Evenepoel, Roglic and Mas, a trio for the same dream last week

After the last day of rest, the Back to Spain From this Tuesday, he will face his last six episodes with an interesting challenge for Remco Evenepoel. In the unknown about his performance in the third week of a big round at the table, the youth of the Belgian leader, 22 years old, faces the experience of primoz roglic32 and champion of the last three editions (2019, 2020, 2021), and the renewed spirit of Enrique More27 years old.

Both from less to more since the start of the Vuelta, the Slovenian and the Spaniard are the other legitimate contenders for the red jersey on Sunday in Madrid after reducing their deficit (1’34” and 2’01” ) in the final stages of the mountain, where Evenepoel showed a more human version that put a bit of uncertainty at the end.

“My lead is quite comfortable, but it is not definitive. Let’s be positive. There are still six days of racing that will not be easy, although they are not the most difficult climbs. Fatigue will start to play, but will definitely fight we are for the red jersey, we have no other choice”, said Evenepoel. No Belgian has won any major round (Tour, Giro or Vuelta) since he did it Johan De Muynck in Italy in 1978, 44 years ago, another incentive for him.

“After the crash the other day, I could hardly get up on the pedals. As a result, on Saturday I lost a lot of time, but it wasn’t too much either. Roglic and Mas were in good shape. On Saturday Roglic was the best and on Mas was Sunday, but Enric was a bit far from me in the general classification and I didn’t follow him. I started running alone, at my own pace because I was afraid to push my limits. In the end, after a hard day, I limited the loss of time”, explains Evenepoel, who is especially afraid of getting sick from the coronavirus that is hitting hard within the peloton. “That’s my biggest fear,” Remco acknowledged.

“Evenepoel was very good, he was the strongest even though he showed weaknesses in the last two stages. The advantage he has gives him peace of mind, but if we took a minute from him in two periods, why can’t we take more time from him this week? I’m going to keep dreaming until Madrid”, commented Mas. his young countrymen John Ayuso (4th to 4’39”) and Carlos Rodríguez (5th to 5’16”) is still touring.

The Alto de Piornalon Thursday, and Saturday’s stage with five ports and a final in Navacerrada they are the last remnants to shake off the current Vuelta order. The strength of the favorites and their teams will decide the final champion.

This is the general

1. Remco Evenepoel (Bel/QuickStep) 56h.40’49”
2. Primoz Roglic (Esl/Jumbo-Visma) at 1’34”
3. Enric Mas (ESP/Movistar) at 2’01”
4. Juan Ayuso (ESP/UAE Team) at 4’49”
5. Carlos Rodríguez (ESP/Ineos) at 5’16”
6. Miguel Ángel López (Col/Astana) at 5’24”
7. Joao Almeida (For/UAE Team) at 7’00”
8. Thymen Arensman (PB/DSM) at 7’05”
9. Ben O’Connor (Aus/AG2R Citroën) in 8’57”
10. Jai Hindley (Aus/Bora-hansgrohe) in 11’36”
11. Louis Meintjes (RSA/Intermarche) in 11’41”
12. R. Urán (Col/EF Education) in 14’56”
13. Jan Polanc (Esl/UAE Team) in 15’08”
14. Wilco Kelderman (PB/Bora) in 15’39”
15. David de la Cruz (ESP/Astana) in 16’02”
16. A. Valverde (ESP/Movistar) in 17’21”
17. Richard Carapaz (Ecu/Ineos) in 18’02”
19. Mikel Landa (ESP/Bahrain) in 35’47”
20. Luis León Sánchez (ESP/Bahrain) at 36’10”
21. Rein Taaramae (Est/Intermarche) at 37’21”
22. Jay Vine (Aus/Alpecin) in 37’59”
23. Óscar Cabedo (ESP/Burgos BH) at 38’00”
24. Hugh Carthy (GBR/EF Education) in 40’45”
25. José F. Parra (ESP/Kern Pharma) in 42’23”
26. Sergio Higuita (Col/Bora) at 42’47”
27. Thibaut Pinot (Fra/Groupama FdJ) in 42’58”
28. Marc Soler (ESP/UAE) in 44’54”
29. Gino Mäder (Sui/Bahrain) at 46’24”
30. Jan Bakelants (Bel/Interarché) in 47’40”
34. Mikel Bizkarra (ESP/Euskaltel) in 57’44”
53. Vincenzo Nibali (Ita/Astana) in 1:33:59”
144 and later. L. Mas (ESP/Movistar) in 3h.56’55”