Enric Mas y el laurel de la perseverancia: el mallorquín gana la Vuelta

Enric Mas, a 31-year-old Mallorcan cyclist, is the subject of a story that highlights the theme of perseverance. Despite being labeled as someone who lacked offensive play and never won a race, Mas was never an offensive player by nature. This narrative positioned him in a position to follow in the footsteps of Raymon Poulidor, a French cyclist who consistently finished as second in the Tour de France from the 1960s and 1970s, but never took home the victory.

Poulidor's success was often overshadowed by the dominance of Eddy Merckx and Bernard Hinault. However, while Poulidor's popularity grew due to his effort, Mas' struggles were met with criticism from fans and media alike. This criticism stemmed from Mas' perceived lack of success compared to other legendary cyclists like Indurain, Purito, Valverde, Flecha, and Contador, who have all followed in their predecessor's footsteps.

Mas had already amassed four podium finishes in the Vuelta and two top-ten finishes in the Tour de France, which made his achievements seem enviable by most of his fellow cyclists. However, this did not prevent a group of fans from clamoring for Mas to return to the path of success. José Joaquín Rojas, the sports director of Movistar, noted that Mas had been unfairly treated. This sentiment resonated throughout the cycling world and with Mas himself, who was known for being aloof and less communicative during interviews.