Enric Mas shifts Giro focus after major time loss: “I just want to win a stage”

It has not exactly been Enric Mas’ Giro d’Italia so far. The Spanish leader of Movistar arrived at the start in Bulgaria with serious ambitions, but after just over a week he is already more than thirteen minutes down on race leader Afonso Eulálio. In an interview with Marca, the Spaniard discussed his disappointing opening week.

Movistar came to the Giro with big expectations around Mas. The team wanted to compete for the overall victory with its GC leader, something that already looked very difficult beforehand but has now become virtually impossible after one week of racing. With a deficit of more than thirteen minutes, Mas can realistically forget about a strong final general classification.

Mas himself, however, insists that the Giro is still going according to a plan of sorts. “It is absolutely not a failure. We still have plenty of opportunities to turn things around,” he said. “There are still two weeks to go and we have several very good riders. I think things can still work out well,” he added, remaining positive despite the time loss.

Even so, the Spaniard will surely have hoped before the race that he had somehow rediscovered his best form. “I think it has to do with what I have been through in recent months. Since the Tour de France I have hardly raced, and I have barely been able to complete any proper training blocks. Right now I am simply adapting again, nothing more.”

Mas does not want to dramatize his time loss either. “It’s not as if someone has died. Cycling goes on, and life goes on too. We will keep giving everything until the finish. Nothing terrible has happened. We simply have to accept it, nothing more,” he said, looking ahead with a calm and positive attitude.

Finally, the Spaniard points to the good relationship within the team. 'We spend so much time together that some have practically become friends. The encouragement my teammates and the staff give me is crucial for me.' At least the time loss will cause the gun to change shoulders and Mas to emerge as the stage hijacker we already saw at last year's Tour. 'I'm not thinking about UCI points, I just want to win a stage.'

Finally, the Spaniard also pointed to the good atmosphere inside the team. “We spend so much time together that some people have practically become friends. The encouragement I get from my teammates and staff is crucial for me.” Teammate Iván García Cortina also played a special role in one of the more unusual stories of Mas’ Giro.

Mas had accidentally raced for several days in the jersey of Movistar’s women’s team. “I had no idea myself. Everything was my size and it fitted normally. The only difference was the logo. García Cortina showed it to me on Saturday evening. We laughed a lot when we realised it,” he told L’Équipe.

So the mood inside the team appears to be good, at least. Because of his time loss, Mas will now have to shift his focus. Rather than riding for the general classification, he is set to become the stage hunter we already saw at last year’s Tour de France. “I am not thinking about UCI points. I just want to win a stage.”