CONFIRMED | Season over for Enric Mas after Tour de France crash

Enric Mas will not race again in 2025. Movistar confirmed the Spaniard’s season is over due to thrombophlebitis in his left leg. The injury stems from his withdrawal during the Tour de France and has now sidelined him for the Vuelta a España and any further competition this year. “The medical and technical team will continue to closely monitor his progress in order to ensure a full recovery.”

The update seals a brutal year for Mas, who started strong with podiums at Itzulia and Volta a Catalunya and ended 2024 with third overall at the Vuelta. That run earned him a contract extension with Movistar through 2029. But 2025 started to unravel in the Tour, where his performance dropped sharply, “After the latest medical consultations and examinations... the Spaniard has been diagnosed with thrombophlebitis in his left leg, possibly post-traumatic in origin,” the team said in a statement.

In the Tour, Mas faltered early in the mountains and lost further ground in the time trial. His attempt to salvage the race by chasing stage wins brought him close on Mont Ventoux, but his abandonment two days later on Stage 18 confirmed something was wrong. It was then that “febitis” in his leg was first mentioned, a condition now confirmed as thrombophlebitis and serious enough to rule out any racing for the remainder of the season.

For many years, Mas has been one of the most consistent performers at the Vuelta, and has often salvaged disappointing Tour performances with a podium in Spain. This year, that will not be the case.

His absence forces a tactical reset for Movistar heading into the Vuelta a España. With Mas out, the team’s general classification ambitions are off the table, and they are expected to approach the race with a focus on stages rather than the overall. Riders like Pablo Castrillo, Iván Romeo, Pelayo Sánchez, Nairo Quintana, Orluis Aular, Javier Romo, and Jefferson Cepeda are likely to get more freedom in breakaways, while Einer Rubio is rumoured to be a possible late inclusion after racing both the Giro and the Tour.

It’s a major departure for a squad used to riding in support of a single leader. Now, the team must act with more flexibility, targeting specific days and exploiting any opportunity the race offers. The 2025 route, full of summit finishes and high-altitude battles, won’t make that easy, especially without a rider contesting the general classification.