TakeVuelta2 days ago
Enric Mas has finished second at the Vuelta a España three times and never won it. This time he took the stage on Alto de Aitana the same day he first pulled on red — his first Grand Tour stage win in eight years — and hasn't stopped attacking since.
The pattern that defined Mas's career was proximity without conversion: podiums, not victories. Stage 9 broke that on the exact day he inherited the jersey from Tadej Pogačar, and he's followed it with a solo move at Stage 12 Calar Alto and more time gained at Stage 14 Sierra de la Pandera. History says the leader who's never closed cracks eventually; Mas has spent two weeks making that history look irrelevant.
Sources
'A question of patience' - assured climbing display gives Vuelta a España leader Enric Mas a long-sought stage win'I enjoyed wearing the jersey like a little kid' - Enric Mas ends four-year drought with statement Vuelta win in redVuelta a España 2026 Stage 14 preview: Mas faces Roglič and Gall on Sierra de La Pandera