Andreas Leknessund celebrated a historic victory on stage seven of the Vuelta a España, marking a significant achievement for his Uno-X Mobility team during their debut in the race. The 27-year-old Norwegian, who had previously secured four second-place finishes at the Giro d’Italia, finally clinched his first grand tour stage win on this challenging 149.8km route from Vall d'Alba.

Leknessund dominated the day, spending hours in the breakaway before making a decisive move with 6km left on the steep Aramon Valdelinares climb. As he crossed the finish line, he expressed immense joy, especially in light of the recent passing of Norway’s King Harald V. His teammate, Tobias Halland Johannessen, who finished second, praised Leknessund’s strength throughout the race, stating, "I’m super proud of how we rode."

This victory is particularly significant as it marks the first stage win for a Norwegian rider since Thor Hushovd in 2010. Leknessund reflected on the emotional weight of the win, attributing part of his success to Johannessen’s support during the climb.

In the overall standings, Tadej Pogacar continued to assert his dominance, increasing his lead over Enric Mas by 16 seconds. Pogacar, a six-time grand tour winner, emphasized their competitive focus, stating, "We’re here to win and not fool around."

Key results from stage seven include:

• 1st: Andreas Leknessund (Uno-X Mobility)
• 2nd: Tobias Halland Johannessen (Uno-X Mobility)
• 3rd: Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike)

The overall standings now see Pogacar leading by 3’50” ahead of Mas, followed by Primoz Roglic at 4’50” behind.