'A top-notch leader': Enric Mas' resurgence gives Movistar fresh hope at the Vuelta

Enric Mas’ stunning renaissance at the Vuelta a España so far has not only revitalised his ambitions to become a Grand Tour champion, but also transformed how he is perceived within the Movistar camp.

After multiple seasons plagued by criticism, crashes and physical setbacks, Mas has endured a particularly difficult period. 

That included a bout of thrombophlebitis following his 2025 Tour de France exit and a training crash at the start of this season, but after 12 stages of the Vuelta, Mas looks every bit like a potential Grand Tour champion in waiting.

His teammates and Movistar staff members believe that the biggest change for the 31-year-old is not only physical but rather psychological. 

Carlos Canal, Mas’ teammate, highlighted a progression in how Mas has evolved in handling the responsibilities and pressures of a team leader. 

“He has improved immensely as a leader; you can really sense a great deal of maturity,” Canal told Marca.

Canal believes that the difficult experiences that Mas has overcome during recent seasons, including being diagnosed with thrombophlebitis after his Tour de France exit in 2025, have played an important role in his growth in confidence and self-belief.

“I think all the adversity he’s faced over the last two years has helped him grow and approach things much more calmly and composedly,” said Canal.

“He’s been a top-notch leader. This is an Enric who has immense self-confidence, who believes in his potential, but above all, takes things one day at a time.”

That newfound level of composure is something the Movistar staff are actively trying to protect. 

Sports director Chente Garcia Acosta stressed the importance of shielding Mas from external pressure, something that the race leader had already echoed himself since taking the race lead.

“We can’t set goals of more than 48 hours,” Acosta said. “The important thing is to give him peace of mind.”

Meanwhile, fellow sports director José Joaquín Rojas believes Mas’ stage victory in the red jersey atop the Alto de Aitana on stage 9 and subsequent performances are a deserved reward after a difficult period. 

“This stage has been the well-deserved reward for a great professional,” Rojas said.

Eusebio Unzué, Movistar boss, has also praised the Spaniard’s resurgence. Unzué had been open and honest about his dissatisfaction with Mas’s Giro d’Italia GC campaign falling short back in May, but has been quick to credit his bounceback at the Vuelta. 

“The red jersey is the result of his work. He is a great professional,” Unzué said.

Despite the high praise, Mas remains grounded, dismissing the narrative of a dramatic transformation.

“Nothing has changed. I have simply continued to do what I did the most: train well, take care of myself, try to make everything perfect and enjoy the process,” said Mas.