Mas outsprints Britain’s Onley to win Vuelta stage nine
Enric Mas won stage nine of the Vuelta a España, a punishing 187km climb to the summit of Aitana, strengthening his grip on the race leader's red jersey. The Spaniard inherited the lead after overwhelming favourite Tadej Pogačar withdrew following a crash on stage eight that will require surgery, and Mas had pointedly declined to wear the jersey on Saturday's podium out of respect for his rival.
Attacking three kilometres from the finish, the three-time Vuelta runner-up held off Britain's Oscar Onley to claim only his second career stage win and his Movistar team's first victory on home soil in five years. Mas now leads the general classification by one minute 18 seconds over Primož Roglič, with Felix Gall third and Onley moving up to fourth. The riders have a rest day on Monday before stage ten, a 184km route with three category-three climbs between Alcaraz and Elche de la Sierra.
- Enric Mas won Vuelta stage nine, extending his overall lead
- He took over as leader after Pogačar's crash and withdrawal
- Britain's Oscar Onley finished second, now fourth overall
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Enric Mas won stage nine of the Vuelta a España, a Spanish three-week cycling race made up of daily stages that add up to an overall time-based classification. The rider with the lowest cumulative time wears the "red jersey" as leader. Mas, a Spaniard riding for the Movistar team, took over that lead after pre-race favourite Tadej Pogačar crashed out of the race on the previous stage and needs surgery.
The Vuelta is one of cycling's three "Grand Tours", alongside the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia, and is contested by professional teams from around the world. Stage nine finished with a long, steep climb, a type of terrain that typically favours specialist climbers and often reshuffles the overall standings. Mas has finished as runner-up in the Vuelta three times before, so a stage win and the leader's jersey mark a notable moment in his career.
Oscar Onley, a British rider, finished second on the stage and sits fourth overall, reflecting a strong showing from British riders in this year's race. With the race roughly halfway through and a rest day following this stage, the gaps between the leading riders in the overall standings will shape how the remaining mountain and flatter stages are raced in the final two weeks.