After the first nine days of the Vuelta, the Spanish round faces its only time trial today, in Valladolid, after experiencing two high finals and a third in Xorret de Catí, which can almost be classified as such. The hardness of this first part of the Vuelta is far from reaching the level of demand that they will have this Friday (ending the mythical Tourmalet) and Saturday through French territory with some of the great Pyrenean colossi ahead. Everyone is looking at a week that could be decisive and where both Enric Mas and Juan Ayuso hope to be ahead to measure their real options to know what will be the goal they will be fighting for in the third week.
Mas (Movistar) faces today’s time trial in Valladolid with optimism, where he hopes “to be in the top five or ten”, with the long-term goal of trying to win the Vuelta; and, if not, at least “on the podium”. “It will be very fast and I expect some differences with the favorites. I have not been able to go around, this Monday in the city is chaotic and we do not want to risk it”, said Mas who does not see much superiority on the part of Jumbo Visma although ‘t he wants to be “more ahead in general”. The Spaniard is convinced of his progress in the remaining two weeks, with the best mountain stages to come. “Before the start I said that my idea is to finish is to win, but if it’s not possible and a podium comes out, it’s not bad. It’s annoying if I’m not on the podium. There are two weeks left and I have to take advantage of the fact that I’m fresher than others for not playing the Tour”, he pointed out.
Ayuso (UAE Emirates) is confident of having a good time trial because “the differences made are hard to make up in the mountains and it will be an important day. In the time trial, there will be more difference than Friday in the Tourmalet, unless you have a bad day and you blow up. In time trials, differences are made that are very difficult to reduce later. If you lose a minute, you have to have a very good day to make it up and it’s almost impossible,” commented the Catalan in a telematic press conference.
The streets of the city of Pucelana will host the only timed stage of the 78th Vuelta in a day that should serve to establish the first noticeable differences between the main contenders for the final red jersey. The tenth stage will take place on a 25.8 km route. If the weather does not condition the development of the stage, the Belgian Remco Evenepoel (Quick Step) will start as favorite for the partial victory, without forgetting the two leaders of Jumbo-Visma, the Slovenian Primoz Roglic and Olympic champion of specialty and the Dane Jonas Vingegaard.
Source: La Verdad
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