Enric MAS. 10 with honors. He hasn't won in ages (four years), at the Vuelta in an eternity (eight years), but today life smiles upon him, after so much struggle, after so much suffering, after so much chasing. Today he makes others chase him, but no one overtakes him. He can say he was the only one to stand up to Taddeo in this first phase of the Vuelta. He can say from today that he is the legitimate owner of the red jersey now that Taddeo is out of contention. But today he has the game in his hands: he is the architect of his own destiny. As long as he doesn't find a stone, a water bottle, a camera, a parked car, a speed bump, a roundabout, or a meteorite in his path.

Oscar ONLEY. 9. The 23-year-old from Kelso fights with great personality today as well, in a stage that is anything but simple. He gets to battle for the Alto de Aitana finish line against the red jersey, but arrives with a blue face and legs in an X position. He achieves the maximum: a place of honor and a jump in the general classification. Now he's fourth.

Primoz ROGLIC. 9. The eternal Slovenian confirms his eternity once again today. He wastes little, but with great tactical wisdom remains there, in the thick of the race until the end. It even seems he might achieve the best result, but he pays something in the finale. But it's not over yet, especially for Primoz, who is not finished either.

Felix GALL. 5.5. His Decathlon team works brilliantly, he tries hard, but pays a price. He deserves credit for managing a situation that could have reserved a very different fate for him.

Cristian RODRIGUEZ. 6. The 31-year-old Spanish rider from XDS Astana attempts a breakaway race, but ultimately achieves a minimal result.

Mattias SKJELMOSE. 6.5. He struggles tremendously and at one point even seems out of contention, but that's not the case. A finale worthy of an author, for a rider who is never anonymous.

Jarno WIDAR. 8. You always see him struggling at the back of the small group, but then the 20-year-old Belgian from Lotto Intermarchè always stays up front. Today he is simply spectacular: tenacious as few are, determined as none are. Great personality.

Harold TEJADA. 6. He races in parallel with his XDS Astana teammate: an excellent stage for the team, somewhat less so for them individually.

Richard CARAPAZ. 5.5. He tries to blow up the race, but then ends up holding the short straw. But it's clear that the "Locomotora" will try again. Hold on tight.

Santiago BUITRAGO. 5. A breakaway race, but when it's time to climb toward the finish line, he descends.

Sepp KUSS. 5. He is the Visma's general classification man, but today he loses three positions in the standings in one fell swoop.

Pavel SIVAKOV. 7. The UAE Emirates XRG rider goes from the start with Alexey Lutsenko (NSN), Andreas Kron (Uno-X Mobility), Alastair Mackellar (EF Education-EasyPost), Fabian Weiss (Tudor), and Alessandro Romele (XDS Astana). Other riders subsequently rejoin them, forming a group of about fifteen units. Sivakov is the last to surrender after a day in the breakaway, before the red jersey group catches up with him.