“Me” - Enric Mas confident that he is the main favourite to win 2026 Vuelta a España
CyclingTuesday, 01 September 2026 at 10:30
Enric Mas tackles the second half of the Vuelta a España in red and, above all, with renewed confidence. The Movistar rider became the race’s central figure after Tadej Pogacar abandoned on Saturday following his heavy crash, then underlined his leadership a day later with a commanding win on Alto de Aitana.
Far from feeling weighed down by responsibility, the Movistar leader told El Partidazo de Cope he is even calmer than a week ago and didn’t hesitate when asked who his favourite is to win the Vuelta.
“For me? Me,” he replied emphatically. As journalists reacted with surprise, the Balearic rider doubled down: “Yes, yes, it’s clear. If I don’t believe in myself, then we’re…”
A statement that perfectly captures the mindset with which he now approaches the race. Mas knows the landscape has changed radically after Pogacar’s withdrawal, but he believes his way of racing must remain exactly the same.
“It’s the same,” he explained when asked about the leap in his ambitions, from fighting for the podium to becoming one of the leading contenders for overall victory. “In the end, the road puts everyone in their place. Day by day, it’s the same. And when you fight, you try to give 100%.”
“I was on the limit”
The win on Aitana strengthened Mas’s grip on the general classification, although the Mallorcan admitted he had no margin to do much more in the final kilometres.
Asked if he regretted not attacking harder when the gap was opening, he was blunt: “I was on the limit. I think all the riders up there were on the limit.”
He conveyed the impression of a rider aware that every second can matter, but also that on a climb like Aitana there was no room to hold anything back.
Enric Mas won on the Alto de Aitana
A crowd that gives him “goosebumps”
Mas also spoke about the special connection he feels with the crowd during this Vuelta a España. The leader says he has always felt supported when racing in Spain, but senses something different this year.
“It’s true that in Spain, when I race in Spain, the fans have always been a 10 out of 10, but it’s also true that in this Vuelta I feel something special,” he said. The difference, he explained, lies in the intensity with which fans are living the race: “When we’re in the stage, the shouts come with more euphoria.”
Although he stays fully focused in competition, there are moments when the atmosphere breaks through that concentration.
“In the end you’re focused on yourself, but you hear it many times…,” he said. And when asked if hearing his name affects him, he admitted: “You hear ‘Enric’ again and again and, well, many times I get goosebumps.”
Especially when the roadside is packed with fans. “Yes, when there are so many people, such a din, when they form a tunnel, that’s… you’re going flat out, but even so it’s exciting,” he confessed.
An energy that can also become an extra push: “Of course, and a lot,” he replied when asked if that adrenaline helps him turn the pedals.
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“Now I’m much calmer”
Curiously, Mas says he is calmer now than a week ago, even though his status in the race is completely different. Before Pogacar’s withdrawal he was aiming for a podium that looked difficult; now he leads and is one of the major favourites for the overall win. “Now I’m much calmer, to be honest,” he said.
And he doesn’t believe the shift in scenario should change how he races. For Mas, the recipe remains the same: trust his abilities, approach each day at full tilt, and let the road deliver the verdict.
The message is clear: Enric Mas does not want to simply defend red. After winning on Aitana and confirming he is in one of the best moments of his career, the Movistar leader believes he can fight for the final victory.
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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- Agreed, it is amazing what science and medical technology can do these days.
Andrew01-09-2026 - Lantern Rouge spoke about one of the riders trying to signal but they were right against the edge and going too fast.Andrew01-09-2026
- Your synopsis is a hell off a stretch Stef! As that old saying goes. Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All DoubtCyclingsbestfan01-09-2026
- I think Pogi should not return this year, he's done enough. But if he was to return, he should only do the last race this season, and that is the fifth Monument- Il Lombardia, on Saturday, October 10, 2026. If he would win it, he would be the first cyclist in history to win four Monuments in the same year, while being second in one (Paris-Roubaix). Now I'm not saying that's a smart thing to do, but you never know with these sports "super-humans" like Pogi or Marquez... and todays science in medical technology. What ever the decision will be, I hope it's for the good of Pogi, because things can also go very bad and ugly if the wrong decision is made.PogiSloFans01-09-2026
- I agree, but if he was to return, he should only do the last race this season, and that is the fifth Monument- Il Lombardia, on Saturday, October 10, 2026. If he would win it, he would be the first cyclist in history to win four Monuments in the same year, while being second in one (Paris-Roubaix). Now I'm not saying that's a smart thing to do, but you never know with these sports "super-humans" like Pogi or Marquez... and todays science in medical technology. What ever the decision will be, I hope it's for the good of Pogi, because things can also go very wrong if not done properly.PogiSloFans01-09-2026
- Stef Clement is an analyst, with the BS he said, really? Does he know that crashes are on numerous occasions inevitable and unavoidable? No he doesn't. If he did, he wouldn't be spitting "#$%&/()=* nonsense around. PS: Did Jonas, Van Aert, Remco, Roglič...etc etc. crash so many times because they knew they were the best and became careless? Answer this one Clement, but don't insult my intelligence.PogiSloFans01-09-2026
- Just stop the BS.PogiSloFans01-09-2026
- Yeah, he was "due" a proper DNF hospitalising crash purely on the law of averages like you say. That many race days and near-misses without one is more unusual than actually hitting the dirt.wrsty01-09-2026
- Pog's incredible bike handling skills have saved him a number of times in the past when lesser riders would certainly have crashed. For example, Stage 2 of the 2022 Tour, Stage 5 of the 2024 Tour, Stage 16 (ITT) of this year's Tour and most recently, Stage 6 of this Vuelta. This time, however, he had practically no reaction time to take avoiding action, with the peloton so bunched up and Pog not able to clearly see the road ahead. Was it due to overconfidence? Of course not. He was having a drink from his bidon at the time, but he has done it millions of times in similar situations before. On such a hot day, you are not going to wait for the peloton to string out before taking a drink. Basically, it was a freak accident, which no one could have anticipated. Finally, the law of averages caught up with him and his luck ran out.Cooldude01-09-2026
- It's really sad that the first Spanish rider to lead the race in 8 years, winning a stage in Red - and he couldn't even get a photo on the front page of this site yesterday - instead it's wall-to-wall hot takes and circular discussions about this crash. I'm waiting for all this home-sleuthing and whatnot to turn accusatory and blame-laying, as someone has to pay for this perfect narrative being derailed. And you know somewhere, there's a design for the GT triple special edition UAE kit being quietly deleted/destroyed. Meanwhile, Enric Mas having the ride of his life, the GC fight completely wide open - but nah, let's fill the space with podcast hot-takes. So disrespectful.wrsty01-09-2026
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