlines.
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- The camera motorbike was rdiculously close in front of him all the time of his attack and as soon as Dunbar caught up it pulled away. Why?Quebrantahuesos11-09-2026
- 2nd near miss. Finishing 2:13 behind Jakob Omrzel on Calar Alto does not count
Rafionain-Glas11-09-2026 - A great win by Dunbar. I thought he was done when they caught him after his first solo attempt. To climb like that and so visibly break Buitrago’s mental efforts was amazing to watch. Both of them clearly went beyond what their bodies wanted them to do, with Dunbar coming out on top. Fabulous racing in the breakaway group.RidesHills11-09-2026
- He was almost never one to attack from far away. Back in the day his wins came from sprints near the end of stages, where he could count on getting a time gap and time bonuses. Enough of those and they added up to a solid win. He’s never been one to solo away. Most people don’t. That’s why Pogačar, who can also sprint at the end of a stage like Roglič, is so rare.RidesHills11-09-2026
- This is why Pogi solo wins are still better. You need ~ 2 minutes to win, you dont attack in the last 2 k, you attack at least 10k to go or the previous mountain with satellite riders. Dont make token attacks just for the sake of showing. Roglic has now lost a Giro, TDF and now a Vuelta because he was too conservativeabstractengineer11-09-2026
- there is a certain risk level in cycling that cannot be avoided, but racing reckless and risking other riders' life (health at the least) can certainly be considered mentally ill!Ketterechts11-09-2026
- The most brutal sports are unpaid amateur endurance endeavours you usually pay to participate in, almost nobody will watch, few people know about and no pro is likely to try or win. Once you get used to being paid for something you quickly give up other ways of proving yourself.Mistermaumau11-09-2026
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