'I don't fear the time trial' - Mas bullish ahead of final Vuelta push

It leaves Mas 2:06 clear of Felix Gall (Decathlon CMA CGM) and 2:10 ahead of Primož Roglič (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) with a week to go, and the stage 18 time trial to Jerez de la Frontera looks set to be the defining day of this race

If Mas can fend off Roglič in that 32km test, he will be strongly favoured to carry the red jersey to Granada on Sunday. In his rest day press conference in Seville, however, Mas sought to downplay the significance of that time trial in the wider scheme of this Vuelta.

“I’ve managed to make up time on almost every mountain stage, so I don’t need to fear the time trial because, well, it’s a 21-day race and the time trial is just one day,” Mas said. “There are twenty other days, so no, I don’t think we need to fear that time trial.”

The time trial is preceded by two stages that seem unlikely to create frissons among the GC men, while two demanding mountain days follow, with summit finishes at Peñas Blanca on stage 19 and Collado del Alguacil on stage 20.

“I’m not afraid of any stage,” Mas said. “But the danger is present at every stage. An accident could happen at any point during the race, but the truth is we can’t dwell on that because, if we did, we wouldn’t even be able to set off in the first place.”

Mas acknowledged that the four-time champion Roglič remains a threat despite conceding ground on the Alto de Aitana, Calar Alto and La Pandera. Mas took second behind Roglič in 2021 and third in 2024.

“It’s not too long since Primož won a Vuelta, and he looks just the same to me as before,” Mas said. “He’s third in the general classification – it’s not as if he’s 26th, you know? So no, you can never rule Primož out. He’s performing at an incredibly high level and, I repeat, he knows exactly how to win a Vuelta. He’s won four of them.”

Mas’ former teammate and current national team selector Alejandro Valverde was among those to attend his press conference at the Movistar hotel on Monday. Valverde confirmed that Mas and Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek) will lead his Spanish squad at the World Championships in Montreal later this month. 

In the meantime, Mas is seeking to become Spain’s first Vuelta winner since Alberto Contador claimed his third and final title in 2014.

“I think we’re putting in a 10/10 performance, and I believe that’s helped the country to enjoy Spanish cycling again and to enjoy us at Movistar, given that we hadn’t led a Grand Tour for a few years now,” Mas said. “Alejandro’s here and he knows exactly what that means.”

Mas’ renaissance at this Vuelta has come after a trying couple of years since his last Vuelta podium finish in 2024. His 2025 season was cut short by varicose vein surgery, while he could only manage 32nd overall in his Giro d’Italia debut this season.

“From a sporting point of view, things have gone very well so far,” Mas said. “After such a difficult time over the last few months, I have to be grateful to find myself in this position.”