The breakneck speed of the early stages and the steady rain that trickled across the Basque Country raised expectations for a dramatic finale to stage 12 of the Vuelta a España, but there was little flisson among the overall class contenders on the run-in to Bilbao in the final run-in. Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana), as usual, accelerated on the final climb of the Alto de Arraiz, but there was little promise or expectation in the move.

The Movistar duo of red jersey Primoz Roglic (Jumbo Visma), Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates), Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde, worked flat out to match Lopez's pace and their efforts soon died down. Logrich's Jumbo Visma teammate resumed control at the front of the peloton, and all the podium contenders rolled safely together to the finish in Bilbao. One less day to go.

"My goal was to be in the best group, but I knew that on such a hard stage there was no difference in ability. Nothing happened, but I'm glad it didn't rain."

When Valverde stopped his wheels near Soinier on the finishing straight of Don Diego Lopez de Jaro Gran Via, he was immediately surrounded by a crowd of microphones and cameras. Valverde changed into his long-sleeved jersey as he spoke and walked through the chaos to the team bus. One less day to go.

"It was a very fast stage, so I was very attentive all day. When Lopez attacked, I was a little held up by Pogacar. When Lopez attacked, I got blocked a little bit by Pogacar.

Pogacar, just 20 years old, was making his first Grand Tour attempt, but the Slovenian had no trouble managing a stage where podium contenders have little to gain and much to lose. He positioned himself on the finale's series of climbs just behind the yellow and black-guarded Roglic, near the front of the peloton, and stayed there until the finish in Bilbao.

"The final was pretty hard and I think it was pretty hard throughout the whole stage. The breakaway group has gone and it was a nice, calm day for GC," Pogacar said after stopping past the finish line.

If Thursday's Basque trek was only a potential pitfall for podium contenders, Friday's finale, a steep climb up Los Machucos, guarantees a more solid skirmish between Roglic, Valverde, and others. After a calamitous time trial, Quintana is in fourth place by three minutes, and Pogacar is another five seconds back in fifth. In the Basque Country on Thursday, Roglic and his powerful Jumbo Visma team looked impregnable.

"Tomorrow is going to be another big day in Los Machucos," Lopez said. "Not only Los Machucos, but there are a lot of hard courses ahead of it. Let's hope for a good leg tomorrow and see what we can do."

Pogacar compared Los Machucos, which climbs 6.8 km at 9.2 percent but has a gradient of 25 percent, to the finale of Mas de la Costa last Friday. Pogacar said, "I think tomorrow's stage will be a little longer, more like stage seven."

"It's going to be an explosive stage," Pogacar said.

Valverde did not want to talk too long about what Friday's stage required. As for how Movistar will use its two leaders--the team continues to insist that it has two leaders--Valverde offered only a brief assessment of what lies ahead.

"Obviously, tomorrow will be more difficult than today," Valverde said, jokingly fending off radio reporters' requests for predictions. 'What about tomorrow? I don't know."

Los Mathucos further clarified.