“He knows he’s going to win this Vuelta a España” - Johan Bruyneel certain of Enric Mas' success
Cycling
Johan Bruyneel has fewer and fewer doubts about who will end up winning La Vuelta a España. The Belgian pundit analysed stage 19 alongside Spencer Martin on The Move and focused on Enric Mas, who again answered his rivals’ accelerations with authority and stays in the overall lead.
For Bruynee, stage 19 was a particularly important test for the Movistar leader. Primoz Roglic’s attack in the final kilometres showed that Mas has the legs to respond even when the Slovenian tries to put him on the ropes.
“Today was really an important step for Enric Mas. It was a big test,” Bruyneel explained, before pointing to two key takeaways from the stage. “Enric Mas has the legs to react when Primoz attacked quite hard at the end.”
The second conclusion in Bruyneel’s analysis was even more forceful. In his view, Mas’s rivals are trying to attack him, but they lack the power to open meaningful gaps at this point in the race.
“Enric Mas’ rivals are trying, but they don’t have the power left to make the difference,” said the Belgian. He then added a reflection that captures his reading of the situation: “Normally, at the end of a three-week race, they try, but they’re not going anywhere.”
“Roglic looked very strong, but he didn’t drop anyone”
Roglic’s attack was one of the most striking moments of the stage. The Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rider raised the pace and launched his move late on, but Mas and the rest of the favourites could respond.
Bruyneel acknowledged the Slovenian’s move was serious, though not enough to break the race apart. “Primoz’s attack looked really good. He looked strong, but in the end he didn’t drop any of the five riders,” he explained.
Spencer Martin agreed and described an increasingly locked race among the favourites. “We have a closed-group race. We don’t have a rider who’s above the rest and can drop everyone whenever he wants,” the analyst noted.
The consequence is clear: Mas reaches the last major mountain day with a lead his rivals have not been able to cut and, crucially, with the sense that he answers with authority whenever one of them tries to change the script.
Enric Mas will win the 2026 Vuelta, according to Johan Bruyneel
Bruyneel tips Mas to win stage 20
Bruyneel’s confidence goes beyond seeing Mas as favourite for the overall. The Belgian even predicted that the Mallorcan will also win La Vuelta’s final mountain stage.
“I’m going to predict that Enric Mas will take the stage tomorrow,” he said, before nailing down his call: “Tomorrow Enric Mas wins the last mountain stage in red and seals the race.”
The stage 20 route, with several climbs and a punishing finale, is one of the reasons why Bruyneel believes the Movistar leader can make differences again.
“It’s a horrible stage,” he said after breaking down the climbs, maximum gradients, and accumulated fatigue. His conclusion was blunt: “It’s GC for sure.”
Spencer Martin also leaned toward Mas. “Who is the best climber in this race when it’s hot and the gradients bite? Enric Mas,” he stated. “It’s really hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn’t win from a GC group.”
“He knows he’s going to win this Vuelta”
One of the episode’s strongest moments came when they analysed Mas’s demeanour off the bike. Martin highlighted his conduct during the stage and said the Mallorcan looked completely calm even when Movistar ran out of teammates.
But Bruyneel went further after recalling a post-stage interview with Mas. The Belgian said he could sense more than calm in the leader’s words. “I saw Enric Mas’s interview in Spanish today after the stage,” he explained. “He knows he’s going to win. You can see it.”
Martin then asked if he truly believed Mas had that confidence, and Bruyneel didn’t hesitate: “You can feel it from the tone. He obviously stays neutral, he’s very calm, he doesn’t get excited. But you can sense that confidence between the lines. He knows he’s going to win this Vuelta.”
That assessment carries extra weight given the historical context they discussed. Martin recalled that the last Spaniard to win La Vuelta was Alberto Contador in 2014. If Mas holds the lead to Granada, he would end a twelve-year wait for Spanish cycling. “It’s huge for Enric Mas. It’s huge for Movistar. It’s huge for Spain,” Martin stressed.
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Bruyneel highlights rivals’ fatigue
The Move’s analysis also zeroed in on a key issue: accumulated fatigue after three weeks of racing. For Bruyneel, the offensives from Roglic, Richard Carapaz, and the other contenders are increasingly unable to create gaps.
The Belgian felt stage 19 illustrated that perfectly. Roglic attacked hard, but the five favourites stayed together. Carapaz also tried an aggressive strategy by going long and linking with a teammate, although Decathlon CMA CGM Team eventually neutralized the move. “Carapaz is not my problem,” Bruyneel summed up of the tactical picture. “He’s Felix Gall’s and Primoz Roglic’s problem.”
The Belgian also had words of admiration for the Ecuadorian’s persistence. “These guys know what Carapaz is going to do. He’s done it the whole time,” he noted. And, with one of the show’s most striking lines, he added: “That guy’s got a lot of guts.”
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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