“They told him he was the new Contador" - Enric Mas' career affected by unrealistic expectations, Purito Rodríguez argues
Cycling
Joaquim Rodríguez’s podcast has been dropping headlines every week, but in the Giro d’Italia special he delivered one of his toughest critiques of modern cycling. This includes EF Education manager Jonathan Vaughters; whilst he also criticized those who compared Enric Mas in his early years to Alberto Contador.
The Giro d’Italia special on the Joaquim Rodríguez podcast took another sharp turn when Enric Mas’s name came up.
'Purito' dissected the Movistar Team leader’s tricky moment after a disappointing Giro, and opened an awkward debate: whether Enric should finally step away from targeting general classifications.
He began by setting out the context of his physical issues and poor build-up, but gradually hardened his tone.
“For me, he needs to rethink what kind of rider he wants to be.”
A brutal line, given we’re talking about one of the biggest names in Spanish cycling.
Purito recalled that Enric reached the Giro with virtually no racing and hampered by injuries and surgery.
“Enric gets to the Giro with no racing at all.”
Even so, he felt the problem goes beyond conditioning and ties into the evolution of modern cycling.
“He belongs to a generation that’s been swept aside by those coming from behind.”
The former rider also indirectly questioned how Mas' career was managed from a very young age.
Enric Mas at the 2025 Tour de France
“They told him he was the new Contador. And that didn’t do him any favors.”
For Purito, that pressure placed the Mallorcan under an almost impossible level of expectation.
One of the most tense moments came when he compared Mas' best path forward to riders like Giulio Ciccone, specialists in stage wins and targeted goals rather than overall standings.
“His reference point should be something like Ciccone.”
He then clarified he wasn’t speaking about rider type, but about how to set sporting objectives.
The debate got more uncomfortable when Eusebio Unzué’s name came up and his public comments criticizing Enric’s Giro.
Purito questioned the timing of those remarks:
“I don’t think, with Eusebio [Unzué]'s experience… that it was the place or the moment to hit him.”
Even so, he made it clear that patience in today’s cycling is in short supply.
“Here and now, if he suddenly makes the podium at the Vuelta, everyone will say he’s a great rider.”
Purito Rodríguez’ criticism of the racing style at the Giro d’Italia
Purito took aim directly at the way some teams raced during the Giro, making it clear that, for him, many stages were tactically ruined before they even began.
“It really gets to me, mate, that knowing the superiority of a rider… other teams wrecked a lot of stages knowing the result would be the same.”
The reflection was aimed primarily at the dominance of Jonas Vingegaard and how several teams drove harder racing that, according to Purito, already had a foregone winner.
“If you know Vingegaard is going to drop you again… then leave a bit of room to race.”
The criticism didn’t stop there. The Catalan ex-pro also voiced general disappointment with the Giro, going as far as to give it a failing grade.
“I give it a 5 [out of 10].”
While other members of the podcast went higher, Purito insisted real excitement was lacking and that many stages were shaped by tactical fear and rivals’ resignation.
Afonso Eulálio was leader of the Giro d’Italia
There was also room for praise. One rider who impressed him most was Igor Arrieta, whose bravery and ability to survive the race’s chaos stood out.
“He’s done a hell of a Giro.”
But the most striking moment came when they discussed teams riding for seemingly invincible leaders. Purito suggested many squads are already beaten psychologically.
Purito blasts Jonathan Vaughters: “He talks just to hear himself speak”
Another major flashpoint in the podcast came when Jonathan Vaughters proposed introducing a salary cap for cycling teams.
The idea allowed a leader to earn freely, but capped the total wages of the rest of the riders. To Purito, the proposal was sheer nonsense.
“Jonathan Vaughters seems like the typical person who talks just to avoid staying quiet.”
Far from softening his stance, Purito strongly defended domestiques’ role in the professional peloton.
“What is it? Domestiques don’t turn the pedals the same? Or don’t get soaked the same?”
The ex-rider made it clear he finds it unfair to create artificial pay gaps between leaders and teammates, especially in a sport built on collective work.
He also quickly knocked down the core flaw in the proposal:
“Who decides who’s the captain, who isn’t, and who’s a domestique?”
For Purito, cycling’s reality is constantly shifting, and a rider can be a leader in one team and a domestique in another depending on the calendar or the context.
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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