Cycling | The patron of the holiday island: Enric Mas is head of the Vuelta

Going downhill without fear: Enric Mas (from) leads the Vuelta. Photo: imago/Sirotti You also have to want to seize opportunities. Enric Mas is just right. After the Slovenian superstar Tadej Pogačar retired from the Vuelta, the man from the holiday island of Mallorca is increasingly emerging as the patron of the Tour of Spain. He appears to be the strongest physically and mentally. He uses his helpers extremely cleverly: on mountain stages he sends them into escape groups so that they can still help him in the final. It then converts this extra support into further acceleration when things get really steep. And so Mas sometimes gains 25, sometimes 27 or sometimes just 12 seconds on his worst rivals. Overall, however, it is enough to lead the ranking quite clearly - with 2:06 minutes to the Austrian Felix Gall and 2:10 to the Slovenian Primož Roglič.

»I'm happy about the red jersey, which I've been able to wear for so many days now. Every day of it is special,” said Mas at the end of the 15th stage on Sunday evening in Cordoba. It had already been eight days in red, most of which were surprisingly safe. “The Vuelta is my race, the one I like best and the one I look forward to all year long,” he added.

The Tour of Spain conveniently also falls at the time of year when Mas traditionally performs best. In late summer, his body regularly gets into top shape. He has already been on the podium at the Vuelta four times in September, coming second three times (2018, 2021 and 2022) and third once (2024). And the few other highlights fall in October with tour victories in China and successes in one-day races in Italy. However, in spring or mid-summer, when everyone is looking at the Tour de France, he not only lacks results, but Mas's performance also does not reach the values ​​of late summer and autumn. »There are people who are really good, especially in the spring, others in the summer. And for me it always falls at this time of year,” explains Mas.

And now he's running out of opponents. Four-time winner Roglič is no longer at the height of his previous performance. Others are no longer there - the Belgian Remco Evenepoel, for example, winner in 2022, is skipping the Vuelta as planned. And the two biggest tour stars, the Dane Jonas Vingegaard and the Slovenian Tadej Pogačar, are not there due to crashes. Vingegaard crashed at the Tour de France, Pogačar now at the Vuelta.

Mas is aware that this is the ultimate opportunity in his career. A year ago, he said with some sadness about Pogačar and Vingegaard: "We have to somehow adapt to the Incredibles." But now fate has opened a huge door to triumph for him. And he also shapes the race because he has matured into a leader. At least that's what long-time companions have observed. »He now believes much more in himself and his possibilities. “He has grown from the difficulties he had to overcome before,” said Carlos Canal, who has long been a loyal helper of Mas in the Movistar squad.

In addition to illnesses and injuries, these difficulties included, above all, fear of downhill skiing. Mas tamed this fear thanks to a special program with psychologists. He also made peace with the public. »Because he won so few victories, he was the most criticized driver in Spain. Wrongfully so, in my opinion,” says Juan Mari Guajardo, who has been working as a spokesman for the Vuelta for 30 years.

Mas doesn't care about any of this at the moment, but is working towards the big goal step by step, day by day. Small details also help him. His bike is 120 grams lighter because a layer of paint has been omitted, his mechanic explained. With a lot relieved, be it layers of paint or fear of downhill skiing, overpowering opponents or struggling with public pressure, the 31-year-old is striving towards the absolute peak of his career. After the break on Monday, the slightly hilly 16th stage continues on Tuesday.

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