“Today was a super hard day. It was super fast” - Enric Mas hopes surprisingly brutal Vuelta Stage 10 effort takes toll on rivals
Cycling
Enric Mas retained the red jersey on Stage 10 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana after a far more demanding afternoon than the profile had suggested for the general classification contenders.
The uphill finish in Elche de la Sierra had appeared better suited to the faster men, but the relentless pace and repeated attacks ensured Mas and his rivals were drawn into the action deep into the stage.
“To be honest, I just wanted to be in a safe position, and when Brennan was pulling, I stayed behind him to be there in the front,” Mas explained afterwards.
Matthew Brennan was already committed to Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s pursuit of the late attackers, with Wout van Aert still waiting behind for the expected uphill sprint. Mas stayed close to that effort as the bunch stretched and regrouped through the closing kilometres. “Today was a super hard day. It was super fast,” he said. “There were really strong riders in front and they were riding full gas.”
GC battle briefly comes alive
The pressure had begun to involve the overall contenders before the final chase was complete. Sepp Kuss moved clear alongside Milan Vader, drawing a response behind as the gap threatened to grow. Richard Carapaz and Mas were among those alert to the acceleration, while Decathlon CMA CGM Team worked with Felix Gall still sitting third overall.
Once that move was shut down, Walter Calzoni attacked and forced Brennan into another sustained chase. Yevgeniy Fedorov and Xabier Mikel Azparren then went clear approaching the final kilometre as the expected sprint became increasingly disorganised.
Bastien Tronchon ultimately emerged from the chaos to beat Magnus Cort and Thibau Nys, while the principal GC riders crossed without any lasting separation. Mas therefore continues to lead Primoz Roglic by 1:18, with Gall third at 1:39 and Oscar Onley fourth at 2:20.
Enric Mas is currently leading the Vuelta a España
Mas hopes the effort is felt later
No time was gained or lost among the leading four, but Stage 10 still demanded considerably more from them than had been anticipated beforehand.
Mas was asked afterwards whether the unusually hard racing could have an impact over the coming stages. “I hope [it will have an effect on the coming days].”
Read also
The Movistar leader leaves Stage 10 with exactly the same advantage he started it with. What changed was the amount of energy required to preserve it on a day that had looked unlikely to trouble the main Vuelta contenders.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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