Enric Mas explains his disappointing end of the Vuelta a Espana: "My strength is not with me, I'm exhausted"

A very complicated Vuelta a Espana for Movistar Team and its leader, Enric Mas, who has not had the legs he expected during the last week and has been relegated to a more than disappointing sixth place that seems difficult to leave.

The runner-up in the last two editions of the Spanish Grand Tour was aware that with the line-up in 2023 it was complicated for him to opt for victory, but in recent years he had shown himself to be a solid rider capable of holding off Primoz Roglic in the high mountains in 2021 and Remco Evenepoel and Primoz himself until he fell in 2022.

However, this year he has sunk into misery. In the Angliru he didn't make the grade and lost all his podium chances. He had already shown signs that he was not up to the level of the Jumbo-Visma and now it doesn't even look like he will be the best Spaniard overall, since Mikel Landa is finishing the Vuelta very well and Juan Ayuso is also at a good level.

Enric acknowledged after stage 18, in which he ended up leading the group of favorites, that he had spent two very bad days and that he hoped to feel better in the Sierra de Madrid stage next Saturday: "Today it's true that I was able to get to the top of the general classification, but my strength is not with me. I've had 2 - 3 very hard days and I'm exhausted. Hopefully in the Sierra de Madrid the sensations will change, but for now my body needs to recover."