Vuelta a España: Enric Mas snatches back some seconds as podium battle tightens

This article originally appeared on Velo News

MADRID (VN) -- Enric Mas isn’t going down without a fight at the Vuelta a Espana.

The Movistar captain lived up to promises he would attack in Sunday’s grueling summit finale at Sierra Nevada, and clawed ever closer to both Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) for the top podium spots.

“We have to keep dreaming until Madrid,” Mas said. “There are a few seconds in our favor. I’m happy with how I felt today. Yesterday I didn’t manage things well, and I tried to close the gap too soon, and I paid for it.

“Today I went at my rhythm, and I could create a small gap. Happy, very happy.”

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Mas remained in third, but trimmed the gap to Evenepoel to 2:01, and to second-place Roglic to 25 seconds.

Mas found an ally with Astana’s Miguel Angel Lopez and David de la Cruz, who pulled clear of the GC group to try to move up Lopez higher on GC. Mas bridged across and worked with the Colombian all the way to the line.

Mas was second, picking up six extra seconds in bonuses as well.

“Our interests were exactly lined up, I was riding for the podium and he was going for the stage win, but at the same time, I also wanted to work to take time,” Mas said. “Maybe we held back a little because perhaps each of us thought the other one was stronger. Cycling’s like that, and sometimes you have to race intelligently.”

Mas, who was second in 2018 and last year, promises to press his case in the week to come.

“I am enjoying the race, and I am gaining more confidence,” he said.

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