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Follow us on GoogleIt took a while, but in Spain they can still hope that the Tour de France will end with Spanish riders in the spotlight. In stage 16, Enric Mas showed his determination in the breakaway on behalf of Movistar, while Carlos Rodriguez on behalf of INEOS Grenadiers had another strong day in the group of favorites. That gives us something to build on, said the main contenders after the stage.
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After a good first week, Mas had to abandon his ambitions for the GC. This allowed him to join the breakaway towards Mont Ventoux in stage 16. The climber rode away aggressively from the foot of the climb, but couldn't maintain his effort to the top. Mas finished seventh, which he was happy with. “I'm happy, even though I didn't win. We gave it everything and there are still five chances to go,” he told the Spanish media.
Mas has regained his grinta, and although he last won in the Giro dell'Emilia in 2022, he obviously has the qualities to shine in the Alps. “I tried from the foot of the Ventoux, but five kilometers from the top I was exhausted. I had to take this risk and try from far away, and it was a good day. I don't have the legs I had in 2020 or 2021, but I thought I could win, so I went for it.”
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Carlos Rodriguez hopes to score with better legs
Like Mas, Rodriguez didn't have a great start to the Tour in the first two weeks. But the 24-year-old Spaniard from INEOS slowly found his form and, after sixteen days, finds himself ‘just’ in tenth place in the GC. However, that is not his main goal. “I'll try to win a stage, and some important days are coming up. I'll do my best and hope I have the legs to achieve that goal.”
On Mont Ventoux, Rodriguez attacked fiercely from the group of favorites, but that group fell apart shortly after due to Jonas Vingegaard. “Mont Ventoux is a truly colossal climb, but I proved myself. I finally felt good and think I performed at 95 percent of my ability. We will continue to fight for the next five days.” He had words of praise for Mas: "Enric rode a great stage. I'm happy for him. Things aren't going the way we want yet, but I'm glad he's back in contention for stage wins."
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More Spanish news from the peloton?
That's not all for Spanish cycling, because while Mas and Rodriguez are battling it out in the Tour de France peloton, Juan Ayuso is fighting his own battle off the bike, according to HLN. The Belgian media outlet claims that the 22-year-old Spaniard from UAE Team Emirates-XRG has made up his mind and wants out of his contract, which runs until 2028. In May, he was forced to withdraw as team leader after being stung by a bee, and the big question is whether we will see him in a UAE jersey again.
Ayuso is said to have hired a new agent, Giovanni Lombardi. The Italian is tasked with finding Ayuso a new team, despite his ongoing and undoubtedly lucrative contract. Tadej Pogacar is the big man at UAE, and there are serious doubts as to whether Ayuso will be allowed to compete in this year's Vuelta a España. He was already left out last year, but UAE now wants to go there with Pogacar and João Almeida.
“It's up to Lombardi to come up with a solution,” writes HLN.
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Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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