From Reynolds, through the Banesto era and the sponsorship of Illes Baleares to becoming Movistar, the structure managed by Eusebio Unzúe has always had a uniform where the color blue has had great weight, with the exception of the Caisse d’Epargne nomenclature in which the jersey was black and red. That is why it was surprising to see the six cyclists of the telephone team with red shorts, the red M on their white jersey, and the matching helmet. But the occasion deserved it. Enric Mas stepped out of the shadows and signed up.
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On one hand, the cyclist from Artà fulfilled the prophecy that said he had a great grand tour in his legs. On the other, the climber escaped the long shadow that pursued him, the label of having to be Alberto Contador’s successor.
The Movistar team, the only Spanish team in the World Tour, has always liked to have the cyclist who lifts the fans from their seats, a national specialist in three-week races. That is why they brought back Pedro Delgado from PDM. When Miguel Indurain retired on January 2, 1997, Banesto already had Abraham Olano in its ranks as a prepared replacement. The Basque had been second in a Vuelta, third in a Giro, and world road champion in Duitama. Obviously, Olano felt the enormous responsibility but won a Vuelta and a World Time Trial Championship, both in 1998.
Later, they quickly secured the services of Alejandro Valverde, who had already shone at Kelme. The signing of Mikel Landa and the dual leadership with Nairo Quintana worked only partially, and after it was always impossible to count on Contador, they focused on Enric Mas.
The Mallorcan had been trained in the academy of the cyclist from Pinto and had already shown his class with second place in the 2018 Vuelta with the Belgian Quick Step, with whom he also debuted in the Tour. In 2020, just before the pandemic, he arrived at his new home, the one with 15 grand tours: seven Tours, four Giros, and four Vueltas.
He seemed destined to increase that number with the experience of directors who had already touched glory. But then Pogacar, Vingegaard, and Evenepoel exploded, younger than him, and for Mas, a step below, it started to be very hard to win. He entered a crisis loop: falls, loss of prestige, anger, mental blocks, fear of descents, and even thrombophlebitis in one leg…
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All the bad luck and conservatism were left behind in this Vuelta. It happened on the sterrato of Castelló. Pogacar attacked and went away as always. As almost never before, a cyclist came from behind and caught him in the middle of the Bartolo climb. That brave one was Enric Mas, who lost the sprint but won in greatness.
The misfortune of the Slovenian gave him an opportunity and a responsibility, and the one from Artà, mature, with legs and head, knew how to rise to the occasion. In Aitana, he proved to himself and to his rivals Roglic and Gall that he was the strongest with his first win in almost four years. “The one in Aitana is the most special of these 21 days,” he confessed after crossing the last finish line.
The team has protected him and even the weather has accompanied him. “Turn on the heaters,” he joked before the uphill finishes, where he always gained time. It has been all sunshine, no shadows. Finally. Although, at 31 years old, he assures that he always resisted. “I have dreamed it, fought for it, and worked for this. It is a reality that the team needed a victory like this. Now we have it,” he explained about Movistar’s leap. Twelve years after Contador, the Vuelta has a Spanish winner.
In Granada, Pello Bilbao wanted to do like Landa in the preview and give himself a last dance on the circuit with the climb to the Alhambra but was finally prevented by Johannessen, while David de la Cruz, Jesús Herrada, Magnus Cort, or Kruijswijk said goodbye to cycling.
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