Mas, who finished sixth in the Tour last year and fifth in 2020, declared “it’s time to go it alone” during Movistar’s team presentation.
Though the 27-year-old will face stiff competition from defending Tour champion Tadej Pogačar and Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), he acknowledged his hopes of victory rest on “working as hard as possible and then working hard some more”.
Standing on the highest podium place is a goal also shared by van Vleuten, who was with Mas, Alejandro Valverde, and Emma Norsgaard for the presentation in Spain.
The 39-year-old hopes to cement her coveted place in women’s cycling with a victory at the inaugural event, before switching her attention to the World Championships.
Norsgaard, too, intends to go all out for the Classics and the Tour, having burst onto the scene as a promising young talent who placed sixth in the Paris Roubaix Femmes last year.
“Last year was a surprise for me,” Norsgaard said. “I don’t know if I can win Paris-Roubaix this year.
“It’s a major challenge and these kinds of races are my favourites. It’s a Classic I’d love to have in my palmares.”
The women’s side will begin their season at the Vuelta CV Feminas on February 6, while the Movistar men open things with the Challenge de Mallorca on January 26.
READ MORE
How to watch cycling LIVE on SBS
