Stage 14 of La Vuelta a España 2026, held between Jaén and Sierra de la Pandera, concluded with a victory for German cyclist Marco Brenner (Tudor) after a breakaway. Spanish rider Enric Mas (Movistar Team) consolidated his leadership in the general classification, increasing his distance over his main rival, Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe).
Mas expressed satisfaction with the team's strategy, which allowed him to extend his lead in the general standings. "It was a perfect team strategy. I think we executed it very well," Mas commented at the finish line. He highlighted the work of his teammates, especially Raúl García Pierna, who assisted him during the toughest moments of the final climb.
With this stage win and the time gained, Enric Mas now leads by 2.06 minutes over Felix Gall, who moves up to second place, and 2.10 minutes over Primoz Roglic. "The advantage over Roglic provides peace of mind," stated Mas, adding that he felt good and attacked on the climb.
Regarding the pressure of wearing the red jersey, Mas assured he doesn't feel it particularly, although he warned against overconfidence. "There's still a week left, anything can happen," he noted. Concerning the stage reduction from Palma del Río to Córdoba due to high temperatures, Mas mentioned that his origin in Mallorca gives him a certain advantage in adapting to extreme heat conditions.
The stage between Palma del Río and Córdoba has been modified, reducing its route from 190 to 110 kilometers due to the predicted high temperatures.
