Enric Mas Rising Star

[Oldermanish]

Going super hot as usual in the Vuelta. The weather is a bonus for him, so although the stage to Granada isn't a MTF, thats a huge one before a bit cooler temperatures will hit. And I have said repeatedly that I think its the hardest stage in the Vuelta and the stage with the most potential of carnage and huge gains, so hopefully he will be ready!

O'Connor grabbing the jersey with such a big lead might be a blessing in disguise. Roglic would be a hard one to crack, he still is, but maybe he will expose himself a bit more in order to claw back time if Ben proves to be a real threat. That could lead to harder racing and Enrici swooping in and grabbing the win if Roglic makes mistakes.

O'Connor has lived on gifted house money this far; he hasn't earned enough on his own to balance out the deficit coming tomorrow. If we've seen anything it's whomever feels good when it gets steepest has prevailed in this Vuelta. Tomorrow may have a few trying to make that move but it's not going to be a sudden revelation; the grades will grind away until the gaps get to single riders and then one guy will steadily pile it on. Only us sado/masochists that love to watch suffering will get satisfaction.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Well it's not exactly likely that group finishes all together on top if the finish is on top.

I agree, the deficit is smaller on the top to Roglic, but its not under 30 seconds under no circumstances to anybody. Mas was straight up a menace on that day, but its also true all the circumstances was in his favour that day, mainly the heat and the attritional race that he needs against Roglic. Would also have made the gaps to Yates (not that it would matter now seeing how he goes) and Carapaz more interesting.

And I agree Giggs, but thats just how it is with Mas. He probably also had golden legs in Sevilla........

 

[Valv.Piti]

Lagos de Covadonga stage winner, Enrici

 

[Sciatic]

Lagos de Covadonga stage winner, Enrici

Seems likely it’ll be someone from a break winning the remaining MTFs

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Next year the Vuelta will only have MTF mountain stages. I kid, but if he had been a half decent descender, he would have been practically tied with Roglic now.

 

[Valv.Piti]

Next year the Vuelta will only have MTF mountain stages. I kid, but if he had been a half decent descender, he would have been practically tied with Roglic now.

Thats just not true. While descending skills mattered, it was mostly just a group going full gas on roads where it was highly favorable to sit in a big group and doing hard turns. Mas would maybe have kept like 15 seconds if he was a great descender, the nature of that stage was always that he needed one or two rivals with him to keep the gap.

 

[Red Rick]

Thats just not true. While descending skills mattered, it was mostly just a group going full gas on roads where it was highly favorable to sit in a big group and doing hard turns. Mas would maybe have kept like 15 seconds if he was a great descender, the nature of that stage was always that he needed one or two rivals with him to keep the gap.

Yates was also losing a lot of time. Don't remember how much.

Movistar should absolutely try to control the breaks. Don't even worry about having domestiques for the final climb, Bora will take care of that. There's no scenario where you lose to Roglic and regret helping Roglic get time bonuses anyway

 

[Valv.Piti]

Yates was also losing a lot of time. Don't remember how much.

Movistar should absolutely try to control the breaks. Don't even worry about having domestiques for the final climb, Bora will take care of that. There's no scenario where you lose to Roglic and regret helping Roglic get time bonuses anyway

Well the team is absolutely terrible, but I'd be disappointed if they didnt even try on Covadonga as well. They have to. Then you take it from there with 2 transitional stages and especially stage 20, Im afraid stage 19 is just Roglic stomping Mas with break up the road and Vuelta practically over

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

I love to see Mas riding with confidence. I want Roglic to win this one, but I’d love to see Mas win a GT. He is putting in work this Vuelta. No fear. Maybe should have had a bit more even on that one descent. Great to see.

 

[Oldermanish]

I love to see Mas riding with confidence. I want Roglic to win this one, but I’d love to see Mas win a GT. He is putting in work this Vuelta. No fear. Maybe should have had a bit more even on that one descent. Great to see.

He was showing the initiative today but even the most minor gap was covered by Roglic with ease. O'Connor still has a lead and they need to erase that gap and then some to give Mas hope for the TT and the podium.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Yeah for sure, and Roglic has put time on Mas on mountain stages, not the other way around. But Mas has shouldered the burden of a “boring” reputation even more so than Roglic, and likely while in possession of a less bright talent, so it’s great to see him thrive. I agree he needs to keep pushing to get time on Ben O’Connor. He should not have let him get that time. Based on what we’ve seen, the rightful ranking should be 1. Roglic 2. Mas 3/4. Carapaz / Landa

 

[AmRacer]

What Mas must regret he gave all that time to BOC.

 

[Unchained]

Next year the Vuelta will only have MTF mountain stages. I kid, but if he had been a half decent descender, he would have been practically tied with Roglic now.

Next year maybe they can have start times hours earlier, w much, much lower and manageable temperatures.

 

[Netserk]

Loser of the day.

 

[AmRacer]

Movistar and EF shouldn't have let BOC got all that time. Bora didn't care, they know Rogla would take it back and some more.

 

[Red Rick]

Think the reputation partially comes from style, i.e. he looks strong following someone when really he is on the limit, leading to unrealistic expectation and "Mas is the best climber and will drop everyone in the final week' narratives, as well as a few times having talked quite big before not posing much of a threat in the end.

This year is the first year I really think he was way too passive at times and it's potentially gonna cost him 2nd place.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Two wins in five years riding for Movistar is a rather revealing statistic.

 

[Red Rick]

Two wins in five years riding for Movistar is a rather revealing statistic.

And somehow one of them is straight up cleaning Pogacar off the wheel in a hilly classic.

 

[Sciatic]

Movistar and EF shouldn't have let BOC got all that time. Bora didn't care, they know Rogla would take it back and some more.

Yes, I was just as frustrated with Movistar that day as we Bora. But he wouldn’t have topped Roglic regardless.

 

[AmRacer]

Yes, I was just as frustrated with Movistar that day as we Bora. But he wouldn’t have topped Roglic regardless.

No, Rogla is in another league. But Mas could have had secured another second place by now.

 

[elguapo]

Enric should consider changing his race schedule next season. Avoid the Tour and race the Giro + Vuelta instead. Maybe it would be easier for him to score a GT win instead, Winning over Pog, Vingo and Remco in the Tour would be a remote possibility. Same with CRod, Skjelmose, Ayuso, and et. al.

 

[AmRacer]

Enric should consider changing his race schedule next season. Avoid the Tour and race the Giro + Vuelta instead. Maybe it would be easier for him to score a GT win instead, Winning over Pog, Vingo and Remco in the Tour would be a remote possibility. Same with CRod, Skjelmose, Ayuso, and et. al.

The thing is that Tadej Merckx wants the Vuelta and Jonas both the Giro and Vuelta.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Previous TT results predict a tight race for second place (in GC) tomorrow. But i wouldn't be surprised if O'Connor suffers from fatigue build up tomorrow.

 

[VayaVayaVaya]

Mas made a couple of mistakes in this Vuelta, which might prevent him from getting second (namely letting BOC get that gap and not pushing yesterday for maximum time against BOC), but you can’t deny that he should a will to win and aggression that belies his CF forum reputation. Even those two mistakes were tied to a winner’s mentality, IMO, as the moves make no sense for someone targeting the podium but they make more sense for someone trying to beat Primoz (yesterday a little less so).

Regardless, I say bravo Mas and hope he takes second today. BOC has ridden with grit but still does not really deserve a podium unless you think Mas and Carapaz deserve not to be on the podium because they let BOC take the gap. Mas has put time on BOC at nearly every opportunity and ridden as strongly as I can remember, maybe best ever performance for him alongside 2022?

 

[Cookster15]

Mas made a couple of mistakes in this Vuelta, which might prevent him from getting second (namely letting BOC get that gap and not pushing yesterday for maximum time against BOC), but you can’t deny that he should a will to win and aggression that belies his CF forum reputation. Even those two mistakes were tied to a winner’s mentality, IMO, as the moves make no sense for someone targeting the podium but they make more sense for someone trying to beat Primoz (yesterday a little less so).

Regardless, I say bravo Mas and hope he takes second today. BOC has ridden with grit but still does not really deserve a podium unless you think Mas and Carapaz deserve not to be on the podium because they let BOC take the gap. Mas has put time on BOC at nearly every opportunity and ridden as strongly as I can remember, maybe best ever performance for him alongside 2022?

Mas had a strong Vuelta. 2nd best climber of the race. But he was soundly beaten in today's TT by Ben O'Conner.