José de Cauwer analyses Vuelta a Espana contenders: "I see problems emerging with Roglic"

The first week of the Vuelta a España is concluded and in all honesty it is a very wide open race so far. Ben O'Connor leads the overall classification after a masterful breakaway, Primoz Roglic looked the strongest in the opening days but Enric Mas was the strongest on the first high-mountains day; whilst Adam Yates and Richard Carapaz are back in the fight for victory after successful attacks on stage 9.

"Only Enric Mas I have no question marks. I see problems emerging with Roglic. He should actually have been able to follow Mas," José de Cauwer analysed for Sporza. The commentator and pundit has been keeping a close eye on the overall classification contenders and the truth is every single one of them has showed some sort of weakness at a certain point in this race. It leads us to a second week of the race that is brutal and very open. Unlike the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France, there are several contenders for the red jersey.

O'Connor specially can be of a very big danger. Whilst he lost time at Pico Viluercas and Cazorla, that was arguably because of the strong heat that has been putting many in difficulties. Into Granada, the Australian looked as strong as one would expect and with this form and consistency, taking the necessary minutes on him could be a mission impossible. Not just because of his current form but because of a very strong collective that includes pure climbers Valentin Paret-Peintre, Clément Berthet and Felix Gall who himself is in GC contention. "With a very good Felix Gall near him, he has a strong team at his disposal".

There's Richard Carapaz, aiming for GC at this Vuelta but cracking several times in the first week, but he bounced back with a mythical raid in yesterday's ultra-mountainous stage. "That attack cost a lot of energy. The question is whether he can do it a few more times," De Cauwer argues. "Now Carapaz is a really tough attacker. He is not someone who will just fall through the ice. It is a very open Vuelta a España".

Enric Mas attacked the Alto de Hazallanas and gained a minute over the GC group, but then lost it in the descent - where he miraculously avoided a bad crash. But he easily dropped his rivals including Primoz Roglic, who was not able to take any time on his rivals yesterday in terrain that is better suited to the pure climbers.

"Roglic did not give me a very good impression. In principle, he should be able to follow Mas when he goes on that steep section. Roglic does have to take time on O'Connor, right. But he did not try to go along yet," De Cauwer concludes. "Normally he has to do it himself, but now Roglic was offered the moment on a plate. And he doesn't follow. So he's not good enough to gain time on O'Connor".