Enric Mas is the new leader of La Vuelta, but he did not want to wear the red jersey as a sign of respect towards Pogacar

Enric Mas is the new leader of the Vuelta a España 2026, but we will have to wait until tomorrow to see him in the red jersey. The Movistar Team cyclist inherited the leadership after the abandonment of Tadej Pogačar and, upon stepping onto the podium, decided not to wear the prized garment as a sign of respect towards the Slovenian.

Mas did receive the red jersey and showed it to the public, complying with the protocol and the race sponsors, but chose to hold it in his hands instead of wearing it. A small gesture that made it clear that this was not the way he would have wished to achieve the leadership of the Vuelta.

Enric Mas did not want to wear red after Pogačar's abandonment

Pogačar's fall and subsequent abandonment completely changed the race. The Slovenian started the stage with a 3:50 advantage over Mas and seemed to have the first position perfectly secured after a first week in which he had achieved three victories.

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Cycling, however, changed its course in a matter of seconds. Mas went from being the main pursuer of the red jersey to becoming the leader of the Vuelta, but the gravity of what happened made the sporting result momentarily take a back seat.

"It's a sad day. That's how sports are, and we have to move on", explained Mas after the stage. The Spaniard also mentioned that there was an immediate reaction within the peloton upon learning of the accident: "There are unwritten laws in the peloton, and when we found out about Pogačar's fall, we slowed down a bit. When we were informed of his abandonment, the race picked up again."

Hours later, Mas wanted to send a message directly to Pogačar through his social media:

"You never want to become the leader of a race this way. Stay strong, Tadej. We were really enjoying competing with you these days, and I hope we can do it again very soon. Now the most important thing is that you are well and have a good recovery."

Words that also explain his decision not to wear red on the podium. Mas acknowledged leaving the day with a "bittersweet feeling" and admitted that he needed time to process a situation that no one expected.

Mas and Pogačar were featuring one of the great duels of the Vuelta

The gesture takes on even more significance due to what happened in the last few days. Pogačar and Mas had become two of the main protagonists of this first week, and the Spaniard was one of the few riders capable of putting the world champion in difficulty.

The best demonstration came just two days earlier, in the spectacular stage of Puerto El Bartolo. Pogačar attacked on the steepest ramps and managed to open a gap with all his rivals, but Mas reacted from behind, gradually closing the gap alone and eventually caught up with him before the summit.

It was a very unusual sight in recent years. Once Pogačar had managed to break away, Mas not only managed to return to his wheel but even surpassed him to reach the top of El Bartolo first. Both finished together at the finish line, and the Slovenian took the victory in the sprint.

That duel seemed destined to continue throughout the rest of the Vuelta. Now the scenario is completely different.

Enric Mas begins a new Vuelta as leader

Starting tomorrow, Mas will have to fully embrace his new status. The Movistar Team rider will start the next stage wearing the red jersey and with a much more open race ahead.

The Spaniard leads the general classification by 1:11 over Felix Gall, while Primož Roglič is 1:33 behind, and Sepp Kuss occupies fourth place at 2:15.

Mas made it clear after the stage that, once he has processed what happened, Movistar will fight to defend the leadership. The sporting situation represents a huge opportunity for the Balearic, even if it has come in a way that no cyclist desires.