Enric Mas, 31 and from Artà, has won La Vuelta 2026, the finest result of his career, after three runner-up finishes in the Spanish tour had long kept him from the definitive red jersey.
About a month after that triumph, and in the middle of a demanding stretch of Italian classics, Mas spoke at length with ABC España about a success he describes as everything to him.
"Spanish cycling had needed something like this for many years."
Mas said he had barely had a moment to think about the win, having been moving around trying to catch his breath and rest, which he called practically impossible. Since the Vuelta, he explained, the World Championships came first and now the Italian classics are on his schedule, and everything is as it was before.
The interview notes that the race changed markedly after an unfortunate crash involving Tadej Pogacar, which put Mas at the front of the general classification.