Sepp Kuss and Jumbo-Visma claimed a historic triumph in the Vuelta a España on Sunday, as the Dutch squad became the first-ever team to secure all three Grand Tours in a single year and simultaneously claimed a clean 1-2-3 sweep in the final Vuelta podium.
After the Giro d’Italia earlier this season with Primož Roglič and then the Tour de France, for a second time, with Jonas Vingegaard in July, on Sunday in Madrid’s central Paseo de la Castellana boulevard it was Kuss’ turn to conquer a Grand Tour.
Despite slippery city centre road surfaces from earlier rain in the day, the Jumbo-Visma triumvirate enjoyed a trouble-free final stage, in the process becoming the first squad to capture all three top spots in a Grand Tour since the legendary Basque squad, KAS, in the Vuelta way back in 1966.
With the team wearing specially designed jerseys to commemorate their historic triple of Grand Tour victories, Roglič, Kuss and Vingegaard repeatedly posed for the photographers at the front of the pack during the stage.
Then when the Vuelta swept onto the Castellana finishing circuit for the first time, Jumbo-Visma formed ranks at the front of the peloton to mark their collective success.
After crossing the finish line next to the famous Plaza de Cibeles fountains for the last time and with the overall win definitively in the bag, the squad massed together to celebrate Kuss’ victory amidst a sea of photographers. The American then raised his bike above his head in celebration, as the night closed in and the lighting gave the fountains of Cibeles square a special red hue to celebrate the race.
“When I woke up I thought I was dreaming, it’ll take a long time for me to get used to it.” Kuss told Spanish TV before the stage.
“I don’t know if today is the happiest day of my career, because a Grand Tour success is something you build over multiple stages, but it’s certainly one of them.”
The sixth US rider to win a Grand Tour, Kuss’ winning margin of 17 seconds over second-placed Vingegaard is the eleventh smallest in Grand Tour history. His margin falls between the 2012 Giro d’Italia, which Canadian Ryder Hesjedal won by 16 seconds and the 1982 Vuelta a España, which Basque Marino Lejarreta won by 18.
Kuss drew massive cheers from the crowds both throughout and after the stage, and already on Saturday evening’s press conference the American had recognised he felt he had a special connection with Spanish cycling supporters.
“Each year I’m a…
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