Enric Mas Rising Star

[Koronin]

López is under contract until 2023 as things stand. Obviously things may change on that front as the dust will settle and the plan going forward will be formulated, but as it presently appears they have 2 Grand Tour GC riders, 3 if you count Valverde.

It wouldn't surprise me if Movistar terminates Lopez's contract and even if they don't I can't see them trusting him enough to give him leadership in races that are important to them.
I think this Vuelta has solidified Mas as the one who will (if he hasn't already) taken the reigns of team leadership from Valverde.

 

[Red Rick]

It wouldn't surprise me if Movistar terminates Lopez's contract and even if they don't I can't see them trusting him enough to give him leadership in races that are important to them.
I think this Vuelta has solidified Mas as the one who will (if he hasn't already) taken the reigns of team leadership from Valverde.

He'll save Movistar next year by winning Paris-Roubaix clearly

 

[Koronin]

He'll save Movistar next year by winning Paris-Roubaix clearly

I'm hoping Cortina can have a good showing at Paris-Roubaix.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

It wouldn't surprise me if Movistar terminates Lopez's contract and even if they don't I can't see them trusting him enough to give him leadership in races that are important to them.
I think this Vuelta has solidified Mas as the one who will (if he hasn't already) taken the reigns of team leadership from Valverde.

Sure, but you said "as things stand", and at time of writing López is under contract for the next two years, and even after this latest episode he is a guy who has - and should have - a claim to GT leadership.

Things may change on that front, and if they don't it will likely be with significant concessions made by one or both sides, but as things stand they do have multiple GC threats.

 

[roundabout]

They may have multiple GC threats, but I guess some hesitancy in giving joint GT leadership will be expected.

Wild speculation, but probably Lopez won't be able to ask for leadership in 2 GTs in a year and he get's the 'demoted' to leading the Giro and then helping Mas in one of the other 2.

 

[Koronin]

After what Lopez pulled the only GT he has any hope of leading now with Movistar is the Giro. Mas may end up with sole leadership of the other two or shared leadership of la Vuelta with Valverde next year. I can't see Lopez getting any kind of leadership role again with the big targets for Movistar.

 

[Leinster]

With all due respect to what Bala has achieved in his long and storied career, I think a 27 year old Mas could be rightfully put out by being asked to “share leadership” with 40-whatever year old Valverde. As of this Vuelta, Mas is Movistar’s #1 GC leader, unless/until they sign/develop someone who can in the future podium multiple GTs.

 

[railxmig]

Valverde is too old for trying GC. Focus energy and try to earn that last, signature Vuelta stage win. Mas may be boring like a rock but the guy's solid... like a rock. With Slovenians and Ineos Latinos (Benal, Carapaz, Martinez?, Rodriguez?) it will be really hard for him to win a GT. However, if on half form he still fight for top 5 he will be a GC Valverde to Movistar for years to come.

BTW, i actually really like Mas because i'm an oldhead and i like my GC guys not sprinting side to side with Merlier or Bennett.

 

[Savant12]

If Pog, Rog and Bernie slog it out in the ToF then Mas could have a chance at a Vuelta with only one ITT. But no doubt it would be the year that Landa decides to show up and just dominates.

 

[Netserk]

Super impressive legs so far, I hope he will be able to bring his best come the Alps of the Tour. Too bad he doesn't have any results (to speak of) to show for it. With last year's Vuelta in mind and how he has been going so far, he seems like one of the podium favourites (IF no crashes etc.).

 

[Red Rick]

Mas is very high on my current "should really try to win Giro instead of try to get 2nd or 3rd at Tour" list.

 

[KZD]

Mas is very high on my current "should really try to win Giro instead of try to get 2nd or 3rd at Tour" list.

True but Movistar doesn't really care about the Giro so I doubt that is going to happen unless they find another GT talent

 

[Netserk]

Mas is very high on my current "should really try to win Giro instead of try to get 2nd or 3rd at Tour" list.

We are in a good era for strong Tour-Vuelta performances, I think he'll be strong in both.

 

[ice&fire]

He's become a worthy succesor of Porte as the rider not to have around in a descent.

 

[gregrowlerson]

Mas is very high on my current "should really try to win Giro instead of try to get 2nd or 3rd at Tour" list.

Mas has 2015 Aru season potential written all over him.

 

[staubsauger]

True but Movistar doesn't really care about the Giro so I doubt that is going to happen unless they find another GT talent

Huh? They've won it with Quintana & Indurain. Osa has been 3rd etc.

That's certainly not true. Certainly they've got an priority for the Tour & Vuelta, but eventually they take chances if they see them.

 

[StryderHells]

Huh? They've won it with Quintana & Indurain. Osa has been 3rd etc.

That's certainly not true. Certainly they've got an priority for the Tour & Vuelta, but eventually they take chances if they see them.

You can also add Carapaz to that list.

 

[Salvarani]

Huh? They've won it with Quintana & Indurain. Osa has been 3rd etc.

That's certainly not true. Certainly they've got an priority for the Tour & Vuelta, but eventually they take chances if they see them.

Valverde was also 3rd. The one time he has ridden it up until now.

 

[SHAD0W93]

True but Movistar doesn't really care about the Giro so I doubt that is going to happen unless they find another GT talent

There are many other teams that would love to have this in a Grand Tour they don’t really care about, or do.
2007 10th overall
2008 nothing
2009 8th overall
2010 2nd overall
2011 won 2 stages
2012 won 2 stages
2013 8th overall, 4 stages, and Trofeo Super Team
2014 1st overall, young rider, and 2 stages
2015 4th overall and KOM
2016 3rd overall and 1 stage
2017 2nd overall, 2 stages, and Trofeo Fast Team
2018 4th overall and 1 stage
2019 1st overall, 4th overall, 2 stages, and General Super Team
2020 first real bad edition in a long time with 13th best place, 0 stages, and best place in KOM 10th, their worst out of the previous 8 editions with finishing 6th or higher in the classification.
2021 even worse then the previous edition with 22nd best place.

 

[hayneplane]

Mas really needs to stop crashing on the biggest stages as this has followed the Carpegna descent crash that also killed a podium shot.
Hard to say whether it is technical or becoming psychological as an issue.

A shame as he was looking strong and the best performance he has shown outside of Grand Tours.

 

[Red Rick]

Mas really needs to stop crashing on the biggest stages as this has followed the Carpegna descent crash that also killed a podium shot.
Hard to say whether it is technical or becoming psychological as an issue.

A shame as he was looking strong and the best performance he has shown outside of Grand Tours.

Mas crashing is technical. He descends on the hoods, and he's not actually afraid, which causes him to take risks disproportionate to his abilities and crash a lot.

 

[KZD]

There are many other teams that would love to have this in a Grand Tour they don’t really care about, or do.
2007 10th overall
2008 nothing
2009 8th overall
2010 2nd overall
2011 won 2 stages
2012 won 2 stages
2013 8th overall, 4 stages, and Trofeo Super Team
2014 1st overall, young rider, and 2 stages
2015 4th overall and KOM
2016 3rd overall and 1 stage
2017 2nd overall, 2 stages, and Trofeo Fast Team
2018 4th overall and 1 stage
2019 1st overall, 4th overall, 2 stages, and General Super Team
2020 first real bad edition in a long time with 13th best place, 0 stages, and best place in KOM 10th, their worst out of the previous 8 editions with finishing 6th or higher in the classification.
2021 even worse then the previous edition with 22nd best place.

Giro is an important race for the ranking so they still care a bit about it but far from what they do with the Vuelta and the Tour. Plus during the 2014-2019 period, Movistar was one of the strongest teams around so it was normal that they got some big results in Giro, they were also lucky that their leaders didn't crash out unlike Sky.

 

[Red Rick]

They won the Giro when they decided that lol, ofourse Valverde leads the Tour instead of Quintana. Carapaz wasn't even the 3rd GC leader of Movistar going into the 2019 season

 

[staubsauger]

You can also add Carapaz to that list.

Valverde was also 3rd. The one time he has ridden it up until now.

Gosh, how the hell it's possible to remember Osa, but forget about Carapaz & Valverde!

Arroyo too of course, but he benefited from that major breakaway.

Movistar / iBanesto certainly is the least single centered team in the history of cycling. They've got favors, but are cautiously considering chances as well when planning their GT schedules.

 

[staubsauger]

They won the Giro when they decided that lol, ofourse Valverde leads the Tour instead of Quintana. Carapaz wasn't even the 3rd GC leader of Movistar going into the 2019 season

Nah, that's true about 2017. But that years route and racing actually was tailor-made for Valverde. If he just hadn't crashed out.

In 2014 the gave the Giro d'Italia a priority, because Quintana could actually win it, which he eventually did, and then double up at the Vuelta. Actually Valverde's peak was stronger at the 2014 Vuelta than it had been at the Tour earlier. Just like Quintana in 2016.

They clearly kinda snubbed the Tour de France that year, because they thought focusing on the Giro & Vuelta would create bigger changes. Which eventually played out for both Quintana & Valverde in 2014,despite the Colombian crashing out in Spain!