Movistar keep faith in Enric Mas at Vuelta a España as Spaniard impresses on GC

In many ways, it’s hardly a surprise to see Enric Mas in the higher ranks of a Vuelta a España GC, given the Movistar leader has already taken three second places overall in his home Grand Tour.

However, after a wildly uneven Tour de France, in which he began performing below expectations but ended on a far more upbeat note, it was unclear how Mas would race on home terrain this August.”

So far, though, Mas has shown a huge degree of consistency in the 2024 Vuelta. So far, only on one key climb – the Puerto Ancares – has his tactic of attacking the GC group where possible, like at Hazallanas in Granada, and shadowing Primoz Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) on the other major climbs failed to work out.

But despite losing a minute at Ancares to Roglič, Mas remains in third overall, at 3:01 on race leader Ben O’Connor (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale). And as he and the rest of the Vuelta peloton now tackle the next crunch stage and its gravity-defying summit finish at Cuitu Neru on Sunday, Movistar remain totally convinced that the man from Mallorca can still fight for the overall victory.

“We’re in the same situation, even if it’s true that both Carlos Rodríguez [Ineos Grenadiers] and Mikel Landa [Soudal-QuickStep] are getting stronger each day,” Movistar sports director Pablo Lastras told Cyclingnews before stage 14.

“Roglič’s already had less good days at Hazallanas and managed to hide it, and now Mas has had a less good day on Ancares and he managed to hide it as well.”

“But we’re still upbeat and waiting to see what can happen. We’ve got lots of options, the team’s going very well, and we’re still fighting and on the attack because it’s the only way to fight for the final victory and the podium. But we don’t forget, either that Ben O’Connor is defending himself really well.”

Lastras is anything but surprised at how well Decathlon have been racing, saying that his main pre-race favourites had been Rodriguez, Roglič and the French team in general. “And,” he adds with a grin, “Enric of course.”

Movistar already have a Vuelta a España winner in their line up for this year, too, in the shape of Nairo Quintana, who took the race outright back in 2016.

Repeated crashes and subsequent injuries have prevented Quintana from racing consistently and gaining his usual level, Lastras says. But the Colombian veteran is still playing a vital role in the 2024 Vuelta team.

“He gives the group a great deal of confidence,…