Enric Mas (Movistar) faces the decisive week of the Vuelta “with confidence restored, but with caution”, attentive to the reaction of the rivals and the opportunities that may come to beat the two main rivals, the Belgian leader Remco Evenepoel and the Slovenian Primoz Roglic. For the Balearic cyclist, “alliances can be decisive”.
“I am calm and motivated before the third and decisive week of the Vuelta, and I keep thinking about the podium or even climbing positions. The defining factor can come at any time and at any stage, but everyone has to play their tricks. Maybe we have to work with some runners in the race,” said Mas on the Vuelta’s third rest day.
Third overall, 2.01 minutes behind Evenepoel and 27 seconds behind Roglic’s second place, the rider from Artá(Balearic Islands) still has his ambitions intact.
WHY ISN’T IT POSSIBLE TO CUT MORE TIME?
“Evenepoel was very good, he was the strongest even though he showed weaknesses in the last two episodes. The advantage he has gives him peace of mind, but if we take 1 minute from him in two periods, why can’t we take more time from him throughout the week? I will continue to dream until Madrid,” he commented.
Recovering from the mental bump he suffered in the last Tour de France and boosted by his third place in the general classification, as well as starring in the final mountain stages, Mas thinks he faces a great opportunity.
“Yes, this may be my year, but, it’s day by day. I have 2 very good riders ahead of me, one like Roglic who has a lot of experience and another like Remco who is a beginner.. We will see how they react this week, but we also have to see how I react, if I have a bad day or something else affects me,” he explained.
But he warned of the danger that could be associated with any day, not only the Piornal mountain stage, in Extremadura, or the Sierra de Madrid stage.
“Flat days are important, there can be falls, fans, surprises can happen. Every day is important, after the last break and in September the weather will be heavy, you have to pay attention to all the details”.
Without showing concern about the matter of points to save the category, “an issue brought by the directors”, But it is remarkable that the first 5 of the general arrived well in the last stage of the Vuelta, with the Spanish debutants Juan Ayuso and Carlos Rodríguez, fourth and fifth of the general.
“Carlos and Ayuso were excellentI think that for Spanish cycling it is amazing that they can be there, among the best”, he assured.
Source: La Verdad
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