Enric Mas Rising Star

[KZD]

He was really impressive today on a finish that didn't suit him so well but he will need to hve a great third week to win the Vuelta.

 

[Salvarani]

He was really impressive today on a finish that didn't suit him so well but he will need to hve a great third week to win the Vuelta.

He usually doesnt fade.

Still possible that Roglic can have a bad day or fade. It has happened before in his case.

 

[roundabout]

Question is how often is the rider who had done the previous GT for GC is the strongest of all in week 3 of the next GT in the same year.

 

[Pinot's goat]

Question is how often is the rider who had done the previous GT for GC is the strongest of all in week 3 of the next GT in the same year.

Dumoulin in 2018 TdF? Seemed on par with Thomas at worst.

Quintana in 2016 Vuelta although competition was Froome who had also done TdF for GC.

 

[Netserk]

Vuelta 2017 and Vuelta 2016.

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Question is how often is the rider who had done the previous GT for GC is the strongest of all in week 3 of the next GT in the same year.

Landa 2017 and 2019. 2017 he didn't do gc in Giro but still dominated mountains. 2019 he was not quite strongest in TDF but up there.

 

[roundabout]

Yeah, seems like there are enough examples, so I am more hopeful for Mas now.

 

[Red Rick]

In 2016 all the contenders came from the Tour. And are we really supposed to use Froome as the reference?

 

[CyclistAbi]

Great ride so far.

 

[IndurainsTdF1994]

The friendliness between Roggie and Massie reminds me of Poggla in TdF 2020. Not that the history necessarily repeats itself…

 

[Leinster]

Yeah, seems like there are enough examples, so I am more hopeful for Mas now.

Except the obvious Roglic comparison is probably Contador crashing out of the Tour early and dominating the Vuelta in 2014 (Froome also crashed out of the Tour and finished 2nd in the Vuelta).

Roglic to win the 2022 Giro, anyone?

 

[Kaptain Kool]

In 2016 all the contenders came from the Tour. And are we really supposed to use Froome as the reference?

Yeah, it's basically Quintana and Froome in 2016 and Froome in 2017.
Landa was never the strongest climber in either his 1st or 2nd GT of any year. If the argument is "among the strongest" climbers, then there are plenty of examples post-2016. But that's meaningless here.

 

[Pinot's goat]

Yeah, it's basically Quintana and Froome in 2016 and Froome in 2017.
Landa was never the strongest climber in either his 1st or 2nd GT of any year. If the argument is "among the strongest" climbers, then there are plenty of examples post-2016. But that's meaningless here.

I think the point is Landa was able to hold a similar level throughout the harder grand tour double so Mas should be fine as Landa is the GC contender than Mas is most similar to imo, never the best climber but consistent and seems to have superior recovery to other riders of similar climbing level.

 

[Netserk]

Yeah, it's basically Quintana and Froome in 2016 and Froome in 2017.
Landa was never the strongest climber in either his 1st or 2nd GT of any year. If the argument is "among the strongest" climbers, then there are plenty of examples post-2016. But that's meaningless here.

It was Contador, not Froome, who was the strongest climber of the third week of the 2017 Vuelta.

 

[Leinster]

Yeah, it's basically Quintana and Froome in 2016 and Froome in 2017.
Landa was never the strongest climber in either his 1st or 2nd GT of any year. If the argument is "among the strongest" climbers, then there are plenty of examples post-2016. But that's meaningless here.

2015 Giro, tbf. Won 2 uphill finish stages, Lost 4' to Contador on the TT, finished 3'05" down on GC, while working for Aru (2nd @ 1'53") for a lot of the race.

 

[Koronin]

Mas is definitely impressive in this Vuelta. Also Mas is showing so far, he can lead this team. Now can he win the Vuelta? Great question. I think it's possible, but Roglic has the advantage with that TT still coming. Mas CAN do a good TT when on form, but he's still going to lose time to Roglic.

 

[perico]

Mas is definitely impressive in this Vuelta. Also Mas is showing so far, he can lead this team. Now can he win the Vuelta? Great question. I think it's possible, but Roglic has the advantage with that TT still coming. Mas CAN do a good TT when on form, but he's still going to lose time to Roglic.

I think he will win a Vuelta, and if this is his true arrival and he is reaching his potential, then he could win a Tour.
It may not happen this year, but he is showing he is good enough to do so. We’ll see how the next week goes though.

 

[Leinster]

Mas is definitely impressive in this Vuelta. Also Mas is showing so far, he can lead this team. Now can he win the Vuelta? Great question. I think it's possible, but Roglic has the advantage with that TT still coming. Mas CAN do a good TT when on form, but he's still going to lose time to Roglic.

Are you asking if he can win A Vuelta, or if he can win THIS Vuelta.

I think on this showing so far, IF he can repeat it, he can probably win a Vuelta in his career.

 

[Koronin]

I think he will win a Vuelta, and if this is his true arrival and he is reaching his potential, then he could win a Tour.
It may not happen this year, but he is showing he is good enough to do so. We’ll see how the next week goes though.

I definitely think he's capable of winning a Vuelta and maybe even a Tour. Not sure he can win it this year. If he still had his full team and the climbing help of Valverde he would have a much better chance of winning this Vuelta.

Are you asking if he can win A Vuelta, or if he can win THIS Vuelta.

I think on this showing so far, IF he can repeat it, he can probably win a Vuelta in his career.

Sorry, I was referring to winning this Vuelta. With this level and the possibility he could reach a higher level than this, I do think he can win a Vuelta and maybe even more than 1 Vuelta (which Movistar would be happy about).

 

[lenric]

Mas can't beat Pogacar no matter how much he improves. But he can definitely win a couple of Vueltas.

 

[perico]

Mas can't beat Pogacar no matter how much he improves. But he can definitely win a couple of Vueltas.

Two years ago Bernal was going to dominate. Fignon looked unbeatable after 1984. Etc...

 

[Leinster]

Two years ago Bernal was going to dominate. Fignon looked unbeatable after 1984. Etc...

“This Ullrich kid is never going to lose a Tour…”

 

[gunara]

Mas can't beat Pogacar no matter how much he improves. But he can definitely win a couple of Vueltas.

It's safer to say that this version of Mas will never reach Pogacar's current level, which still opens the possibility for Pogacar to "reach" current Mas' level.

 

[Leinster]

Sorry, I was referring to winning this Vuelta. With this level and the possibility he could reach a higher level than this, I do think he can win a Vuelta and maybe even more than 1 Vuelta (which Movistar would be happy about).

Yeah, he has a big task to win this Vuelta, but then, for all that Roglic is in charge of this race, there's only just over a half minute between them, and Mas has pulled out some decent ITT results in the past, so it's not over...

 

[Koronin]

Yeah, he has a big task to win this Vuelta, but then, for all that Roglic is in charge of this race, there's only just over a half minute between them, and Mas has pulled out some decent ITT results in the past, so it's not over...

He needs to be in the lead going into the TT by likely about a minute if he can pull off one of his best TTs at that point. I do agree he has a chance, but without his full team it's gotten a lot harder.

I am impressed with his leadership. The last time Valverde left a GT due to an injury the team fell apart. Mas has been able to keep them together and working together.