Enric Mas wins stage nine in red as seven contenders battle for Vuelta GC in Pogacar’s absence

Enric Mas extended his race lead in the Vuelta a España on Sunday, winning stage nine — the hardest day of the race so far — and claiming his first victory in four years.The Spaniard inherited the red jersey yesterday as a result of Tadej Pogačar’s crash, in which the world champion suffered fractures to his collarbone and neck, as well as a concussion and multiple abrasions.Movistar rider Mas wasted no time in asserting his control over the race he now leads, beating Oscar Onley in a sprint at the top of the Alto de Aitana climb.“Now I understand Tadej — the jersey gives you wings,” Mas quipped at the end of the race. His last win was at the 2022 Giro dell’Emilia when he got the better of Pogačar.He now leads Primož Roglič by 1:18, with Felix Gall 21 seconds further back.Dozens of riders tried to get in various breakaways from the off, but it wasn’t until the Puerto de Tudons, the fourth of six category climbs, that a lead group of 24 was established. That inevitably fractured up the ascent, and on the next one, the Puerto de Benifallim, three riders went clear: Pavel Sivakov, Marcel Camprubí and Alessandro Romele. As the 21km climb to Aitana began, they had a lead of 90 seconds.Sivakov was last of the trio to resist the GC group, but the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider was eventually caught 4.5km from the top of the military base.Even before Sivakov was reeled in, a flurry of attacks had been launched from the GC riders. The first was by Felix Gall, whose Decathlon CMA CGM had set a searing pace at the front of the peloton. Richard Carapaz also tried his luck, and with 3.2km to go, Mas made his move.The Mallorcan brought only Onley with him initially, but Roglič was able to join the pair momentarily. Almost as soon as he did, Mas and Onley attacked again.Whereas three days ago, on stage six, Mas didn’t give himself a chance in a finish-line sprint with the now-at-home Pogačar, this time Mas backed himself, and he comfortably bettered Netcompany INEOS’ Onley in a sprint finish.Chris Marshall-Bell and Jacob Whitehead analyze a frantic stage on the Costa Blanca.