Spain's two-pronged attack for World Championships - Can Juan Ayuso and Enric Mas lead Spanish surge in Montreal?
CyclingMonday, 31 August 2026 at 21:30
Spain has outlined its main cards for the Montreal Road World Championships, scheduled for September 27th. Juan Ayuso and Enric Mas will be the two key references for the Spanish team in the road race, a date they will reach via very different paths.
The news, broken by AS, places the leader of La Vuelta a España, Enric Mas, and Juan Ayuso as Spain’s main weapons to fight for a strong result in Canada. The standout name in Spanish cycling right now is Enric Mas. The Movistar rider is currently racing La Vuelta a España and doing so as leader of the general classification.
His form in the Spanish Grand Tour has put him back in the spotlight, and his strong sensations have led the national team to call on him again for a major international event. Mas will thus return to the national squad after skipping the 2025 Worlds.
Selector Alejandro Valverde will have the Movistar rider as one of his main references for a race that will demand immense endurance and will take place on September 27th in Montreal.
The big question is how Mas will reach Canada after three weeks at La Vuelta. The Spanish race ends on September 13th, barely two weeks before the Worlds, so accumulated fatigue will be a key factor.
Enric Mas, leader of La Vuelta
Enric Mas will return to the National Team as La Vuelta leader
Juan Ayuso’s route will be completely different. The Spanish rider is not racing La Vuelta and, after competing at the Tour de France, will take on the Canadian classics as part of his Worlds preparation.
Ayuso will spend several weeks in Canada. His plan is to race the Quebec and Montreal classics first, held on the final weekend of La Vuelta, the 13.09.2026 weekend.
The strategy will let him familiarise himself with the terrain and then remain in Canada to fine-tune specifically for the Worlds. Ayuso will thus reach the 27.09.2026 date with a competition and training block designed to hit top form in Montreal.
His extended stay on Canadian soil also makes his build-up a clear contrast to Mas’s. While La Vuelta’s leader will arrive after a demanding stage race, Ayuso can focus the final weeks on the Worlds’ conditions and course.
Two different paths to the same goal
Spain will therefore field two leaders with very different preparations. Enric Mas will arrive after competing at La Vuelta and proving a high level in the Spanish race. Juan Ayuso, meanwhile, will spend the lead-up in Canada, racing in Quebec and Montreal before staying on to prepare for the Worlds.
The overlap between both programmes is particularly interesting. Ayuso’s Canadian classics take place on La Vuelta’s final weekend, so while Mas tackles the last stages in Spain, Ayuso will already be racing on Canadian roads.
Spain will thus count on two leaders reaching Montreal from very different experiences, but with a shared goal: to place Spain among the protagonists of the world championship road race.
Iván Romeo, at the Tour de Pologne
Castrillo and Romeo lead the time trial hopes
In the time trial, Spain’s representatives will be Pablo Castrillo and Iván Romeo.
Both will carry the responsibility of defending Spain’s interests in a discipline where the national team is also backing two riders capable of competing at the highest level.
Romeo’s presence will have a second chapter in Montreal, as he will also be part of the selection for the road race. Castrillo, for his part, will target the time trial as his main objective.
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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