Tactically perfect and attacking like never before – Enric Mas drops all his rivals at the Vuelta a España, but he must keep attacking – Analysis

In years passed by, the phrases Movistar and tactical masterclass have been incompatible, polar opposites, an oxymoron even. Rightly questioned on a number of events for a way they approached the largest races and utilised their a number of leaders, on at this time’s stage 12 of the Vuelta a España, the Spanish workforce utterly flipped the script, executing an ideal plan with their figurehead Enric Mas gaining time on all of his rivals and strengthening his maintain on the GC chief’s purple jersey.

And for Mas too, this 2026 race has been an entire reversal of his earlier outcomes and experiences from the Vuelta. All the time the bridesmaid, Mas is a three-time runner-up and has completed within the prime six on six events on the Vuelta, however earlier than this ongoing version, he had by no means actually regarded like he would win his dwelling race.

Even within the years when he was second finest, the closest Mas ever acquired to the highest step of the rostrum was in 2018, ending 1:46 behind Simon Yates. Primož Roglič was nearly 5 minutes forward of him in 2021, and Remco Evenepoel too was two minutes forward by the point they reached Madrid in 2022.

Fittingly, Mas‘ lead is now one second off his narrowest dropping margin, and that’s to Roglič, the rider who for years has had his quantity on the Vuelta.

With 9 levels to go, he’s within the driving seat, and 2026 changing into the yr of Enric Mas is trying an increasing number of like a actuality each time the race summits a tricky climb; such is his superiority going uphill because it stands.

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Powered partially by the maillot rojo on his shoulders, Mas regarded each bit the assured race chief he is lengthy threatened to develop into, however by no means fairly managed, on stage 12. When the second got here on the ultimate climb to Calar Alto to get his ways excellent, he and Movistar made no mistake, however the seeds have been sown a lot earlier within the day.

4 climbs of accelerating issue lining the 166km route earlier than the finale allowed ample time for a breakaway to type on Thursday, with 30 riders finally getting up the street after round 40km of attacking.

With the irregularity of the gradients on the finale climb to Calar Alto, having satellite tv for pc riders up the street was the perfect tactic for all of these hoping to make their mark within the GC, and the make-up of the 30 riders highlighted that.

Luke Tuckwell represented Roglič’s Pink Bull workforce. Decathlon CMA CGM had Léo Bisiaux up the street to probably assist third-place Felix Gall afterward, whereas Netcompany Ineos had two riders in Jack Haig and Axel Laurance as doable choices for Oscar Onley to bridge throughout to and enhance his fourth place. Race chief Mas‘ Movistar workforce hadn’t missed out both, placing Pablo Castrillo and Raúl García Pierna within the transfer.

From right here, Movistar settled into controlling the hole, which ballooned out to greater than seven minutes with two of their riders unable to assist, however even because the stage win went up the street, they by no means misplaced management.

What to learn subsequent

Onto the second-to-last climb, they have been hit with a shock assault from former teammate Richard Carapaz in direction of the highest of the Alto de Velefique, and with just one teammate left for Mas within the peloton.

Ivan Romeo toiled away on the entrance to carry him again earlier than the summit, and by the point the descent and the ultimate climb arrived, Castrillo was on his approach again to offer sustenance and help for Mas and his solely remaining domestique.

Decathlon quickly took over to tempo for Gall, however that is the place Mas got here into his personal, by no means trying uncomfortable underneath the stress utilized by the French workforce, who’ve constantly regarded stronger as a climbing outfit all through this Vuelta.

As soon as Gall made his transfer, as was the case at Alto de Aitana on stage 9, Mas was greater than as much as the duty, sitting in his wheel with Roglič the one different rider in a position to observe. As soon as once more, he was in management, however there was nonetheless work to do.

The necessity to assault

Talking to Cyclingnews on Wednesday, Roglič’s lead sports activities director at this Vuelta, Sven Vanthourenhout, had stated that Mas making a transfer was precisely what he was anticipating. And with the stage 18 time trial every week from at this time making the 1:18 lead he began stage 12 with appear a lot smaller in actuality, venturing out of his consolation zone is important for Mas.

Having been labelled boring or maybe been responsible of not believing he can win the largest races up to now for his lack of attacking bravery, on this event, whereas defence of purple is his foremost purpose, the perfect type of that should be assault.

„Mas is aware of that even whether it is nonetheless a pleasant 1:00 to 1:30 benefit on his contenders, it is nonetheless not sufficient to win the Vuelta,“ stated Vanthourenhout. „So for positive he is additionally going to attempt it now in that second week to take some seconds or do some strikes.“

Assault he did, and with that second satellite tv for pc rider García Pierna nonetheless up the street to provide Mas a closing help, by the point they reached the end line, Mas had gained 27 seconds, now with a 1:45 lead over Roglič and a 2:06 hole to Gall.

Whereas the flat 32km race in opposition to the clock on stage 18 stays very a lot in favour of Roglič, these additional nearly 30 seconds might show very important earlier than the duo of ultimate climbing levels.

Realistically, a top-form Roglič might nonetheless carry that again, however having been hit by a driver and crashed earlier than the race, coming good within the third is certainly not sure for the four-time winner, and if something, the other – a collapse – is extra probably.

For Gall, who’s equally a poor time trialist, Mas will not have a lot to fret about if he can keep his climbing superiority, however it’s his long-term rival who stays the largest menace. However he has one other likelihood to increase his lead in two days to Sierra de la Frontera, and the Mas and Movistar we noticed at this time look nearly assured to attempt to capitalise on their present authority.

Mas might have inherited purple after the misfortune of Pogačar, however he is solely executed all the pieces in his energy to make it his since, and it seems to be like he would possibly simply win it in spite of everything. Rewind 12 months from now, and Mas at 30 appeared like he had run out of possibilities to placed on a efficiency like he is at the moment within the midst of – having simply deserted the Tour, extreme varicose vein formations and thrombophlebitis in his left leg left him requiring surgical procedure.

He missed final yr’s Vuelta, the primary since 2019 he hadn’t been part of, however he is returned as an Enric Mas we have not seen earlier than. Maybe he too is beginning to consider, even when there is a great distance and three brutal summit finishes nonetheless to deal with, however for the second, Mas seems to be extra like he’ll conquer them than see his unbelievable run come to an finish.

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