Pablo Castrillo secured his first Grand Tour stage win in Stage 12 of the Vuelta a España with a decisive attack 10km from the finish line, holding off Britain's Max Poole by eight seconds. The 23-year-old Spaniard's victory was emotionally charged, dedicated to the late Manolo Azcona, former president of his Equipo Kern Pharma team. Castrillo maintained his lead despite a challenging mountainous terrain and tough competition. Australian Ben O'Connor retained his lead in the general classification, preserving a three-minute and 16-second gap over Slovenian Primoz Roglic. O'Connor's team controlled the race effectively, ensuring no significant changes in the overall standings. The next stage promises further challenges with four categorized climbs over a 176km route.