Vuelta a Espana: Dan Lloyd left 'gobsmacked' by Jumbo-Visma as Sean Kelly remarks 'they just broke everyone' on Stage 13
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Published 08/09/2023 at 17:19 GMT
Jumbo-Visma asserted their authority at Stage 13 of the 2023 Vuelta a Espana on Friday as they recorded a 1-2-3 finish. Jonas Vingegaard secured a first-place finish, with Sepp Kuss coming in second to extend his lead at the top of the general classification. Primoz Roglic was third on the day but he is Kuss's closest challenger in the overall standings as the team continue to dominate.
'They broke everybody' - Kelly reacts to Jumbo-Visma domination on Stage 13
Dan Lloyd and Sean Kelly on Eurosport show The Breakaway were full of praise for a Jumbo-Visma team who secured a 1-2-3 finish at Stage 13 of the Vuelta a Espana.
Before what was a big day of climbing in the Pyrenees, there was a suggestion that the team would have a strong showing after an impressive effort so far, and they finished with the general classification’s top three in their possession.
Sepp Kuss extended his lead at the top of the GC, Jonas Vingegaard won the stage and sits in third, and Primoz Roglic rounded out the podium to move up to second spot in the overall standings.
While there had been some anticipation of success for the team, Lloyd was taken aback by the total dominance they demonstrated on what was a crucial day.
Speaking on The Breakaway on Eurosport, he said: "I think we went through a few scenarios, how they would play their cards, but I don’t think we said they would play them one, two, three, and probably one, two, three in the general classification."
Jumbo-Visma established themselves more firmly at the top of the standings with an ominously good ride, a feeling exacerbated as Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) faded away on the first climb, finishing 60th and over 27 minutes down, in a setback that will cost him any chance of defending his title. Joao Almeida (UAE Team Emirates) also fell out of contention as he finished 15th on the day, leaving him 10th in the GC.
“I think everyone is a bit gobsmacked," Lloyd said. "But it’s so difficult for the other riders and the other teams, when you’ve got the elimination of a rider like Remco Evenepoel, and when you’ve got the elimination of a rider like Joao Almedia, who's from that three-pronged UAE Team Emirates attack. What are you going to do with [Enric] Mas and [Juan] Ayuso, who’s 20 years of age?
"But you can’t take anything away from Jumbo-Visma. They were so strong today, they didn't have a bad moment in the race. They can afford to play those cards and the other two that haven’t played can sit behind. They haven’t saved a load of energy because of the eight percent gradient, but they saved some, and they were still strong enough at the end.
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'Riders are human' - Reaction to Vingegaard emotions after Stage 13 triumph
"It isn’t just those three. You've got to take your hat off to the riders who helped them get to that point, without whom they might have had to sacrifice one of their leaders. We had Wilco Kelderman and before that, Robert Gesink. They took them deep enough that Vingegaard felt he could attack and take it to the finish line."
Cycling legend Kelly pointed to the Dutch team’s ability to not just resist attacks, but to ride with their own aggression.
He explained: “I think with modern cycling, we’re seeing these amazing performances. Jumbo-Visma, we were expecting three top men from Jumbo, but to dominate with three at the climb... what a performance.
"They just broke everyone on that final climb. The morale of the other riders, there’s nothing you can do against Jumbo-Visma. Vingegaard rides again, and what a ride from Kuss again.
“I think when we said Jumbo-Visma, the three prongs going into the final climb, one was going to sacrifice their ride, but it wasn’t the situation at all. We saw attacks from other riders, but it was just killed off very quickly. They were the ones who started attacking then. No chance at all for the other riders to have any possibility of doing something in the final, top three on the podium and in the GC.”
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Highlights from Stage 13 of Vuelta as Vingegaard leads home Jumbo 1-2-3, Remco cracks
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