[ad_1]
MADRID — A decade later, the US has a Grand Tour winner once more.
Sepp Kuss received the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday to change into the primary American to win certainly one of biking’s high races since Chris Horner earned the Vuelta victory in 2013. The opposite Grand Tour occasions are the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France.
Kuss had successfully secured the victory forward of Sunday’s largely ceremonial stage, when rivals within the Spanish capital revered his lead and didn’t launch any assaults as per biking custom.
“It’s unbelievable. I feel right now was the stage that I suffered the a lot of the complete race, now I’m simply glad it’s over,” Kuss mentioned. “It’s life-changing for positive. I feel I’ll look again on this expertise with quite a lot of enjoyable recollections. It’s nonetheless sinking in, I feel it’s gonna take fairly a while. Now, a giant celebration. Household, associates are right here, and that’s gonna be actually particular.”
It was a stunning victory for Kuss, who entered the race in a supporting function to his Jumbo-Visma teammates Jonas Vingegaard — the two-time Tour de France winner — and Primoz Roglic, a three-time Vuelta winner.
Vingegaard and Roglic completed second and third general, respectively, capping a dominant efficiency and a historic treble for Jumbo-Visma, which swept all three Grand Tour occasions this yr. Roglic received the Giro d’Italia in Might and Vingegaard repeated as Tour de France champion in July.
Kuss crossed the road alongside together with his teammates, who have been all sporting a particular jersey in honor of the crew’s treble.
Alpecin-Deceuninck rider Kaden Groves prevailed within the last dash to win the final stage.
Kuss took the lead within the eighth stage and by no means relinquished it regardless of being pushed onerous by his teammates a couple of occasions. The American held his personal on troublesome climbs up the Col du Tourmalet in France and the Alto de l’Angliru in northern Spain, ending the three-week race with a 17-second benefit.
The 29-year-old from Durango, Colorado, began biking as a method to practice all yr for his ardour of cross-country snowboarding. However he finally modified the skis for wheels and has for a number of seasons featured as one of many high help riders for Jumbo-Visma. He now lives in Andorra together with his spouse within the Pyrenees Mountains nestled between Spain and France.
The ultimate stage started at Madrid’s horse-racing monitor and ended with riders taking laps round among the iconic monuments within the Spanish capital.
Kuss took it straightforward inside the peloton and was celebrated by his rivals and followers who lined Madrid’s streets.
Final yr’s champion, Remco Evenepoel of Soudal Fast-Step, ended as King of the Mountains and have become the primary Belgian to win the Vuelta’s most combative award. Groves grew to become the primary Australian to win the factors standings, whereas 21-year-old Juan Ayuso of Spain was one of the best younger rider.
Organizers introduced Sunday that the 2024 version of the Vuelta will start in Portugal, with the cities of Lisbon, Oeiras and Cascais internet hosting the race’s official begin.
Lisbon was the primary international metropolis to host a Vuelta begin again in 1997.
[ad_2]
