Evenepoel flies in Asturias and Vingegaard 'gives' the Vuelta to Sepp Kuss
In this Return of the torpor caused by the tyranny of Jumbo Visma, of the only curiosity of how they will divide the loot, no one like Remco Evenepoel. The bravery of a guy who honors the Spanish round, who goes back to that fateful day in which he lost everything on the way to the Tourmalet with more hunger, with renewed objectives, with the ambition of which it did not even occur to him to abandon. In the unprecedented port of La Cruz de Linares, in the heart of Asturias, another exhibition, a solo victory, the third in this Vuelta, the 50th of his career at the age of 23. [Narration and ratings]
“But without attacking us”: the meeting between Vingegaard, Roglic and Kuss and the Angliru mess
Mikel Landa is also courageous, who will be a member of Remco in the next Tour, another who bets on rock and roll, even if it is for the crumbs of a fourth place, of being the best Spaniard. As in Angliru, the Alavés made Bahrain – especially the powerful Wout Poels – give everything, not to settle. But he does not have the strength, nor does Juan Ayuso or Enric Mas, who shamelessly confesses that he cannot take it anymore, or anyone who does not wear yellow and black.. Any attempt was stopped by Jonas Vingegaard with an overwhelming feeling of superiority.. But the double winner of the Tour is not going to win this Vuelta: this Thursday he announced that it will be a gift for his most faithful gregarious.
Just what Sepp Kuss didn't want: a gift. But the American, everyone's favorite, leaves Asturias in red and only the mountains of Madrid and that stage full of traps on Saturday separate him from history. In Landa's harness, Vingegaard came to his rescue, the roles changed, the future favors. And meanwhile, Primoz Roglic is waiting, the third in contention.
Kuss, entering the finish line. AFP
Even the Dane left a few seconds at the finish line (9) after the only final acceleration by Enric Mas. So even the bonuses no longer threaten the smiling Kuss. “It's nice to be able to give something back after all the work he's done for us,” Jonas admitted at the top.. “The team has decided that Kuss wins the Vuelta. “I have mixed feelings,” Roglic protests.. And that hint of controversy explains everything, what is happening and what is to come in the Dutch squad.
After two lightning stages of just over 120 kilometers, Thursday's was close to 180, but for 150 hardly anything happened. The torpor. The Jumbo (and the rest) decided that the best thing was to leave freedom to the getaway, which, of course, would be Remco Evenepoel. And later we will see. And if nothing happened, so much the better.
The advantage, while Remco's 13 brave companions consumed ports (among them, Egan Bernal and Imanol Erviti, the only Spaniard), increased to unheard of limits (almost 12 minutes). And in the first of the ascents to the Cruz de Linares no one could resist the power of the Belgian, neither Damiano Caruso nor the young Max Poole. Solo Evenepoel until the end. Very brave.