Mas seizes Pogacar power vacuum with Alto de Aitana win and bigger Vuelta lead

Enric Mas (Movistar) won stage 9 of the Vuelta a España on the Alto de Aitana, capping his first day in the red jersey with his first stage victory of the race.

Mas attacked inside the final two kilometres before opening his sprint 200 metres from the line and holding off Oscar Onley (Netcompany-Ineos). Primož Roglič finished third, ten seconds behind, while Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) crossed the line fourth at 31 seconds.

The 187.4 kilometre stage from La Vila Joiosa featured 4,952 metres of climbing, more than any other day in this Vuelta, across six categorised climbs and in temperatures reaching 32 degrees.

The race finished atop the Alto de Aitana, a 21.9 kilometre climb at an average gradient of 5.8 per cent and the second longest ascent of the race.

Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) was the last survivor of the day's breakaway. He went solo with ten kilometres remaining but was caught by the favourites with 4.6 kilometres to go.

From there, the fight for the stage and the general classification took over.

Mas made his first move with 3.2 kilometres remaining before attacking again at 1.8 kilometres. Only Onley could follow. Roglič briefly regained contact after being distanced inside the final two kilometres but was unable to stay with the pair.

Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) was dropped with 800 metres remaining before Mas led Onley into the final kilometre and launched his winning sprint.

Mas gained ten seconds on Roglič and 31 on Gall on the road. Having started the day with leads of 1:00 and 1:11 over the pair respectively, the Spaniard further strengthened his grip on the red jersey.

Attacks began almost immediately, with Yevgeniy Fedorov (XDS Astana), Alexey Lutsenko (NSN Cycling Team), Magnus Cort and Tobias Halland Johannessen (both Uno X-Mobility) among the first riders to move clear.

The break that eventually established itself included Sivakov, Lutsenko, Andreas Kron (Uno-X Mobility), Alastair MacKellar (EF Education-EasyPost), Fabian Weiss (Tudor) and Alessandro Romele (XDS Astana), who was celebrating his 23rd birthday.

Kron led the break onto the Puerto de Tàrbena and took maximum points at the summit ahead of Romele and Lutsenko. Wout van Aert attacked from the peloton shortly afterwards but was unable to get clear.

Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) spent much of the opening hour attempting to bridge across. He was caught by the peloton with 174 kilometres remaining, attacked again at 157 kilometres and eventually made contact as a larger chase group formed.

With 83 kilometres remaining, the front of the race had grown to 24 riders. Pinarello Q36.5, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, Soudal Quick-Step, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Uno-X Mobility were all represented by at least two riders.

Pablo Torres (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) abandoned with 147 kilometres remaining. Lars Craps (Lotto-Intermarché) and Paul Double (Team Jayco AlUla) crashed with 129 kilometres to go, while Victor Langellotti (XDS Astana) abandoned following a crash later in the stage.

The break began to fragment on the approach to the Alto de Aitana. Sivakov and Marcel Camprubí moved clear at the front, with Buitrago and Valentin Paret Peintre (Soudal Quick Step) chasing behind.

Movistar began to increase the pace in the peloton through Orluis Aular, with Decathlon CMA CGM later contributing to the chase.

Around 40 riders remained in the peloton at the foot of Aitana, 3:52 behind the leaders.

Sivakov dropped Camprubí and went alone with ten kilometres of climbing remaining. Behind him, the group of favourites was quickly being reduced as the pace increased.

Sepp Kuss began to struggle with 7.4 kilometres to go before Gall accelerated seven kilometres from the summit.

Camprubí was caught with 5.9 kilometres remaining, while a series of attacks began among the general classification contenders. Carapaz went with 5.6 kilometres to go and Onley countered shortly afterwards, forcing Mas to respond.

Sivakov's resistance finally ended with 4.6 kilometres remaining.

Gall accelerated again before Mas launched his first attack with 3.2 kilometres to go. Onley bridged across shortly afterwards, while Roglič began to lose contact with the leading riders.

Mas went again with 1.8 kilometres remaining and this time only Onley could stay with him. Roglič briefly fought his way back before being distanced for good, while Carapaz lost contact inside the final kilometre.

Mas led Onley under the flamme rouge before opening his sprint 200 metres from the finish. The Briton stayed close but could not come past, giving Mas victory on the Alto de Aitana and a bigger advantage in the Vuelta a España.