Enric Mas strengthened his hold on the Vuelta a España red jersey by claiming victory in stage nine, held on Monday with a finish atop the Alto de Aitana climb. The Movistar rider executed a well-timed late attack on the mountainous terrain to secure his first Grand Tour stage win since 2018, consolidating his position as race leader.
Mas, who assumed the overall lead after three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar crashed out on Saturday, held off a late charge from British cyclist Oscar Onley of Netcompany Ineos. Onley closely followed Mas into the final kilometer but was unable to out-sprint him at the finish line, settling for second place. Slovenian Primoz Roglic of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, a four-time Vuelta champion and Mas’s closest rival in the general classification, finished third on the stage.
In the overall standings, Mas leads Roglic by one minute and 18 seconds, while Felix Gall, who placed fourth in the stage, holds third place in the general classification. Mas expressed a sense of fulfillment after the win, acknowledging the motivation that comes with wearing the red jersey. “Now I understand Tadej Pogacar, the red jersey gives you wings,” he said. “This morning I was as excited as a little boy. Winning while wearing the red jersey is very special.”
Prior to the stage, Pogacar shared an Instagram post from a hospital bed, set to the Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive,” confirming his withdrawal from the race due to injuries sustained in the crash. Mas had previously refrained from celebrating or donning the leader’s jersey immediately following Pogacar’s accident but marked his stage victory with raised arms and cheers from the crowd at the finish.
The peloton will observe a rest day on Tuesday before resuming the race with a 184.7-kilometer hilly stage from Alcaraz to Elche de la Sierra scheduled for Wednesday. The outcome of this next stage could prove pivotal as riders contend with challenging terrain and seek to improve their standings in the overall classification.