Havana, September 18 (PL)-- U.S. cyclist Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) premiered Sunday his palmares in the Vuelta a España by winning the 78th edition, after the dispute of the 21st and last stage between the Zarzuela Racetrack and Madrid over 101 kilometers.
Kuss, the best gregario in the world peloton, led the overall classification with a time of 76:48.21 hours, ahead of two teammates, Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard and Slovenia's Primoz Roglic, 17 seconds and 1.0 minute behind, respectively.
The podium with three riders from the same team ratified an unprecedented fact in the history of cycling: the three big races of the year were won by the Dutch team.
A miscalculated breakaway by the peloton in the sixth section finishing in Javalambre gave Kuss the partial victory and a three-minute advantage over the big favorites. Two days later, in Xorret de Catí, he was already the leader to start the road to the title.
On the way to the capital he overcame the Valladolid time trial, then the Tourmalet stage and the mountain in Asturias, confirming that he could be the boss of Jumbo.
In 2013 triumphed, at the age of 42, the last representative of the American nation Chris Horner.
Now Kuss succeeds Belgian champion Remco Evenepoel, winner of three stages and the mountains, the big loser, despite his displays, in relation to the overall.
For Latin America, Colombian Santiago Buitrago (Team Bahrain Victorious) finished 10th, 11.38 minutes behind the winner.
In the rest of the classifications, the blue polka dot jersey of Evenepoel as king of the mountains, the green for points for Groves, the white for best young rider to the Spaniard Juan Ayuso (UAE Emirates) and the best team award for Jumbo Visma stand out.
This Sunday, Australian Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) won the last segment with a time of 2:24.13 hours, escorted by Italian Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) and German Nico Denz (Bora-Hansgrohe), both with the same time as the winner.
Out of seven sprint finishes in the Spanish race, Groves won three to confirm his power in the sprint.
In the middle of the Paseo del Prado, the riders from Madrid experienced a breakaway that put the peloton on the ropes, which could not avoid the triumph of the best sprinter.
Classification of stage 21:
1-Kaden Groves (AUS/Alpecin-Deceuninck) 2:24.13 hours.
2-Filippo Ganna (ITA/Ineos Grenadiers) m.t.
3-Nico Denz (GER/Bora-Hansgrohe) m.t.
4-Hugo Page (FRA/Intermarché-Circus) m.t.
5-Iván García Cortina (ESP/Movistar) m.t.
6-Rui Costa (POR/Intermarché-Circus) m.t.
7-Marijn van den Berg (NED/EF-EasyPost) m.t.
8-Remco Evenepoel (BEL/Soudal-Quick Step) m.t.
9-Dries Van Gestel (BEL/TotalEnergies) m.t.
10-Lennard Kamna (GER/Bora-Hansgrohe) m.t.
Overall standings:
1-Sepp Kuss (USA/Jumbo-Visma) 76:48.21 hrs.
2-Jonas Vingegaard (DIN/Jumbo-Visma) at 17 seconds.
3-Primoz Roglic (SLO/Jumbo-Visma) 1.08 minutes.
4-Juan Ayuso (ESP/UAE Emirates) 3.25.
5-Mikel Landa (ESP/Bahrain-Victorious) 3.44.
6-Enric Mas (ESP/Movistar) 4.14.
7-Aleksander Vlasov (RUSBora-Hansgrohe) 7.53.
8-Cian Uijtdebroeks (BEL/Bora-Hansgrohe) 8.00.
9-Joao Almeida (POR/UAE Emirates) 10.08.
10-Santiago Buitrago (COL/Team Bahrain Victorious) 11.38.
