Mas falls just short of Giro glory against unstoppable Narváez: 'It was impossible'

Enric Mas (Movistar) entered his debut Giro d’Italia aiming for the podium, but those GC ambitions vanished on the early summit finishes of Blockhaus and Corne alle Scale. On stage 11, however, the Spaniard traded overall disappointment for a display of grit, animating an attritional breakaway day.

Mas drove the selection himself, eventually whittling the front down to just him and Jhonatan Narváez (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). On the final climb to the Red Bull KM inside the last 20km, Mas launched an acceleration. Only Narváez responded.

Knowing the Ecuadorian possessed a far superior sprint, Mas kept the pressure high, desperate to drop him before the descent and flat run-in to the finish.

Ultimately, Narváez withstood the onslaught and won the two-up sprint to claim his third stage victory of the race.

“It was impossible,” Mas told reporters, including Domestique. “When I attacked, I did it badly from the front, but we tried in the sprint. I knew he was faster, but I had to try. I couldn't drop him on the climb.”

Though a runner-up finish stung, Mas viewed his performance as an important step forward for both himself and his Movistar squad.

“Well, it's never nice to finish second, but we can say that the team, after a difficult week with me out of contention for the GC and a virus that almost all of us are going through, well, little by little we're starting to get back on our feet," said Mas.

“My legs have felt good at first, but it's true that I've gradually felt better, and there's been one rider who's stronger than strong, and that's Johnny [Narváez], said Mas. 

Beating Narváez was always a monumental task given the Ecuadorian's blistering form. 

Mas also noted how a crash with 40km to go, which took down Christian Scaroni (XDS Astana), Lennert van Eetvelt (Lotto-Intermarché), and Filippo Zana (Soudal Quick-Step), disrupted the breakaway's dynamics and forced him into a chase group behind Narváez.

Christian Scaroni, Lennert van Eetvelt and Filippo Zana had crashed with 40km remaining, and the breakaway was briefly split with Mas in the second group behind Narváez. 

“Very difficult, since the type of course suited him very well; they were very short climbs,” said Mas when asked how he managed the battle against Narváez.

“Then, because of the crash, we lost a few seconds there, and it was hard to catch him. In the last climb, I even tried to pull away from the front to see if I could shake him off, but nothing,” said Mas. 

“We know that for victories, you can't be happy with a second today. As I said, a second is never good, but well, little by little, the team is getting back on its feet, and we're going for it.” 

Mas also sent his well wishes to those involved in the crash, including Scaroni, who battled back to finish sixth. 

“I hope everyone involved in the crash is okay because it was a fast and nasty crash, and I hope they weren't hurt,” said Mas.