‘Very few people in the world can do that’ – Enric Mas resigned to Primož Roglič’s superiority at Vuelta a España

“It could be the perfect day,” Enric Mas said hopefully on Thursday evening when he was asked about stage 19 of the Vuelta a España. And it was, but just not for him. Primož Roglič was operating on a different plane on the Alto de Moncalvillo, and there was little that Mas or anybody else could do when he cruised away with 6km of the climb remaining.

Although Mas briefly regained some ground on Roglič on the upper reaches of the ascent, the Movistar man must have known his resources were dwindling rapidly. In the final two kilometres or so, his deficit swiftly doubled, and he crossed the line fourth on the stage, some 50 seconds behind the new red jersey Roglič.