‘Enric is a little bit above’ - Carapaz admits Mas has the edge but refuses to give up

Carapaz lost 31 seconds to Mas on stage 14, slipping to 4:24 behind the red jersey in the general classification after another demanding afternoon in the mountains of Andalusia.

Despite losing ground, Carapaz emerged from the stage satisfied with his own level and the way his body has been responding as the race moves deeper into its second half.

“I’m very happy with the performance and we’re taking it step by step,” Carapaz told La Red Ecuador. “Day by day I’ve been trying to recover in the best possible way and I can feel the difference.”

The EF Education-EasyPost leader has repeatedly stressed the importance of managing his effort across the three weeks, and after La Pandera he again framed the race as one of endurance as much as outright strength.

“In the end, I think, as I said at the start, this is going to be a Vuelta about hanging in there and resisting,” he said.

That approach has kept Carapaz in the battle despite Mas steadily building his advantage. At La Pandera, Carapaz was initially able to follow when the general classification favourites began trading accelerations on the steep upper slopes. 

Felix Gall eventually forced the decisive split inside the final two kilometres, with Mas immediately responding, but Primož Roglič and Carapaz were unable to stay with them.

Mas and Gall reached the line 25 seconds ahead of Roglič and 31 ahead of Carapaz, strengthening the Spaniard’s position at the head of the race. Gall moved into second overall at 2:06, with Roglič third at 2:10.

Carapaz nevertheless believes the margins between the main contenders remain relatively small, even if one rider currently stands out.

“I think we’re all very evenly matched. If anything, I think Enric is a little bit above the rest,” Carapaz said, though he stopped short of conceding the race.

“There is still a very hard week left. We have to take it step by step.”

Carapaz seems unlikely to let the race pass him by. Two days before La Pandera, he attacked with 36km remaining on the road to Calar Alto, launching a long range move in an attempt to make the race harder for Mas and the other favourites.

It did not succeed, and Mas ultimately gained time on him later in the stage, but Carapaz had no regrets about trying: “This is my style, so that is what I showed.”

With a difficult final week still ahead and Mas increasingly in control, Carapaz will have to show it again.