Mas opens Vuelta lead by 27 seconds

Mallorca’s Enric Mas struck 11km from the finish on Calar Alto on Thursday, taking 27 seconds out of his closest Vuelta rivals. The Movistar Team rider came sixth on stage 12, a 167km route from Vera to Calar Alto, while Slovenia’s Jakob Omrzel won alone. Mas now leads Primoz Roglic by 1'45'' and Felix Gall by 2'06''.

Europa Press

Omrzel, 20, broke clear from the day’s escape on the final climb and finished almost three minutes ahead of Mas. It was his first win in a grand tour and lifted him to sixth overall, 4'59'' behind the Mallorca rider.

Mas’s attack also put 27 seconds into Roglic, Gall and Richard Carapaz at the line. Oscar Onley, meanwhile, crashed near the start of the stage and reached the finish almost three minutes down, ending his overall victory hopes.

Mas takes the race lead into stage 13, a medium-mountain route from Almuñecar to Loja.

Mallorca’s Mas extends Vuelta lead by 27 seconds