"Enric is the favourite" - Tadej Pogacar's team director backs Mas to win Vuelta a Espana after UAE leader's season-ending crash
CyclingSunday, 06 September 2026 at 13:54
When Tadej Pogacar left the 2026 Vuelta a España, he left a glaring hole at the top of the general classification. But just over one week after the UAE Team Emirates- XRG leader's departure from the race, Enric Mas has made the red jersey his own.
Joxean Fernández Matxin, Pogacar's sports director at UAE, has named Mas as the favourite to win the race, offering a heavyweight backing of the Movistar leader from inside the rival camp.
"For me, Enric is the favourite," Matxin told Cyclingnews. His assessment carries particular weight: as the director behind cycling's most dominant team, he has no stake in the GC battle following Pogacar's crash on stage 8.
UAE no longer have GC options but continue to follow the classification battle closely, with Matxin noting that Mas has proven himself more than worthy of holding the red jersey since inheriting it.
Matxin acknowledged the danger posed by Primoz Roglic but reckons Mas is in the driving seat. "Roglič is a very important rival, he's won the Vuelta four times, he's got this race dialled, and that's why Enric has so much respect for him," he said.
Joxean Matxin
Matxin believes Mas always had this level
Some believe Mas has transformed into a different rider compared to previous years. Matxin doesn't agree: "He's always been equally good; it's just that some moments are not as good as others," the UAE sports director said.
Rather than crediting a sudden improvement, he sees the 31-year-old's Vuelta dominance as a product of circumstance meeting ability: "We shouldn't think that just because a rider has been a long way out of the running in one race, means he can't be up there in the next."
The days since Matxin's backing have aged well. On stage 14 to Sierra de la Pandera, Mas extended his lead further, finishing 25 seconds ahead of Roglic, who slipped from second to third overall behind Felix Gall. The Spaniard now leads Gall by 2:06 and Roglic by 2:10, with just four seconds separating his two closest pursuers.
Pogacar's recovery from crash
While Matxin watches the GC battle as an outsider, his primary concern remains Pogacar's health. The five-time Tour de France winner crashed out of the Vuelta on stage 8 with a concussion, displaced collarbone fracture and stable C7 vertebra fracture. UAE confirmed on Saturday that Pogacar will miss the rest of the 2026 season.
Matxin claimed the team continues to give priority to "Tadej the person, not Tadej the cyclist," with the focus purely on recovery and no date set for the Slovenian's return.
That message was reinforced on Saturday when UAE announced Pogacar had extended his contract through 2032, putting to bed any suggestions of an early retirement.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- Janja has amazing mental strength.Hills3306-09-2026
- Greater depth to a race means that surprises (from the breakaway) are more possible. The favourites have to react more, so even if one of them still wins, the nature of the race could be different and more exciting
Rafionain-Glas06-09-2026 - Must be very disappointing. Here in Britain no-one gives a hoot about the Tour of Britain coming round.Rafionain-Glas06-09-2026
- Chasing points is very smart - given Pogacar is mostly the culprit that no 1 else can win any race
leedorney06-09-2026 - For someone who announced their grand exit, you’re putting up quite a valiant fight against the clock.anonymouscyclist06-09-2026
- Unbelievably annoying! We in Villaviciosa de Córdoba were looking forward for some time, to the first Vuelta to go through our village (twice). Every business were setting up early, people parking first and settling into prime watching spots for the day. 3,000 locals alone. The temperature is no higher today than normal, so why bother having the tour this time of year. The new route eliminates the two Villaviciosa climbs, leaving the new route going down narrow country lanes. No room for a good pelaton and definitely no room for fans. Was already upset Tadej wasn't going to be here, now nothing! Fans don't matter!RolandDekker06-09-2026
- Where were you yesterday? I live in Villaviciosa de Córdoba, it was only 36°C and I was in Córdoba centre at 5pm was 38°CRolandDekker06-09-2026
- Not sure what he says adds up. No one on Astana is keeping up with Pog, MVDP, Wout, Remco, etc., so we are not missing any big showdown because they are chasing UCI points. One could just as easily argue that we are getting a better product across more of the calendar by providing incentives for smaller teams to compete at non-marquee races.MidnightRider06-09-2026
- it might be very easy if the majority of riders had the same agenda. just refuse to ride. but that's not the case, and many have good reasons for it because they depend on contract negotiations, etc. ...Ketterechts06-09-2026
- Vermeersch's AUSTRALIAN teammate Tuckwell words describing stage 13 were "One of the worst experiences of my life. Inhumane heat." Stage 14 was "Legs said ciao after 3 hrs. Not my finest work." Although Orange isn't a hot placeRafionain-Glas06-09-2026
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