Enric Mas kept his rivals’ attacks at bay on the queen stage and is on the verge of the biggest success of his career with victory in the Vuelta a España. The 31-year-old leads Primož Roglič by 2 minutes and 15 seconds ahead of the final stage and would be the first Spaniard to win the Vuelta since Alberto Contador’s triumph in 2014.
The stage victory on the 186.6-kilometre route from La Calahorra to Collado del Alguacil, which featured 4,850 metres of climbing, was claimed by the 36-year-old Spaniard Mikel Landa in a solo breakaway. Second place went to the Norwegian Tobias Johannessen, ahead of the Belgian Ramses Debruyne. Mas, along with the other favourites for the overall victory – including Roglic and the third-placed Austrian Felix Gall – had already been dropped from the group after the second of five climbs, some 80 kilometres from the finish. In the final stages, Gall took a further 17 seconds off Mas’s time.
Final stage may be scaled back
However, the seasoned rider from the Movistar team looked confident throughout and kept all attacks under control with a defensive riding style. The pressure was on Roglic, who had started the stage 1 minute 37 seconds behind. But the Slovenian, who could become the Vuelta’s sole record-holder with a fifth overall victory, was unable to launch a decisive attack and was dropped on the final climb. In early July, Roglic had been hit by a car whilst training and had been able to train only to a very limited extent.
The final stage, covering just 112 kilometres, finishes in Granada on Sunday. The finish line will be crossed for the first time after around 70 kilometres, followed by four final laps. According to rumours, the race is set to be neutralised before the final lap, at which point the general classification will be decided. The only thing left to contest would then be the stage victory. The reason for this move, which has not yet been officially confirmed, is said to be the safety of the riders.
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