But it is asked to be Pogacar in the Vuelta a España

Without Pogacar in the race, cycling goes back to using the calculator and mathematics, reasoning by decree, data and numbers, looking for the right attack by measuring strengths and without the illusion of big time gaps. Attacking 50 kilometers out, as Pogacar did in Andorra recently, is a Pogacar thing. The rest, the crème de la crème if the Slovenian didn’t exist, must pay attention to their legs and attack at the end of the stages, when strength falters. And that’s what Gall did, propelled by a sensational effort from Decathlon on the last climb, the Alto de Aitana, attacking at 6.9 kilometers and the law of the strongest. Then Gall, Roglic, Mas, Carapaz, and Onley raised their hands, sheltered by the corridors of fans who fueled the pride of the contenders. Although the best, in the end, was Enric Mas, who, he said, did not own the maillot rojo, but defended and dignified it like no one else, capable of winning his first stage in the Vuelta, despite having four podiums to his name. “Now I understand Tadej, the maillot gives you wings,” he joked upon reaching the finish, happy with the victory and his team’s work; “being able to win with this maillot is a very special feeling.”

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A buzz settled in the teams participating in the Vuelta, a competition that had the spoiler ready because Pogacar’s victory was taken for granted, until then the uncontested leader, with half of the wins in the stages raced, an exercise of overwhelming superiority. But his disheartening farewell after a huge crash has opened a new chapter in the Spanish tour, quite exciting due to its uncertainty, where the secondary actors who were in the shadow of the Slovenian are now contenders for the crown, where roles have suddenly changed overnight. Like Enric Mas, who suddenly became the maillot rojo. One that did not weigh on him. Not even on the Alto de Aitana, a steep road and mountains to conquer, 5,166 meters of positive elevation, a great and even better spectacle.

“We are switched on and Enric is very good,” defended Chente García, Movistar’s director, from the team’s race car, confident in his cyclist’s return to the elite after two years lost in anonymity. Although the defense started off crooked, as the bike chain came off even before the start. A scare, however, at the best moment, still before the race was underway. But there would be more… Because the commotion over the new chapter made many riders try to break away, an adventure that could have chances of success now that UAE is not at the front of the peloton, freed from the obligation to set the race pace. That was Movistar’s job, which set a lively pace, enough so that no big gap opened and disrupted the general classification.

The peloton soon understood it would be a day of cold sweats, of sticking out the tongue from effort, of racing with the work overalls on. It turns out the Puerto de Miserat revealed itself as a quebrantapiernas (leg breaker), 5.2 kilometers with an average gradient of 10% and ramps of 23%, one of those you have to zigzag on the bike to reach the summit, very narrow and winding roads, tight curves, the majesty of the mountain. After overcoming the rollercoaster, more than 100 kilometers remained ahead and four peaks to discover. A real grind for the legs. But not even then did Mas’s show fade.

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Upon reaching the Alto de Aitana, it was Decathlon who made the selection. But Gall was not in the mood for showboating and it was Carapaz, perhaps the sanest madman of all, which is why he is magnetic to cycling lovers, who broke the race, an attack to ask who was joining the party. All the contenders responded. Onley, Mas, Gall, Roglic, Skjelmose… But only Mas, ambitious and enjoying himself, rejecting the label of conservative cyclist they gave him, put a brake on it and showed his license plate. Like his shadow, Onley. And no one else because Roglic tried and even caught up with them, but Mas played rope skipping with him, welcome and goodbye. Less than 3 kilometers remained. And nothing changed because Mas did not stop the engine and because Onley, too exhausted, could barely contest the sprint. It was the victory of the maillot rojo, one he inherited but also defended with honor as the best possible tribute to Pogacar.

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