Alberto Contador: "You can never criticise a cyclist for attacking. Enric Mas has been brave"

The 2024 Vuelta a Espana seems to be a foregone conclusion, as far as the general classification victory goes after stage 19. Barring disaster, Primoz Roglic will add in Madrid on Sunday his fourth title after those achieved in 2019, 2020 and 2021, thanks in part to his dominant performance on the final climb to the Alto de Moncalvillo on stage 19.

Although more than Roglic's display, it was the Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe that was in charge of dynamiting the general classification and blowing away Enric Mas, Ben O'Connor, Richard Carapaz and the rest of the group of favourites with a move that earned the praise of Alberto Contador. Speaking to the microphones of Eurosport, the legend of Spanish cycling surrenders to the performance of Red Bull - BORA in Moncalvillo: "I think that today is an exhibition of Roglic, but also of Red Bull. Different riders have told me that at the watts they were riding at, they didn't even think about going out. Above 500 watts, riders who are very light in weight. We're talking about enormous power," says Contador.

For this reason, it is impossible to point out the lack of ambition of the Movistar Team leader, who has always been criticised for it. In fact, Contador himself comes to the defence of Enric Mas who has been very brave today: "I think you can never criticise a rider for attacking. Enric has started very strong and very brave," Contador says.

"I think what saved everyone else was Richard Carapaz, who was very generous because he knows that the podium depends on Enric, but also on Ben O'Connor," adds Alberto Contador talking about how beautiful the fight for the final overall podium has become. "Criticizing people who attack is something I don't like because I like courage, as does Mikel Landa. It seems pretty clear who's going to win the Vuelta a España, but there's going to be a lot of excitement in the fight for the podium," he concludes.