Tadej Pogacar showcased his resilience by winning stage six of the Vuelta a España on Thursday, marking his third stage victory in this year's race. The Slovenian cyclist outpaced Enric Mas in a thrilling sprint to claim the top spot in Castellón de la Plana, further extending his lead in the general classification.

In a dramatic stage, Pogacar and Mas excelled during the final climb on gravel, leaving their competitors behind. The five-time Tour de France champion is now on a quest for a Grand Tour grand slam, maintaining a significant advantage over his rivals.

• Ramses Debruyne finished third, trailing the leaders by 46 seconds.
• Pogacar now leads Mas by 3 minutes 34 seconds and Primoz Roglic by 4 minutes 21 seconds overall.

The stage witnessed a fierce contest to form a breakaway, with 15 riders eventually breaking clear and building a two-and-a-half minute gap on the peloton. As they approached the final climb of Puerto El Bartolo, Pogacar made his move, although he briefly lost control and veered off the road. He quickly recovered and rejoined Mas, with both riders working together to fend off their pursuers.

In a disappointing turn, Oscar Onley lost over a minute and a half, while Josh Tarling from Netcompany Ineos abandoned the race after dedicating his efforts in memory of his late brother, Finlay Tarling.

As the race progresses, riders will face a challenging 149.8km stage from Vall D’Alba to the second summit finale at Aramón Valdelinares on Friday.