This is a state of affairs: a first-week breakaway within the Vuelta a España sees a darkish horse favorite unexpectedly achieve appreciable time on the primary contenders and declare each the stage win and take a big benefit total. That is what occurred to Sepp Kuss in 2023 and it is occurred once more with Ben O’Connor in 2024.
Talking on the end in Yunquera, the 2023 Vuelta champion recognised there have been positively similarities between how he had each taken a stage victory final yr at Javalambre and made essential inroads on GC.
Not like O’Connor on stage 6 of the 2024 Vuelta a España, Kuss didn’t take the Vuelta lead at Javalambre, which went to younger French hopeful Lenny Martínez (Groupama-FDJ). However as Kuss mentioned, the parallels have been clear, in addition to the risks for the established GC stars in letting O’Connor achieve a lot time.
“For certain, virtually yearly there’s a break like this,” Kuss informed reporters on the end. “And it is a huge benefit and it was a pleasant race, at this time, too.”
As for whether or not the occasions of 2024 mirrored 2023, Kuss answered merely – “Completely. Like within the transfer in 2023, there have been plenty of guys within the break, they’d all misplaced time earlier on, so there are positively similarities. This was the right place to get in a transfer and achieve time.”
14th on the stage and in the identical foremost group of total contenders on the end Kuss has dropped again to fifteenth total, however his time hole on Roglič and all the opposite main pre-race favourites stays the identical. O’Connor although is now 6:05 forward.
The million-dollar query for main favorite Primož Roglič, whose Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe group severely underestimated O’Connor’s power, is whether or not they have the facility to reel the Australian again in on GC. Kuss, for one, thinks they may have an actual battle on their arms.
“For certain it is going to be actually exhausting to convey that point again,” he argued. “Ben’s a robust rider within the GC.”
Movistar and UAE Crew Emirates, a minimum of till Adam Yates crashed, have been current within the chase behind. However whereas O’Connor proved greater than able to fending them off, Kuss defined that he didn’t really feel that it was the wisest transfer to provide Bora a serving to hand too rapidly, given their standing as favourites.
“It is as much as the race favourites to make use of their group, all people is aware of that Bora are the favourites,” Kuss mentioned. “So we’ve to place stress on them. If we begin to assist them instantly, it is not enjoying the very best transfer.”
Nevertheless, the scenario with O’Connor gaining a lot time has put all the opposite contenders in a troublesome place, he added. However as a lot as that more durable state of affairs additionally affected Kuss himself, the American couldn’t assist however be impressed by what O’Connor had managed to do.
“No group needs a man like O’Connor that far forward,” Kuss concluded, “So – hats off to him.”
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