Vuelta 2023: Triple success for Jumbo on the Angliru - Kuss saves eight seconds on his birthday

The American is now only eight seconds ahead of Tour winner Vingegaard. If noble helper Kuss had had to hand over the jersey to his team-mate today of all days, it would have had a particularly bad aftertaste. Because Kuss celebrated his 29th birthday on the day of the 17th stage. And the attack by Roglic, who took his second stage win and the fifth for the team in the course of the tour, was not absolutely necessary.

Kiss sparks, but Roglic drives on

Because when Kuss was no longer able to keep up with his two captains, the three Jumbo-driver was already on his own. When the gap opened up, the birthday boy reached for the radio, but Roglic did not press the brakes. He had noticed the situation, said the three-time Vuelta winner. "But I rode my own pace. I told him at the finish to keep fighting." His jubilation at the finish line might show that he does have a bit of a guilty conscience. Because apart from a little finger pointing, there was none.

Kuss remained true to himself, smiled at the finish and said: "I didn't expect to be able to stay on for so long. I'm happy to be riding with and working for two such great champions." Vingegaard also commented on the situation. "I hope that Sepp keeps the red jersey," confirmed the Tour de France winner, who will have a say in the outcome. After all, he kept behind Roglic, staying on his rear wheel the whole time.

>> All results of the Vuelta 2023

Vuelta 2023: The top 10 of the 17th stage

1. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) 3:15:56
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +0:00
3. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) +0:19
4. Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) +0:19
5. Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious) +0:44
6. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) +0:58
7. Cian Uijtebroeks (Bora-Hansgrohe) +1:20
8. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) +1:20
9. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) +1:42
10. Enric Mas (Movistar) +1:43

The biggest loser of the day was Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates). The Spaniard, who was sixth overall before the stage, failed with an early attack and ended up so far behind that he slipped out of the top 10. Improved by two places Bora-Youngster Cian Uijtebroeks. After being left behind early on, the 20-year-old Belgian fought back and overtook many of his GC rivals on the way. He is now in 7th place in both the daily and overall standings. This means he has also overtaken his captain Aleksandr Vlasov again.

>> Classification jerseys and regulations - the rules of the 2023 Vuelta

The top 10 in the Vuelta overall standings after stage 17

1. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) 60:34:21
2. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma) +0:08
3. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) +1:08
4. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) +4:00
5. Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious) +4:16
6. Enric Mas (Movistar) +4:30
7. Cian Uijtdebroeks (Bora-Hansgrohe) +6:43
8. Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) +7:38
9. Joao ALmeida (UAE Team Emirates) +9:26
10. Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious) +11:26

In addition to Kuss, all the other jersey wearers were also able to defend their shirts. Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) continues to lead the junior rankings. Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) remains the best points scorer and thus in the green jersey. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal - Quick Step) collected 20 more points for the mountain classification.

This was the 17th stage of the Vuelta 2023

Evenepoel tried to break into the group of the day on the 124-kilometre stage. And it took around 55 kilometres and several attempts before he succeeded. But there wasn't much of a group left. Of the original eleven riders, apart from team-mate Mattia Cattaneo and Lorenzo Germani (Groupama-FDJ) all dropped back. A short time later, the young Italian was also unable to follow the Soudal duo.

>> All stages of the Vuelta at a glance

Instead, Soler set off in pursuit on the climb to the first mountain of the day, the Alto de la Colladiella (1st category). At the summit, where Evenepoel secured ten more mountain points for his jersey, the Spaniard was just over a minute behind the leaders. The peloton was 2:30 minutes behind.

Bahrain works, Jumbo wins

At the Alto de Cordal, 26 kilometres before the finish, Cattaneo's job was done. He dropped Evenepoel at the foot of the mountain and then stopped. Soler, who meanwhile received support from Germani and Eduardo Sepulveda (Lotto Dstny), was already two minutes behind again, the peloton almost three. At the summit, Soler was caught and Evenepoel's lead had shrunk to 2:20 minutes. Bahrain Victoriouswhich took over the pace work with five riders, had ensured this.

Evenepoel then entered the Altu de l'Angliru with a lead of just 1:20 minutes. Up to the extremely steep last 7000 metres, the 23-year-old had hardly lost any ground. Just one and a half kilometres later, however, it was all over for him.

With 4.5 kilometres to go, a curious picture emerged: three Bahrain Victorious with Wout Poels, Mikel Landa and Santiago Buitrago and three Jumbo with Vingegaard, Roglic and Kuss - that was the front. And it sank into dense fog over the last few kilometres. Jumbo gradually shook off the competition - until the trio was alone.

With 2000 metres to go, Kuss also ran into problems. But Roglic pulled away and knew no mercy. The Slovenian also pulled away on the last downhill kilometre, leaving Vingegaard on his rear wheel. Kuss was lucky that Landa was able to catch up from behind. He picked up the pace again on Landa's rear wheel and made it to the finish.