Enric Mas, along with the other top contenders for victory in Vuelta a España 2023, orchestrated the claims to conclude the second stage prematurely, when there were only 9 kilometers left to the finish. The cyclist from Mallorca had a conversation with Jonas Vingegaard before the start of the stage, discussing the details behind the decision that was later put into practice.
“It was a bit unusual what happened, I think sometimes you have to make decisions and today we agreed, and that’s what you saw,” he said in a post-race interview. “If there were 3.6 km left to the finish, it would have been riskier, and it was a decision of the riders, I think we acted correctly. I don’t think anyone was against it.”
Watch the stage summary:
Mas finished the stage as part of the large group, conserving his energy for the crucial stages that lay ahead. The Movistar team put on a notable performance in the team time trial, placing the Spanish cyclist in a favorable position among the contenders for the red jersey.
However, this dynamic could shift tomorrow (August 28), as the summit finish in Arinsal approaches. While not particularly challenging, this stage will already begin to separate the climbers in the general classification.
