"Given Roglic’s history at the Vuelta..." - Enric Mas names his biggest rival for La Vuelta GC
CyclingMonday, 31 August 2026 at 15:15
The leader of La Vuelta a España heads into the rest day confident, but not yet dwelling on overall victory. Enric Mas has rediscovered his smile after winning at Alto de Aitana, a triumph that put him in red and, above all, gave his confidence a crucial boost after some difficult months.
The Movistar Team rider acknowledges he has been through tough times lately, though he avoids dramatizing his situation. “I’ve been through some difficult moments recently, but they weren’t the worst of my professional life,” he explains.
Mas admits it took time to regain his form, but he celebrates having found good sensations again. “Today I’m happy to be here, with the shape I have, and to be smiling again at La Vuelta,” he says in quotes picked up by EFE.
The win at Aitana created the sense that we saw a different Enric Mas, more aggressive and more relaxed. However, the Mallorcan denies there has been any transformation.
“Nothing has changed. I’ve simply kept doing what I do most: train well, look after myself, try to do everything perfectly and enjoy the process,” he says.
Mas also wanted to qualify the image of an especially serious rider sometimes seen from the outside. “The Enric who’s with family, friends, and the team is usually an Enric who jokes and laughs. That’s the Enric you saw yesterday after the finish,” he explains.
The victory did have a major effect, even if it didn’t change his personality: “I’m the same Enric as always, but it’s true that it was a moment that gave me a lot of confidence.”
Enric Mas is currently leading the Vuelta a España
Roglic, the rival who worries him most
Wearing red, Mas is already looking ahead to how the race might unfold. And among his rivals, one name stands out above the rest: Primoz Roglic.
“Given Roglic’s history at the Vuelta, he’s the one who personally worries me most looking towards Granada,” the leader admits.
The Slovenian’s experience in Spain —and his past victories— makes Roglic an unavoidable reference point for Mas. Even so, the Mallorcan doesn’t want that rivalry to become a source of pressure.
“It’s not that I’m afraid. It’s that if I spend all day thinking I can win the Vuelta, in the end that’s a buildup of stress I don’t want right now,” he says.
Not thinking about the GC just yet
The rest day hasn’t yet been used by Mas and his team to crunch detailed numbers for the remainder of the race. The leader admits he hasn’t had time to study the route of the next stages.
“Shall I tell you the truth? I have no idea. We haven’t had the meeting yet,” he jokes.
Mas knows there will be decisive stages for the general classification, but he prefers to wait and analyze the situation with the team before making concrete plans.
“There are a few stages that are clearly going to be crucial for the GC, but from yesterday to today I’ve had no time for anything, I haven’t looked at anything,” he explains.
For now, his strategy is to avoid obsessing over the red jersey.
“Right now I’m simply enjoying the moment, enjoying wearing red, enjoying the team, and we need to focus on what’s coming this week. Not much more,” he concludes.
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A red jersey with wings and a special celebration
Mas’ post-victory image also left another striking moment: his line about the red jersey having 'wings'. The rider clarified it was an improvised comment to ease the tension of the interview.
“The red jersey’s wings were just a joke I made when they put the mic in front of me, to break the ice a bit before starting the interview,” he explains.
More significant was his celebration at the line. The shout he let out after winning had a very specific origin within Movistar Team: the “penguins,” as they call the team’s youngsters.
“Since we don’t win much, when we do, we have to celebrate it a lot,” Mas recounts. In his case, the celebration carried added meaning: it had been eight years since his previous win in a Grand Tour and four since his last victory. “It was a cry of rage and joy,” he sums up.
The team united in a new scenario
The Aitana victory has changed the situation for Movistar Team. Before the stage, the goal was to survive after a day marred by crashes. Now they are the ones who must defend the lead.
“Yesterday morning we talked a bit on the bus about turning the page after everything that happened the day before with the crashes. Now everything has changed and it’s our turn,” Mas explains.
The leader, however, doesn’t expect his team to control every day on their own. There will be stages where other teams will be keen to assume the pace, especially in sprint finishes or certain breakaways.
“We’ll simply stay calm and try to remain united at all times,” he says.
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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- if I don’t know someone personally, how can I not use their professional career as the primary guiding point for my thoughts about them. especially when their career is center stage for all of us to see.mij31-08-2026
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Rafionain-Glas31-08-2026 - I don’t think one can just jump on a bike with that short of notice and win. Pidcock has ridden and won world cup races every single year. he has kept up with the sport far better than MVDP.mij31-08-2026
- agreed.mij31-08-2026
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- excellent point.mij31-08-2026
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