Primoz Roglic beat Remco Evenepoel to win the mountainous eighth stage of the Vuelta, whereas Jumbo-Visma teammate Sepp Kuss took the lead of the three-week race.
In a duel of the final two Vuelta winners, Roglic bettered Evenepoel in a dash to the end line after a climb up the category-one Xorret del Catí. It was Roglic’s first stage win of this version and his eleventh profession stage win at the Vuelta.
Roglic gained three Vueltas in a row from 2019-2021. The Slovenian is aiming to get well his title after he crashed and withdrew from final 12 months’s race gained by Evenepoel.
“I’m thrilled with this,” Roglic stated. “It’s always a bit of a gamble in a sprint like this, but it worked out well.”
Kuss turned the first American rider to lead certainly one of the three Grand Tours since Chris Horner gained the 2013 Vuelta.
“I knew there was a chance I could take the jersey depending on how the stage went,” Kuss stated. “It wasn’t till I crossed the line that I noticed I had accomplished it.
“I will try and enjoy it because it’s not something I will experience very often.”
Lenny Martínez misplaced the purple jersey he had worn for 2 levels after the Frenchman cracked on the day’s fifth and ultimate ascent after a 165-kilometer journey from Dénia in japanese Spain.
Remco Evenepoel stated that he incorrectly thought there was one other rider forward of his group that had was set to win the stage when he and Roglic sprinted.
“I really believe I could have won, but the thing is I thought there was still a rider in front,” the Belgian stated. “It was a communication problem and it’s frustrating, but it is as it is.”
Sunday’s Stage 9 is a hilly 184.5-kilometer journey from Cartagena to Collado de la Cruz de Caravaca.
⏪ Tras las duras rampas del Xorret de Catí, llega el dash. 🔥⚡️ ¡Revive el espectacular ÚLTIMO KM
🥊 @jumbovismaroad vs @evenepoelremco in the finale and over the steep slopes of Xorret de Catí. Watch the ultimate KM again.#LaVuelta23 #CarrefourconLaVuelta23 @carrefourES pic.twitter.com/yraEXqPXgy
— La Vuelta (@lavuelta) (*8*)
