Enric Mas has confirmed his plans to compete in the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España in 2024, with a primary focus on the French Grand Tour. Accompanied by Nairo Quintana, who returns to Movistar next season, Mas will lead the team in their ambitions at the Grand Tours.
However, Mas confirmed that he and the team mutually agreed that he not compete in the Giro d'Italia.
"Yes, I spoke about it with the team [about the Giro d'Italia], but they told me that everything would go to the Tour de France," Mas recently told Spanish media outlets AS and Relevo.
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Mas also targeted both the Tour de France and Vuelta a España in 2023, as he has in the previous four seasons. However, his ambitions were cut short this year after a crash on stage 1 sidelined him from competing in the rest of the Tour de France. He went on to finish sixth overall at the Vuelta a España.
"We focus again on trying to reverse the situation. We spent several days shuffling a little about what we were doing, and the boss came and said let's move on. In the Tour, I have a big thorn in my side, and we have to get it out," Mas said.
Quintana is set to make his comeback to racing next season, rejoining his former team Movistar for 2024. His return comes after a hiatus of over 12 months following his positive test for tramadol and subsequent disqualification from the 2022 Tour de France.
In-competition use of tramadol was barred by the UCI in 2019, but it will only be added to the WADA banned list from January 1, 2024. But although Quintana was allowed to continue racing after his positive tests, he was unable to find a team for 2023.
He previously spent eight seasons racing with Movistar from 2012 to 2019, where he won the 2014 Giro d’Italia and the 2016 Vuelta a España.
"He became great here, at Movistar. He had a four-year break when he was not at home, but he was trusted again, and I think that, as a cycling fan, we are going to enjoy him," Mas said.
Movistar have yet to outline Quintana's Grand Tour plans in 2024, but Quintana has pointed to the Giro d'Italia as a possible target.
Mas will once again lead the team at the Tour de France, where he finished fifth in 2020 and sixth in 2021, and the Vuelta a España, where he has finished second overall on three occasions in 2018, 2021 and 2022.
Asked which route suits him better, Mas said, "Both. They are very tough, and I highlight that this year, the Tour leaves Italy, a country that I really like, and ends with a tough time trial that can make important differences. In La Vuelta, there are about thirteen high finishes … That says a lot."
Mas confirmed that he will begin his season at Tirreno-Adriatico and Volta a Catalunya and then continue to the Tour de Romandía, Spanish Nationals and the Tour de France. He will then look to the Olympic Games, Vuelta a España, World Championships and end-of-season Italian Classics.
