Enric Mas returned to the top 10 of the general classification of the Tour de France during the difficult final in Peyragudes. But he was not happy, it was not his day. He regretted, “for the Spanish supporters”, not having been able to be higher in the Tour de France, while minimizing his return to the top 10 after the sixteenth stage.
“I have to learn from all of this. I’m really sorry for the Spanish fans,” said the 27-year-old Movistar cyclist, who entered the finish line 3.44 behind the winner, the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, and is now tenth at 16.35 from the leaderel in Jonas Vingegaard.
“I’m not going to say I have big feelings, but I do have feelings. That’s a lesson for the future,” he said. Mas assured that the United Arab Emirates had made the race very difficult from the start so that Pogacar could win the stage. He specifies that he fell on the descent but was able to return to the chasing group thanks to the support of Gregor Muhlberger, who was in the breakaway of the day.
Pogacar offers a historic sprint against Vingaard on the infernal ramp of Peyragudes
On moving up one place in the general classification, thanks to the fact that the Briton Adam Yates lost a lot of time, he assured: “That is secondary. Let’s come to the top3. But every day is a lesson for the future.”
‘Luisle’, impatient to arrive in Paris
“I want to get to Paris as quickly as possible. I’m terrified of these short stages like today’s with climbs at the end. It’s been a fast, tense Tour, and we’re already thinking about surviving.”r. From Denmark we are riding very fast, and there is still tomorrow and everything remains to be decided for the yellow jersey and the other positions”, commented the Murcian cyclist at the finish line.. “Thursday’s stage in Hautacam will be decisive, but it will be more or less the same. The forces are right and we have to get to Paris at all costs,” he concluded.
Pogacar is optimistic
The winner at Peyragudes does not give up. Pogacar wants the battle. “We couldn’t do more, tomorrow we have another chance, but today I want to enjoy the victory, although I’m already thinking about tomorrow’s stage,” he said. the Emirati cyclist, who thanks to the bonus lost 4 seconds and is now 2.18 seconds behind the Scandinavian.
“Despite the injuries in the team, we have weapons, there are ways to try and we will give everything to recover the yellow jersey,” said the Slovenian, that I lost it in stage 11 with a finish in Granon.
Pogacar, who at 23 already has nine Tour victories, three in this edition, assured that “everyone has a particular flavor”, but that this Wednesday “It’s for the team.” These days they are very excited, bad luck hit us, but we will continue to look for how to recover time. Tomorrow we will continue to try to reduce, today we had to win the stage”, he underlined.
Vinigaard, tranquilo
Faced with Pogacar’s offensive, Vingaard, leader, is calm. “The one who gives me advice is my girlfriend, who tells me not to read the newspapers. I don’t, it’s a way of controlling the pressure of the yellow jersey. I don’t let myself be distracted by that,” said cyclist Jumbo, second in the Peyragudes stage, behind Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, whom he leads by 2.18.
The dance indicates that they are trying to “have everything under control” and “fight to the end”: “I only lost the 4 seconds of the bonus, but I’m happy with the result”.
Vingaard acknowledged that “keeping an eye on Pogacar constantly takes a lot of energy”, but he deemed it necessary because “he can attack where you least expect it”.
His best servant, Wout Van Aert, was not up to the task in recent days. “I didn’t have the best legs. I couldn’t do more, UAE were very strong and they had a great day. Bjerg’s work was great, he’s at a very good level. Jonas has very defended his position well. And on my green jersey is reached, I have to stay on the bike”, he explained.