Evenepoel endures the scratch of Enric Mas in Sierra Nevada

• Classification This is the general

Enric Mas and 'Supermán' López had not collaborated so much even when they were partners in Movistar.

But this time the objective was common: to take a bite out of a general classification in suspense.

Not for the final victory, but to climb a step.

The weakness that

had shown on Saturday at La Pandera invited him to try it on the queen stage.

But the Belgian, this time yes, defended himself as a leader.

He put up with Roglic and let Mas and López do what they did, who did not go hand in hand but did help each other at times.

Just enough to scratch the Slovenian for half a minute and a little more for the Belgian.

Not to connect with

, a brilliant winner in the Sierra Nevada.

Evenepoel came out of a day that Jumbo-Visma had marked in red.

The Dutch train sounded the drums of war twenty kilometers from the finish line.

In the section that linked the last two ascents, the four runners who still supported Roglic tightened the group of favorites.

It was a show of strength and a way of taking Evenepoel's temperature, with no more squires at his side and only two ahead.

The scenario looked dangerous, but the Belgian knew how to hold on.

Nor did

and

's ordeal bother him on the way down.

Strength, after all, was also displayed by him.

While in the group of favorites the cards were distributed, at the head of the race they played for the victory of the stage.

Just before starting the last port, Marc Soler started alone.

With that rhythm so his own, so alien to the rest, the Catalan began to open a gap that would reach forty seconds, and that for a few kilometers made him think of the double.

From behind, at the same point where Soler had started, the group of the strongest arrived undone.

Those of the general tied short and the rest began to look for the energy on their own to negotiate the first horseshoes.

Hazallanas selected the group of favourites, which after Harper's last serve included Roglic, Evenepoel, O'Connor, Mas, López, Rodríguez and Ayuso.

At that point, the position of the leader had already become clear: he was more whole than on Saturday, but he was not going to spend his strength shepherding just anyone.

Miguel Ángel López jumped in and let him do.

Mas jumped, third overall, and let him go with the Colombian.

Evenepoel only had eyes for Roglic.

Arensman, another victim of Pogacar

Almost at the same time as the start of López and Mas, who soon opened half a minute of rent,

accelerated ahead .

The Dutch is another of those jewels that the generous recent batch has given.

A 22-year-old boy who was second in the 2018 Tour del Porvenir behind Pogacar, and who had already added two second place finishes in the Giro and two third in the Vuelta.

Just a month ago he was celebrating his first stage victory as a professional at the Tour of Poland.

He now started for the queen of the Tour of Spain.

The Dutchman did not give

to follow him

Arensman was launched to victory and the Spaniard had to negotiate a stage finish that, at more than 2,000 meters of altitude, was beginning to make it harder than expected.

From behind, Miguel Ángel López was trying to let go of Enric Mas, but he couldn't either.

He asked for help to continue breaking ground and did not always receive it.

The Mallorcan, far from the red jersey but not so much from Roglic, did not enter the relay, and left the bite halfway, although it was already more than the Slovenian could do.

Roglic did not stop trying during the last two ascents, but Evenepoel only let go of the rope in the last two kilometers, a distance in which he could already use the rents of the general to do damage control.

The Belgian will start the third week with 1:34 over Primoz Roglic and 2:01 over Enric Mas.

With some scratches, but still whole.

Conforms to The Trust Project criteria

Know more