With Mavi García, Spanish women's cycling returns to the forefront 20 years later.

Sometimes the most famous achievements aren't achieved by young prodigies or the big favorites, but by those who have been working silently for years, hoping for a victory that never arrives. Sometimes, glory appears when no one expects it. Last Sunday, 41-year-old Mavi García experienced the most important day of her career after securing her first victory in the women's Tour de France. An attack in the closing kilometers of the second stage put Spain back on the map of international cycling. Mavi became the oldest stage winner of the Tour. And the first Spanish woman to achieve this under the current format. Joane Somarriba had already achieved it more than two decades ago. Because before Mavi, Spanish women's cycling had Somarriba as its greatest dominator.

The Biscayan was a pioneer and a benchmark. She won three Giros d'Italia, a Grande Boucle Féminine (formerly the Tour) in 2000, and finished second in two other editions. She also won a World Time Trial Championship in 2003. Her talent and character paved the way in a sport where women barely had any visibility. Her last Tour victory, more than twenty years ago, seemed doomed to be forgotten. Until Mavi came along. Her triumph not only honors Somarriba, it connects her with the present and demonstrates that the flame of Spanish cycling lives on.

The Balearic rider won her first Tour stage at the age of 41, emulating her Basque role model: "I still can't believe it, honestly. I've had a very difficult year, and this gives me life."

Mavi's story wasn't linked to cycling from a young age. Born in Palma de Mallorca in 1984, she was first Spanish champion and second world duathlon champion. She didn't get on a bike seriously until she was well into her thirties. Something completely unusual in this sport. From then on, her rise was steady: Spanish road race and time trial champion, podium finishes at the Giro, victories at the Vuelta a Burgos and the Giro dell'Emilia. In this edition of the Tour, Mavi started as an outsider, outside the group of favorites. To top it all off, she suffered a fall on the first stage that almost forced her to retire. But cycling rewards those who get back up. And it had a very special reward in store for her. "Today I said to myself, 'You have to fight again,'" she declared after the stage, still panting. "And I thought, now is my moment." And it was.

Spain has a very small delegation in this Tour. Just seven cyclists. The most notable, of course, is Mavi García, but she's not alone. On the Movistar Team, Sara Martín has shown she's ready to make a breakthrough. She was the only Spanish rider in the breakaway on day three, holding the lead for over 60 kilometers until being neutralized near the finish. This year's Spanish road champion, she has established herself as the national benchmark for the Telefónica team.

Spain has a very small delegation for this Tour. Just seven cyclists.

For her part, Alicia González, a last-minute addition to the lineup, responded to the confidence by participating in the sprint of stage 5, where she achieved a creditable ninth place against top-level sprinters. The other major Spanish presence is that of the Laboral Kutxa–Fundación Euskadi team, with five Spanish representatives who stood out each day.

Despite the lack of podiums or special jerseys at the moment, Spanish cycling is gaining presence, visibility, and growth in this Tour. If a few years ago there weren't a single Spanish woman, today there are seven. And one of them, Mavi García, has won. And that's already a lot.