"Let's say that from now on, every time we lose, it's not the best" - Red Bull on the hunt for Vuelta win with Primoz Roglic
Cycling
As it stands, Primoz Roglic is favourite number two to win the 2026 Vuelta a España. But the veteran has four overall wins in the Spanish race, and in its second half, is perhaps the only rider capable of dethroning Enric Mas.
On Calar Alto, the Slovenian once again put in a strong performance, avoiding a crack and following Felix Gall - and his domestiques the entire way up the climb. This has allowed him to keep his second place and limit losses to Enric Mas.
But nevertheless, the Spaniard's strength has seen him gain 27 seconds at the finish line.
"From now on, every time we lose, we're not happy with that. Mas just showed that he's again one of the strongest riders here in the bunch, so we also need to accept this," team DS Sven Vanthourenhout said in a post-race interview, as reported by Cyclingnews.
For Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe, there is not much that can be done for the time being against a stronger rival. After stage 12, the time gap is of 1:45 minutes.
With a 32-kilometer long time trial next week, that time can be recovered. But the riders also face three more high mountain stages in which Mas might have the advantage.
"I'm not going say a clear number on that. But let's say that from now on, every time we lose, it's not the best".
Form in the third week an unknown for Roglic
But the Slovenian will have to have his best legs in the decisive final week, something that can't be taken for granted taking into consideration his run-in to the Vuelta.
"He has been inactive for five weeks, so his form was a big question mark for us. It looks good at the moment," DS Patxi Villa assured. "We are in the fight, although I don't know how far we can get. We are going to fight all the way to Granada. The time trial suits Roglic well".
Roglic spent three weeks recovering from an injury after having been hit by a vehicle, but has looked in pristine form throughout the entire Vuelta. He is in contention to win it, although that will be a difficult task.
Villa, a former staff member at Movistar, was also asked to comment on Mas' current lead: "I am happy with his performances, for him and for Movistar. He is strong and races maturely. The Vuelta is more open and exciting after Pogacar's withdrawal".
"Mas and Roglic have both had physical problems this season, but because of that, they have been able to get more rest".
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Luke Tuckwell's presence makes the difference
On the 12th stage, Red Bull's depleted mountain block was used to its max. Roglic's sole domestique for the big efforts Luke Tuckwell was inserted in the day's breakaway, and proved rather valuable as he was then available to work for the Slovenian in the fast transitional phase of the climb.
This has allowed the Slovenian to limit losses, although Felix Gall's struggle to make the difference meant that he had teammates return to him from the front and from behind.
"I crashed in stage 8 and the first 11 days were tough for me,2 Tuckwell explained. "My legs are not at all what I had hoped for and I suffered a lot from my knee. But the worst seems to be behind me".
"We wanted someone in the breakaway, if it was big enough. I felt good and knew I could be useful in this way. I can be proud that I was still able to help Primoz in the final".
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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