Enric Mas delivered a commanding summit victory on stage 9 of the Vuelta a España, attacking three kilometres from the top of the Alto de Aitana to outsprint Oscar Onley and consolidate his hold on the red jersey.
The Movistar leader, who inherited the race's top spot after Tadej Pogačar's dramatic withdrawal following a crash on stage 8, made his move on the final ascent of the 187-kilometre stage and crossed the line with his arms raised in celebration. It was a first home victory for Movistar in five years and only the second career stage win at the Vuelta for the 31-year-old Spaniard, whose only previous stage success came back in 2018.
"I now understand Tadej Pogačar — the red jersey gives you wings," Mas said after the finish. "This morning I was as excited as a little boy. Winning while wearing the red jersey is very special."
Mas had refused to wear the jersey on Saturday's podium as a mark of respect for Pogačar, who remained in hospital and was later confirmed to require surgery. But on the road he showed no sentimentality, riding away from his rivals on the steepest gradients to finish in five hours, 10 minutes and 40 seconds.
Primoz Roglic, who had been Mas's closest rival overnight, crossed the line 12 seconds down in third, with Felix Gall arriving a further six seconds back. The Austrian conceded 18 seconds to Mas but retains third place in the general classification, now 1 minute 39 seconds off the lead. Roglic sits second at 1:18.
British rider Oscar Onley, just 23, showed impressive climbing pedigree to match Mas all the way to the summit, finishing on the same time. His effort lifts him to fourth overall, 2:20 behind Mas and 41 seconds behind Gall, putting the young Ineos Grenadiers rider within striking distance of a grand tour podium.
The result marks a significant shift in the Vuelta's narrative. Pogačar, who had been the overwhelming favourite, crashed heavily on stage 8 and was taken to hospital with what were later described as injuries requiring surgical intervention. His UAE Team Emirates confirmed the Slovenian's withdrawal, handing the red jersey to Mas.
For Mas, a three-time Vuelta runner-up who finished second overall in 2018, 2021 and 2023, the stage win represents a statement of intent after years of coming close without tasting individual glory. The Alto de Aitana, one of the hardest summit finishes in this year's route, provided the perfect stage.
Riders now face a rest day on Monday before resuming with stage 10, a 184-kilometre route from Alcaraz to Elche de la Sierra featuring three category-three climbs.
Stage 9 Results — Top 10
1. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) 5:10:40 2. Oscar Onley (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) same time 3. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) +12s 4. Felix Gall (Aut/Decathlon AG2R) +18s 5. Cristian Rodríguez (Spa/XDS Astana) +20s 6. Mattias Skjelmose (Den/Lidl-Trek) +20s 7. Jarno Widar (Bel/Lotto Dstny) +25s 8. Harold Tejada (Col/XDS Astana) +33s 9. Richard Carapaz (Ecu/EF Education-EasyPost) +54s 10. Santiago Buitrago (Col/Bahrain Victorious) +1:41
General Classification — Top 10
1. Enric Mas (Spa/Movistar) 28:34:03 2. Primoz Roglic (Slo/Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe) +1:18 3. Felix Gall (Aut/Decathlon AG2R) +1:39 4. Oscar Onley (GB/Ineos Grenadiers) +2:20 5. Richard Carapaz (Ecu/EF Education-EasyPost) +3:26 6. Mattias Skjelmose (Den/Lidl-Trek) +3:55 7. Sepp Kuss (US/Visma-Lease a Bike) +4:09 8. Harold Tejada (Col/XDS Astana) +4:39 9. Gregor Mühlberger (Aut/Decathlon AG2R) +7:33 10. Jakob Omrzel (Slo/Bahrain Victorious) +8:05
Sources
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/articles/c1l6n60pl19o
- https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cycling/racing/vuelta-a-espana-race-leader-enric-mas-outsprints-oscar-onley-to-win-stage-9-on-alto-de-aitana/
