Tadej Pogacar secured his third stage victory at the Vuelta a Espana on Thursday after fending off a determined challenge from Spanish rider Enric Mas on stage six. The Slovenian champion, who is aiming to complete his collection of all three Grand Tour titles, faced an unexpectedly fierce battle during the closing kilometers of the mountainous route.

Pogacar initially appeared headed for a routine solo triumph after launching a powerful attack on the final climb and quickly building a commanding advantage. However, Movistar's Mas surged forward from the group of contenders, catching the leader off guard and overtaking him near the summit to claim maximum points in the mountain classification.

Following the climb, the local rider took the lead on the descent, briefly gesturing for his companion to exercise caution. Pogacar ignored the advice, accelerating past his rival on the inside of a turn. The world champion misjudged the subsequent corner, however, sliding off the tarmac and into a patch of small rocks before using his expert handling skills to avoid a major accident.

After regaining control, the two leaders collaborated to distance themselves from the chasing pack, with Pogacar ultimately utilizing his superior finishing speed to claim the stage win. The victory extends the 27-year-old's overall lead in the general classification to three minutes and 34 seconds. Mas climbed to second place overall following his strong performance, while four-time race winner Primoz Roglic finished 46 seconds behind in a chasing group.

In other news from the peloton, Welsh competitor Josh Tarling withdrew from the competition with roughly 120 kilometers remaining. His team announced the decision following the tragic death of his 19-year-old brother, Finlay, who was killed in a vehicle collision two weeks prior in Portugal. Tarling had previously delivered an impressive third-place finish in the opening time trial of the event.

The race continues with a challenging 149.8-kilometer mountain stage spanning from Vall d'Alba to Aramon Valdelinares. Riders will face another rigorous test as the competition moves deeper into its second week.

Reporting based on coverage first published by BBC Sport. Read the original report at BBC Sport.