The fact: Enric Mas rescues Spanish cycling from oblivion and raises it to the top

In the interview that Enric Mas awarded to MD in the last edition of the Cycling Tour to Catalonia, Enric Mas He explained that he needed to disconnect from Tour de France and the goal was set to get on the podium, already outside the Giro d’Italia or of The Returnafter he underwent surgery in October 2025 to leave behind thrombophlebitis in his left leg that hampered his performance.

In the Pink Corsa The legs did not support him, he was far from the best – he was 2nd in the 11th stage and in the general he could only be 32nd – but the Balearic cyclist did not lose his nerve, he remained cautious and took advantage of the races he had scheduled after the Giro –Tour of Switzerland, Classic of San Sebastián and Return to Burgos– to refine his form for La Vuelta, to which he returned after being 3rd in 2024 and being 2nd in 2018, 2021 and 2022.

In the 81st edition of the Spanish round went from less to more, already occupying podium places after his good performance in the stage of Andorra (3rd) and improving a position in Castellón (2nd).

He was the leader of Movistar Team the first of the places intended for mortals, since the first was reserved for Tadej Pogacarbut a great cycling tour lasts three weeks and misfortune can surprise any runner and spares no one, just as happened to the five-time winner of the Tour de France in Saturday’s stage, with Mas taking over as leader of La Vuelta.

The one of Artà became the first Spaniard to lead La Vuelta since 2018, since Jesus Herrada (racing in La Vuelta 26 with Burgos-Burpellet-BH his last participation) did so during two stages in the 2018 edition, after entering a successful escape on the way to Estaca de Bares Lighthouse.

Once this first success was achieved, Mas honored the leader’s red with a spectacular victory in the Alto de Aitanaachieving a new feat, becoming the first Spanish cyclist to win a stage in a grand tour as leader of the general classification since he did so Alberto Contador in it Port of Ancares on September 13, 2014 in the 20th stage of La Vuelta, in which the next day he would end up certifying his last victory in the Spanish round, after those of 2008 and 2012.

In fact, the Pinto cyclist He remains the last Spanish cyclist to have managed to win a three-week cycling grand tour. He did it in The Return (2014), in the Giro d’Italia (2015) and in the Tour (2009), in the great challenge that Enric Mas has left to meet in the remaining two weeks of the race in La Vuelta