Onley takes Vuelta white jersey and makes Scottish history
Oscar Onley has won the white jersey at La Vuelta a España after finishing sixth overall.
The 23-year-old from Kelso held on through three brutal weeks in Spain to take the prize for the best young rider. Spain's Enric Mas clinched the overall title. BBC Sport
The Vuelta is one of cycling's three Grand Tours — the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and Vuelta — each raced over 21 stages. The white jersey goes to the highest-placed young rider in the GC, the overall standings decided on total time. Onley, who races for Netcompany INEOS, secured it with sixth place. BBC Sport
He had been fifth after finishing 17th in the time trial in the final week, but slipped one place by the finish in Madrid. Still enough. The result makes him the first Scotsman since 1987 to win a jersey at a Grand Tour.
It caps a rapid rise. Onley finished fourth in the Tour de France in summer 2025, equalling the best finish by a Scot. No Scottish rider has ever won a Grand Tour.
"I will keep this Vuelta in my memory for a long time," Onley told the race's official website. La Vuelta
He told BBC Scotland the race in recent weeks had given him confidence going into next year. Winning a Grand Tour is one of his goals, he said, and he hopes to win one in the future. BBC Sport
There is little rest. Onley was set to ride the 273km elite men's road race for Great Britain at the UCI Road World Championships in Montreal.
What makes this stand out is the pattern. Fourth in France at 22. Sixth in Spain with a jersey at 23. The Grand Tour win has not come yet. On this evidence, he believes it can.
