Today in Granada, Enric Mas has written an indelible page in cycling history by conquering the Vuelta a España. In this edition of the race, we have witnessed a completely different Enric Mas: smiling and open to confrontation, ready to defend and attack. Despite Tadej Pogacar's withdrawal, which raised doubts about the value of the victory, Mas does not want to dwell on this. He has decided to leave behind his past as an eternal runner-up and embrace the present as the new idol of Spanish cycling, on par with legends like Valverde, Contador, and Purito.

This Vuelta has marked Mas's transformation into a more mature rider, capable of accepting criticism and appreciating praise. After two years away from the fight for the general classification due to surgery for thrombophlebitis and a hand injury, Mas knew he was in peak condition. "I'm getting back to enjoying the suffering," he had reflected before the race, fully aware of his athletic progress. Despite his past record of unfulfilled promises, this time his words transformed into concrete facts.

Members of his staff jokingly called him a "madman" for his preference to race in extreme temperatures. "Put heaters on the road," he had shouted during the early stages of the race. And although he later admitted that the heat was excessive, his determination never wavered. At the top of El Bartolo, Mas demonstrated his excellent condition by catching up to Pogacar, earning applause and respect.

After Pogacar's withdrawal, Mas put on the red jersey and won a stage of a Grand Tour for the second time in his career, consolidating his status as leader. The team, while celebrating soberly, recognized Mas's leap in quality. Protected by his teammates and strong in his abilities, he repelled attacks from rivals and launched offensives that made his superiority clear.

His triumph represents the first Grand Tour victory for a Spaniard since 2015. Expectations were high, but Mas managed them with mastery. "Expectations come from the team, but especially from myself," he declared, aware that he had reached a new level of excellence.

With today's victory, Enric Mas definitively enters the elite of world cycling, welcomed by the crowd that finally loves him for his big heart and dedication to sacrifice. His entire family was in Granada, and his eyes, for the first time in so long, shone like those of a child. "It's difficult to explain the emotions I'm feeling. I'm happy and everything is incredible and I owe everything to my team and my family. I don't know what else to say, I'm happy." Mas did not win alone, and his joy represents that of all of Spain, which in its home race has finally returned to the top step of the podium.