Enric Mas surprises Pogacar and wins the Giro de Emilia

MADRID, 1 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The Spanish cyclist Enric Mas (Movistar) has prevailed this Saturday in the Giro de Emilia 2022, 198.7 kilometers between Carpi and San Luca, after winning the heads-up in the final ascent with the Slovenian Tadej Pogacar (UAE Emirates ), while Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) finished in fourth position.

The 27-year-old Balearic offered a recital on the last climb to the Santuario di San Luca; With two great accelerations he tried to leave behind the group of favorites, which included the Italian Domenico Pozzovivo (Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux), the Colombian Rigoberto Urán (EF Education-EasyPost), Valverde and Pogacar.

Only the double Tour de France champion managed to respond to his pace, but with two kilometers to go Mas launched the final attack to win, with a time of 4:55:31, his second victory with the telephone squad. Pogacar finished second at 11 seconds and Pozzovivo completed the podium at 14.

Valverde, second last Thursday in the Coppa Agostoni, finished in fourth position, 26 seconds behind the winner, in the preparatory race for Il Lombardia, the 'monument' where the Murcian will say goodbye to professional cycling.

After his victory, Mas acknowledged that he was coming to the autumn classics with a good feeling. "I've had a few good practices after La Vuelta and I knew I'd be fine. In the Coppa Agostoni I was very cold and I couldn't give my best. Alejandro was there, he fought until the end, and today I was able to finish off myself. The world knows who Tadej Pogacar is; for me it is a great satisfaction to have won in an attack in which he was," he said.

"It has been a difficult year, because at the beginning of the season I had quite a few crashes and mistrust came over me. Luckily, after the Tour we did a good 'reset', and now, here we are, quite well and with a lot of confidence," he added. .

Now, the Spaniard explained that he will try to help Valverde in the appointment on October 8. "Lombardy is 60 more kilometers, and we know that this type of classics are very good for Alejandro. Today was today; we have been able to get the victory, now comes Tre Valli and other classics, where we hope to be able to fight too, and Lombardy, which will be the great objective of this end of the season", he concluded.