The sixth stage of the Vuelta had an unexpected protagonist in the wake of Tadej Pogacar: Enric Mas. The Movistar rider reached and overtook the world champion on the El Bartolo climb, demonstrating that, at least for one day, even the Slovenian can be forced to look over his shoulder.

Mas brought Pogacar back down to earth and, at least for one day, the Slovenian seemed human. And it was the rider who needed a day like this more than anyone else who managed to do it. In the sixth stage of the Vuelta a España, the Spanish Movistar rider first reached and then overtook the world champion on the El Bartolo climb, restoring enthusiasm among the Spanish crowd and above all reopening a race that seemed already channeled toward Slovenian dominance.

The stage victory, in the end, remained with Pogacar. In a two-man sprint, the UAE Emirates-XRG superstar left no room for Mas. But the most important result of the day for the Spaniard was something else: having demonstrated that he can stay on the wheel of the great favorite for the Vuelta and, above all, that he can put him in difficulty.

Mas arrived second at the finish line and gained precious ground in the general classification as well, becoming the main challenger for the red jersey. The action heated up on the El Bartolo climb, 9.4 kilometers at 7.1% average gradient, with ramps capable of reaching 20%. A severe climb where raw power alone isn't enough: you need rhythm, sensitivity, and the ability to distribute effort.

Mas chose precisely this approach. He didn't respond immediately to Pogacar's attacks. He followed his own pace, progressively increasing speed and reducing the gap centimeter by centimeter. Ahead of him was the rider who, until that moment, seemed to belong to a different category.

Then, in front of an ecstatic crowd completely rallied behind the home favorite, came the moment Spain was waiting for: Mas reached Pogacar. And he didn't stop there. He overtook him at the top of the climb.

"Well, we managed to recover that ground we couldn't gain in Andorra, and that's everything," he said. Few words, but enough to tell the story of a day that brought him back to the center of the Vuelta.

While many riders felt the weight of Spain's scorching temperatures, Mas found an ally in the heat itself. "I've already said that the heat suits me very well, and yesterday it was really very hot. As for the finish, I knew that in a two-man sprint with Pogacar I didn't have many chances, but never mind, it went well anyway."

It's the awareness of someone who knows he lost a sprint but won something far more important: confidence. Pogacar, indeed, remains Pogacar. But now there's a rider who has demonstrated he can follow him and even anticipate him on the climb.

The stage was made even more complicated by unpaved sections and treacherous curves. It was precisely in one of these passages that Pogacar risked a lot, going off the road without, however, suffering any consequences.

"I knew there was a tight curve coming up, we were aware of it. But there was a moment when Pogacar pushed a bit harder and it was dirty in that section because it wasn't asphalt, it was concrete, and he lost a bit of control of the bike, went off the road, and when I turned around, he was already at my wheel. That was the moment when he overtook me and took the climb first."

A perfect snapshot of a stage in which even the world champion had to pay attention to every centimeter of road. Pogacar passed first on the climb, but Mas still had an objective. Information came from the team car about the time bonuses. Mas immediately understood that those seconds could become precious.

"The team car warned me that there were bonuses and at that point I thought I had to try to overtake Tadej. I don't know if I caught him by surprise, but I managed to gain those six seconds."

Six seconds conquered directly against Pogacar. A detail that, at the end of the Vuelta, could even assume enormous weight. Because the race is still long and the superiority shown by the Slovenian in the early stages doesn't necessarily mean everything is already decided.

For Enric Mas, this day also has personal value. The Spaniard arrived at the Vuelta with high expectations, but also with some questions. Now he seems to have left the shadows behind.

"Yes, as I said, it's been almost two years since the last time I raced in a Grand Tour. We're at the sixth stage and we need to proceed one step at a time and have hope for what's to come."

This is precisely the new Mas: no proclamations, no promises, no bombastic declarations. Just one step at a time. Also because ahead there's a rider who still seems to belong to another planet.

"Pogacar is Pogacar, and we, well, as I said yesterday or the day before, we have to face things day by day, and now I'm second in the general classification, and little by little, I feel good and I have to thank the team."

The Vuelta, therefore, has found its first true challenger. Pogacar wears the red jersey and continues to be the absolute favorite for the final victory. But Enric Mas has just demonstrated that the world champion is not untouchable.

He reached him on the climb. He overtook him, took six seconds from him and lost the sprint. But perhaps, for the Vuelta, the most important news is precisely this: Pogacar for now cannot be beaten, but he can be reached.