Enric Mas tackles stage 16 of the Giro d’Italia aiming for a stage win in the race’s final week. The Movistar Team leader, now out of GC contention, assesses his sensations after two weeks of racing and the rest day before this decisive block as the Spanish team look to save a race where they haven't won a stage yet.
The Spanish rider reports feeling fresher from the race's third rest day. “Better than two days ago. I reached the finish [of stage 15] K.O and luckily we had a rest day yesterday to recharge,” he told Cyclig Pro Net, reflecting on his recovery after the recent wear and tear in the Corsa Rosa.
Looking to the third week, Mas expects a very active race with multiple chances for breakaways. “I think there will be a lot of fighting every day. I think there are great opportunities for the break and we have to make the most of them because time is running out and we have six chances left,” he said, making clear the team’s approach for the remainder of the Giro.
For Tuesday’s stage, the Spanish rider insists they must go on the offensive from the start. “Today as well, every day we have to try because it’s going to be super important for the team,” he added, underlining the constant hunt for a stage win.
Movistar at the 2026 Giro d'Italia
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Brutal climb in Switzerland is not unknown to Mas
The stage also brings back positive memories for the Movistar Team leader, who already knew one of the climbs on the route. “I remember it, it’s brutally hard. It’s a climb I liked, that we as a team liked, Inert as well,” he recalled of an ascent he tackled two years ago at the Tour de Suisse.
On that day, he finished fifth, with UAE dominating the summit finish to Carì where Adam Yates won the stage. This time around, the 11.5-kilometer climb comes at the end of a short explosive stage where it can create serious damage in the overall classification of the Corsa Rosa.
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- He should have been allowed to go to Movistar. Right now both arent a good fit for each other and are just wasting each other's time and effortabstractengineer08-11-2026
- Thibau Nys does exactly what Iserbyt is calling for
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- People see what they want to. I am actually the opposite of your accusation, probably more of a rebel than most of you who don’t get the big picture. The difference is, I don’t go moaning publicly about the consequences of my transgressions, I understand the need for rules and I take my OWN responsibility when deciding to ignore or break them or doing so involuntarily. I will also not hesitate to state my case or argue vehemently when relevant, sometimes it works, sometimes it makes things worse but that’s the price to pay for principles and having character.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- That may be but that was unknown to others and nothing says that’s the whole truth. Again, don’t try to misinterpret, it is a call and technically it is correct. Besides, even if there is a valid reason, that does not disqualify the ruling or punishment as far as the rules have been developed. I don’t think they’re as far as in football where for handball there is a distinction (in some ways and specific cases) between intentional or not. And football can be just as harsh and people live with it, eg the offside rule, also judged to within tiny fractions but often wrong or ignored. It’s the nature of every collective organisation and sometimes I wonder if our rebellion against it isn’t seated in the feelings we carry from the injustices we’ve felt personally, like being flashed driving 1km/h too fast when we are explained limits are just a security measure but we are absolutely certain not to have endangered anyone with our transgression. The problem is, nobody has better solutions and no 2 people have the same interpretation of where a limit should be.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- Because for you deviated implies the other rider MUST have been made to fall and fail to finish ??? I don’t know if you ride a bike but next time someone carves you up or drives dangerously close, just hold back from those feelings of changing something, reporting or filming or even complaining. Everyone will just say, hey you’re still here undamaged, doesn’t seem like anyone did anything.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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