On the high-speed, last descent of stage 9 of the Vuelta a España, Enric Mas (Movistar) got here inside a whisker of a significant crash because the headwind caught his bike and the Spanish GC contender all however skidded off-course.
In a heart-stopping second for TV viewers, cameras confirmed how Mas wobbled spectacularly to his proper and regarded like he would fall.
However fortunately, the sudden distancing of the continual crash limitations working parallel alongside the highway working down the aspect of the mountain meant the Movistar racer had the house essential to regain management of his bike.
Fifty metres earlier than or after that time on the descent, a crash at excessive velocity would have been inevitable for Mas. However as a substitute, he may proceed with a breakaway effort began on the Alto de Hazallanas, which noticed him acquire practically a minute at one level on high general favorite Primoz Roglič (Pink Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe).
Thrice a runner-up within the Vuelta a España and second the day earlier than at Cazorla, Mas was lastly reeled in by the Roglič group close to the end in Granada. However whereas he stated afterwards the near-crash had regarded worse than it actually was, he recognised he had been extraordinarily fortunate – and that his situation continues to bode nicely, too, for the remainder of the Vuelta.
“I believe on TV it regarded scarier than it actually was, mainly the wind blew me off target,” Mas advised reporters after stage 9.
“However simply as nicely I didn’t fall and that that further house with gravel subsequent to the highway was there, as a result of it might have been a extremely nasty crash. I don’t know if it was the roads or the wind, however I had a couple of scary moments on the descents usually, significantly once I was off the entrance on my own.
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“That specific one, I wished to alter my line and I went off target. Simply as nicely that little bit of gravel was there. I’m very grateful I didn’t fall.”
General, in any case, Mas recognised his Vuelta was going nicely to this point. He was in a position to follow Roglič each on stage 4 to Villuercas and on the second summit end in Cazorla, and is at the moment working fourth general, 4:35 again of race chief Ben O’Conner (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale).
“I’m happy with the sentiments than anything,” Mas stated about his unprecedented skill to drop Roglič in a mountain stage within the Vuelta. ”Lastly my transfer was extra attention-grabbing as a spectacle than gaining time, although if we’d had a summit end at present, it’d have been a unique story. I simply hope on finishes like at Lagos de Covadonga issues work out in another way.”
Mas recognised that with so many switches within the narrative on this yr’s Vuelta a España, the race was extensive open to date, and it was, he argued, “far more attention-grabbing than the Tour de France”.
“I began the day with the purpose of attacking however I didn’t know whether or not to go for it the primary or the second time spherical Hazallanas,” he stated.
“Once I noticed there was a second of weak point [in the peloton of favourites, I went for it. But the strongest on the climbs today was [stage winner] Adam Yates.”
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🫣 Sure, that gave us a scare too. 🙏 What a save by Enric Mas – @Movistar_Team!🚨 Don’t do that at house!😰 Sí, también nos hemos pegado el susto. 🙏 Qué salvada de @EnricMasNicolau.🚨 Solo los profesionales pueden bajar a esas velocidades.#LaVuelta24 pic.twitter.com/FyBJhKE03WAugust 25, 2024
