“Enric felt really good”
In that context, Movistar Team’s priority was clear: support Enric Mas on a day designed to open gaps in the general classification. Romeo confirmed the Mallorcan reported good sensations throughout and that his teammates could stay with him until the race was fully selected. “Enric, I think, felt really good — he told us all day,” he said.
The situation also forced riders who had slipped out of the fight for the win to manage their effort with the next days in mind. Romeo explained that once the decisive part of the stage was behind them, they grouped up with others to face the finale with greater security. “Then we started gathering up there with all the mates,” he recounted.
The concern was not only sporting. The huge gap opened by Pogačar could turn the finale into a battle for survival for many due to the time cut. “With that madman you don’t even know what the time limit is going to be,” Romeo joked, referring to the Slovenian’s pace. That is why the more riders stuck together, the safer they were to beat the cutoff at the end of the day.
Tadej Pogacar crosses the line after winning Stage 4 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana
Decathlon’s strategy surprised the peloton
Romeo had already experienced similar scenarios at the Giro d’Italia, when some teams rolled out aggressive strategies against the main favourites. This time, Decathlon’s approach again raised eyebrows within the bunch. The Spaniard admitted several riders commented on it while riding together, especially given the sense of superiority the French squad was showing.
“When you see a team that superior, I think it surprised us all,” he stated. However, Romeo insisted it was simply an observation from inside the race, not a reproach. The stage’s subsequent evolution ended up vindicating those who expected the imposed tempo to have consequences among the favourites.
Because then Pogačar appeared. The UAE Team Emirates XRG leader launched his attack some 50 kilometres from the finish and turned the first major mountain day into a solo exhibition. Romeo was in the group when the move came and admitted no one expected an action of that magnitude.
“We didn’t imagine he was going to do that,” he confessed. The Slovenian has accustomed the peloton to decisive strikes on the opening mountain days, but the distance from the line and the ease with which he opened a gap made his move even more striking.
“He made things crystal clear for all of us”
For Romeo, Pogačar’s victory sent an unequivocal message to the rest of the GC hopefuls. The Slovenian crested the climbs alone and steadily extended his lead before rolling into Andorra la Vella with a huge margin over his chasers.
“On the first mountain day he always likes to make things clear, and well, I think he made them crystal clear for all of us,” summed up the Movistar Team rider. The line reflects the impact of the reigning favourite’s show of force which, after just four stages, has already pushed the rest to rethink their goals.
Even so, Romeo tried to keep a positive outlook. The Vuelta has only just begun and Movistar Team still has plenty of chances to claw back ground. The immediate goal is to save energy and keep protecting Enric Mas, who emerged strengthened despite Pogačar’s show of superiority.
“I also hope they get handed a bit more of the workload, because if not there’ll be few opportunities,” Romeo concluded. A request that sums up the scenario after the first big mountain stage: Pogačar has shown he is a cut above, but the rest of the peloton must still find a way to challenge him for the places of honour.