In years gone by, the words Movistar and tactical masterclass were incompatible, polar opposites, an oxymoron even. Rightly questioned on several occasions for how they approached the biggest races and utilised their multiple leaders, on today's stage 12 of the Vuelta a España, the Spanish team completely flipped the script, executing a perfect plan with their figurehead Enric Mas gaining time on all of his rivals and strengthening his hold on the GC leader's red jersey.
And for Mas too, this 2026 race has been a complete reversal of his previous outcomes and experiences from the Vuelta. Always the bridesmaid, Mas is a three-time runner-up and has finished in the top six on six occasions at the Vuelta, but before this ongoing edition, he had never really looked like he would win his home race.
