"We don't have the team perform the way we would have liked" - Movistar DS disappointed on lack of support for Enric Mas
Cycling
The Vuelta a Espana 2024 is approaching its decisive week. Sunday's stage 15 with finish on Cuitu Negru might possibly proved us a key on how the general classification will play out. However, Movistar Team will arrive without aspirations of fighting for the final victory with Enric Mas.
The Balearic rider lost a lot of time to Primoz Roglic on Ancares on Friday. Could have something to do with a lackluster form of his teammates throughout the Vuelta? It is a reality that Enric Mas rides alone, and he has no one who can help him against the strength of Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe and Soudal - Quick-Step.
In fact, in statements to RTVE, sports director Chente García Acosta admits the reality that the team is facing: "The idea was to ride like at the Tour and the Giro and seeing how Enric is going, we are focused on the general classification. We don't have the team that we would like. We have Pelayo and Oier who have been hurt by the crashes, Canal is also hurt. Nairo and Einer are improving, improving little by little, but we lack a bit of luck."
"The luck that Enric is going very well and that's contagious. Yesterday we were thinking about cutting Ben O'Connor and we did our best, then Enric had a bad moment and couldn't climb as he's used to, it cost him a bit but we didn't lose much and we're still there," added Chente in reference to the aforementioned climb to Ancares in stage 13.
Chente outlines Movistar Team's objectives for the remainder of the year
There is still the Cuitu Negru and a whole third week of Vuelta a Espana, so Enric Mas has to go to and secure at least the final podium of the race. This is what Chente confirms: "First we are going to make sure that Enric is well and then we will go for the podium, the Vuelta is being very hard and uncontrollable, and people are annoyed by the heat, anything can happen with what is left."
"Roglic yesterday went out, he climbed to some high numbers. I think in Hazallanas he was regular, there are stages left and we'll be fighting it out, but he's very strong. They have O'Connor at 1:20, and the poor guy is going down, but there is ground."
To conclude, Chente talks about the mountain days in which Enric Mas can stand out: "Enric doesn't mind the steeper slopes with tomorrow's stage (Cuitu Negru) and the other one (Lagos). The important thing is that he is calm."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- again, nothing is going to be resolved. it is a discussion board. I simply said I didn't see how MS impeded LBs sprint. the UCI doesn't care about my thoughts, and I am really not that emotionally invested in it.mij09-11-2026
- provoke change, lol. this is a discussion board. nothing is going to change by what I say here. just commenting that it didn't look like MS impeded Brand. beyond that not trying to go too deep.mij09-11-2026
- as excellent as maga rednecks chloe dygert (and quinn simmons)?Ketterechts09-11-2026
- so what i understand is: i left a comment calling out the endless author CVs for being an unnecessary flex of expertise, and you responded by lecturing me (and others) on discrimination and value systems. hats off to you. you definitely lost me!Ketterechts09-11-2026
- I just love the flood of Americans into the top ranks of world cycling. In addition to being studs on the bike, they all seem to be excellent emissaries for our country.Occam09-11-2026
- ANATOMY OF A G.O.A.T. EDDY MERCKX about TADEJ POGAČAR: Merckx: “He has revived a style of cycling that we had almost forgotten. He is now better than me.” Key statements by Merckx about Pogačar in 2026: - Acknowledging his superiority: This time, Merckx openly admitted, without any subsequent backtracking or reservations, that Pogačar had surpassed him and was now above him. This contrasts with 2024, when he quickly softened his remarks about Pogačar being faster. - The possibility of a historic triple (Giro, Tour and Vuelta): During the July Tour de France (where Pogi claimed his fifth title), Merckx stated that Pogi was the only cyclist in history capable of winning all three Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España) in a single season, provided the conditions were right and he had sufficient team support. - Lack of serious competition: Merckx emphasised that Pogačar has no real rivals in the mountains since 2024, thanks to his extraordinary climbing ability and the fact that he continues to improve despite still being under 28 (he turned 28 in autumn 2026). - Praise for his racing style: Merckx highlighted how Pogačar is bringing back the aggressive, uncompromising spirit of cycling's golden era, when races were not merely about calculated stages and tactical conservatism, but about attacking from long distances. PS: This is not "boring" ... this is called making real history, not only statistical history. Capish?PogiSloFans09-11-2026
- It’s off-season mate, I’m bored and fed up with the mediocrity of people unwilling to provoke change when they admit things aren’t right. What have you done lately to make anyone realise you won’t put up with things? What conversation, are you dictating to me which part of the incident I have to be interested in or telling me other parts are taboo? That’s what I guess the UCI would really like, let them moan, let it blow over for them pass on to the next thing, let’s keep the status quo, let’s try our best not reviewing or revealing anything about decision-making just like every time before, they’re used to it by now so we can take the risk they’ll never give us grief.Jumpyjohn09-11-2026
- As far as CUTD headlines go this is far from the worst. It helps if you look at it twice and realise it’s a list of descriptions from distinct events. You can’t deny the reality of being a rival if you consider the picture immediately below, frontrunner is unfortunate but I’m guessing this time it’s more a linguistic failure than a clickbaiting opportunity. Just a reminder that this is not an anglo website, for those who find it too tedious to interpret text to get the gist of things which are rarely of great importance (as opposed to eg purposely biaised DOJ extradition translations in order to achieve hidden agendas), there are plenty of anglo cycling websites google can suggest.Jumpyjohn09-11-2026
- Ah, finally someone willing to be a bit proactive.Jumpyjohn09-11-2026
- So? Do you understand the way instructions, decisions and authority work? Do you think in a football match if after a match (or even after play has gone on) a player tells the referee he did touch the ball with his hands when the referee didn’t award opponents a penalty that they will revise the score or force a replay? You really don’t get my point, it’s not against the rider but everyone here is so emotional for her they can’t get back to an issue which needs resolving for the future and the first step (or maybe second) is to try to understand how and why it happens, none of you have contributed in the least to that. All everyone is interested in is letting everyone know they agree how unjust it was, not even sure anyone thinks that could affect anything.Jumpyjohn09-11-2026
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🇪🇸 #LaVuelta24 200 km componen la jornada más larga de @lavuelta, de Villafranca del Bierzo a Villablino por ⛰️ Cerredo y Leitariegos. Te pusieron deberes en salida, @carloscanal01 😎
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