“He was missing that thing great riders need to get results" - Jubilant Eusebio Unzué on emotional Vuelta a Espana win and what changed for Enric Mas
Cycling
Enric Mas’s victory at the Vuelta a España 2026 meant far more than a win for Movistar Team. For Eusebio Unzué, the head of the squad, the success crowns a process in which the Balearic rider has rebuilt his confidence and, in his sporting maturity, proved he could still deliver his best version.
Unzué looked back to recall when Mas’s momentum began to shift during the race. The turning point, in his view, came on that stage to Castellón where the Movistar Team rider already showed he could trade blows with the best.
“This morning I told them we’ve lived this experience many years ago and several times, but how sweet this process feels,” Unzué explained, before pausing at the moment he deems decisive: “It was from that stage to Castellón where Enric already showed his great level, being the only one who could be with Tadej Pogacar and reach the finish with him.”
The progression did not stop there. For the Navarrese manager, every new test Mas faced during La Vuelta helped reinforce a confidence he had long been chasing.
“What he managed the day after the crash, each test has come back with top marks, especially his confidence,” noted Unzué. Confidence that, in his view, ultimately proved decisive in explaining the Balearic’s performance during the race.
A team worthy of its leader
Mas’s triumph also highlighted Movistar Team’s collective work. Unzué placed particular value on the performance of the sports directors and the strategic calls made over the three weeks of racing.
“The team, with the directors in strategic decisions, have been impeccable,” he stressed.
Enric Mas’s victory, therefore, cannot be understood solely through individual performance. In this Vuelta, Movistar Team found a structure capable of backing its leader while helping a young generation grow by gaining experience in service of a larger goal. For Unzué, that learning may be one of the race’s major legacies.
The confidence Enric Mas was missing
In recent years, Enric Mas has lived under heavy expectations. His breakthrough into the professional ranks created high hopes, and his subsequent results did not always match those ambitions. However, Unzué believes it would be unfair to reduce his trajectory to a lack of wins.
“I don’t think people have been unfair,” he said. “He had a very attractive debut, he had the ability to inspire, people waited a long time, results didn’t come, but there was a reason he’d taken four podiums.”
Enric Mas, winner of La Vuelta 2026
The issue, according to the Movistar Team boss, was not so much the rider’s physical qualities as something harder to measure: confidence.
“He was missing that thing great riders need to get results: his confidence,” he explained. Now, by contrast, Unzué believes Mas has reached a point of maturity that has allowed him to race differently. The change in season planning, opting for the Giro d’Italia instead of the Tour de France and targeting the Vuelta a España, also played a key role.
“Now, in his maturity, this switch to the Giro instead of the Tour and then La Vuelta has brought back the best Enric at La Vuelta,” he said.
A mental leap that lifts the team
Beyond the victory, Unzué is left with the rider’s mental transformation. He believes Mas has gained self-belief, and that evolution has had a direct effect on his teammates. “The important thing is how he has grown mentally, the confidence in himself,” he pointed out.
That shift also allowed the team’s youngsters to step up. Racing for 15 days around a leader with a real chance to win La Vuelta has given them invaluable experience.
“Also giving this group of young riders, who have made a leap, the chance to be with a great leader and defend the jersey for 15 days,” Unzué explained.
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The image Movistar Team leaves after the Vuelta a España 2026 is that of a project that has found a solid reference point while helping those who must shape its future to grow.
For Unzué, the headline is not only that Enric Mas has won La Vuelta. It is that the rider who raised his arms in 2026 seems to have recovered something he had been chasing for years: the certainty that he can again be among the very best.
And the Movistar Team manager is already looking ahead. “I hope in the rest of the season that remains” this version of Enric Mas holds, because after this Vuelta the feeling inside the team is that the Balearic has not hit a ceiling, but has just shown how far he can go when confidence matches talent.
Juan LarraCycling Journalist
Juan Larra is a writer for Cyclinguptodate and editor-in-chief of Ciclismoaldia, where he has played a central role since its inception. Under his leadership, the website has become a trusted source for professional cycling coverage, offering in-depth analysis, news, and feature stories.
A sports journalist with over 20 years of experience, Juan earned his degree in Journalism from the University of Seville in 2007. He began his career covering a wide range of sports—including football, basketball, Formula 1, MotoGP, tennis, and cycling—for platforms such as the official La Liga app, Vodafone and Movistar websites, NBA Blogdebasket, and Cadena Cope, honing his skills in writing and editorial management.
In addition to his work at Ciclismoaldia, Juan contributes to Cyclinguptodate and serves as editor-in-chief for the tennis-focused site Tenisaldia. Throughout his career, he has conducted exclusive interviews with cyclists and sports figures, provided detailed analysis of competitions ranging from local Spanish races to major international events, and acted as a special correspondent at prestigious races including Paris-Roubaix, the Tour de France, and the Vuelta a España.
Juan’s combination of experience, expertise, and direct access to athletes has established him—and the platforms he leads—as authoritative voices in professional cycling.
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- It doesnt take a genius to understand that Pogi is 1 level above and Pogi is younger that Jonas, so Jonas will not win under ordinary circumstances. Pogi has to crack hard for Jonas to win. It doesn't matter whether you defend Jonas or not , facts remain facts. Jonas himself says his numbers are better than 2022/2023, so Jonas is more or less optimized and we are just see the stochastic variation due to other factors. I think he will retire along with Pedersen in WC denmarkabstractengineer13-11-2026
- They only raced each other during the 2026 Tour, but here's a few metrics to look at. Stage 3 (Granollers to Les Angles): Pogačar won the stage, finishing 2 seconds ahead of Vingegaard (2nd). Del Toro finished 24 seconds behind Stage 6 (Pau to Gavarnie-Gedre / Col du Tourmalet): Pogačar won solo, Vingegaard finished 2nd (losing 2:38), and Del Toro finished 3rd (at +2:57, finishing 19 seconds behind Vingegaard). Here, Jonas Vingegaard outclimbed Isaac del Toro by 19 seconds on the mountain stageawp13-11-2026
- your clinging to the past. Jonas was dropped by del toro many times last year and jonas never managed a climbing numers del toro did in dauphine last year -entire year. Trend is also evident theres no discussion your living in the past, its beent he same with jonas for many years now and only developing, meanwhile del toro is rising and developing greatly. This is all obvious stuff and im not even a del toro fan. No point discussing numbers or this i suspect you dont watch much now but rather think its 2022 still cause this aint hard.miguel13-11-2026
- We can go through metrics if you like, Del Toro, who I do admire and support, is not on the same level as Jonas just yet. You will see that in early 2027 if they have any crossover races. I do hope they both race the Giro. You are correct though, Jonas is getting older and will not be able to hand on much longer. I see 2027 as a good year for him. Obviously behind Tadej though.awp13-11-2026
- What wins? Are you LA operating under a pseudonym?mij13-11-2026
- My point is this - Tadej, Remco, Seixas are all the outliers. Many riders don’t hit their peak until 28. It’s way too early to write him off. And the pogi slo guy that hates him - he’s also immature. Ayuso needs time.mij13-11-2026
- Then you need to use ur eyes or head if you have cause del toro already dropped jonas two times and beat him in tdf stages already this year.. Del toro climbed(dauphine) better numbers than jonas did all year too. So ur feelings and wishful thinking doesnt amtter del toro himself has already surpassed jonas infact just facts. Its also very evident for anyone objective that Jonas is declining alot, its just the truth and super obvious.miguel13-11-2026
- None of those victories stand, so there's that,wrsty13-11-2026
- No surprise there; it is British Sycling, yes, with an S
Rafionain-Glas12-11-2026 - I like Del Toro but he's not on the level of Jonas, by a large margin.awp12-11-2026
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