Primoz Roglic effectively clinched the 2019 Vuelta a Espana overall title as Tadej Pogacar made a late break to take victory on the race's penultimate stage.

Despite a crash on stage 19, Roglic went into the 20th section of the race with a lead of two minutes and 50 seconds and on the brink of a first Grand Tour crown.

A 190.4-kilometre ride from Arenas de San Pedro to Plataforma de Gredos featuring six climbs was always set to provide a testing final challenge to the Jumbo-Visma rider.

However, he came through it with little difficulty, finishing in fifth, one minute and 41 seconds behind Pogacar.

Roglic leads the general classification by two minutes and 33 seconds going into a processional final stage on Sunday, which will end with a sprint finish to Madrid.

There was no celebration from the Slovenian as he crossed the line at the top of the Plataforma de Gredos, where compatriot Pogacar preceded him, the 20-year-old reaping the rewards of an incredible individual performance.

Pogacar had already won on stages eight and 13 and the UAE Team Emirates man became only the second rider to win three stages in a Grand Tour race before turning 21, following in the footsteps of team manager Giuseppe Saronni, who achieved the same feat at the 1978 Giro d'Italia.

He attacked 4.5km from the summit and nobody had the legs to go with him, his display providing a clear sign he has what it takes to replicate Roglic, who will be able bask in the glory of his victory on Sunday's leisurely route to the capital.