2023 Vuelta a Espana: Stage 6 Results

American Sep Kuss takes a solo win at the Observatorio Astrofisico de Javalambre to win Stage 6 of the 2023 Vuelta a Espana while Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) finishes second and takes over La Roja from Remco Evenepoel.

After two sprint stages dominated by Kaden Groves the 2023 Vuelta a Espana returned to the mountains with a summit finish at the Observatorio Astrofisico de Javalambre. This 12-kilometeer climb with a 7% inclination would definitely be a factor in the first week of the race.

Diego Andres Camargo (EF Education-EasyPost) and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Dstny) attacked just off the official start. Rui Costa (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) soon joined them. They only enjoyed a small lead before De Gendt was caught at km29 and Camargo and Costa soon after.

As the peloton approached the climb of Puerto de Arenillas, a BIG group got away. Forty riders went off the front but were soon pulled back in, but it was a sign of things to come as another group with Jan Tratnik (Jumbo-Visma), Emanuel Buchmann (Bora-Hansgrohe), Andreas Kron (Lotto Dstny), Oier Lazkano (Movistar), Ruben Fernandez (Cofidis), Max Poole (DSM-Firmenich), Cristian Rodriguez (Arkéa Samsic), Fabien Doubey (Total Energies), Jefferson Cepeda (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) tried to get away.

Herrada, Lazkano and Prodhomme looked the strongest, but everyone was eventually back together by km 53.

Soon, Oier Lazkano (Movistar), Paul Ourselin (Total Energies) and Javier Romo (Astana Qazaqstan) led a new attack. Sylvain Moniquet (Lotto Dstny), Jesus Herrada (Cofidis) and Jefferson Cepeda (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) join them. The first peloton trailed by 14” and the second bunch by 1’24”. Juan Pedro Lopez (Lidl-Trek), Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Dstny) and Cristian Rodriguez (Arkéa Samsic) bridge with Buitrago, Martinez and Soler making the break soon after.

It was a huge group: Soudal Quick-Step: Cattaneo, Vervaeke; UAE Team Emirates: Soler; Jumbo-Visma: Kuss, Van Baarle; Ineos Grenadiers: Castroviejo; Bahrain Victorious: Buitrago, Landa, Poels, Tiberi; Groupama-FDJ: Molard, Martinez, Storer; Bora-Hansgrohe: Buchmann, Kämna; Lotto Dstny: Kron, Moniquet, Van Eetvelt; EF Education-EasyPost: Carthy; AG2R Citroën: Godon, Prodhomme; Jayco AlUla: Enggelhardt, Sobrero; Intermarché-Circus-Wanty: Costa; Movistar: Lazkano, Rubio; Cofidis: Herrada, Fernandez, Rochas; DSM-Firmenich: Bardet, Poole; Arkéa Samsic: Rodriguez; Total Energies: Cras, Bonnet, Doubey, Ourselin; Astana Qazaqstan: De La Cruz, Romo; Caja Rural-Segguros RGA: Barcelo, Cepeda. The peloton trailed by 4’23”.

Valter, Tiberi , Molard, Martinez, Kämna, Kron, Van Eetvelt, Moniquet, Engelhardt , Costa, Lazkano, Je. Herrada, Rochas, Poole , Rodriguez, Ourselin, De La Cruz, Romo, Cepeda lead the way towards the second climb of the day with Tratnik, Landa, Godon, Prodhomme, Rubio, Doubey all chasing behind them.

Ineos Grenadiers, Soudal Quick-Step and Movistar worked together in the bunch, 7 minutes behind the front of the race, to keep up the chase.

As the race went into the last 30km, the gap was down to 3’30”, but there were still some strong riders in the lead bunch.

As the leaders hit the bottom of the climb to Observatorio Astrofisico de Javalambre, the gap to the bunch was up to 3’40”.

As the climbing intensified, the lead group began to shred riders. Michael Storer (Groupama-FDJ) was leading the break group with 5km to go.

Einar Rubio attacked with 4km to go but then it was Bardet and Martinez chasing with Sep Kuss just behind.

Kuss rode ride past and was solo at the front with 2.5km to go.

The American was able to stay away and takes the stage win!

Back in the peloton, race leader Remco Evenepoel was riding without any team support and was definitely in danger of losing the lead.

Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ) takes second place in the stage and will take over the race lead.

Evenepoel finished 30” behind Roglic and Vingegaard to limit his losses.

2023 Vuelta a Espana Stage 6 Brief Results:

1. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma)
2. Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ), +26”
3. Romain Bardet (DSM-Firmenich), +31”
4. Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious), +46”
5. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates), +46”

General Classification After Stage 6:

1. Lenny Martinez (Groupama-FDJ)
2. Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma), +8”
3. Marc Soler (UAE Team Emirates), +51”
4. Wout Poels (Bahrain Victorious), +1’41”
5. Steff Cras (Total Energies), +1’48”
9. Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step), +2’47”
10. Enric Mas (Movistar), +2’50”
11. Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma), +2’52”
12. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma), +2’58”

“A Great Feeling”

“The Vuelta a España has always been an exceptional race for me”, Kuss beamed. “I felt super strong all day. It’s fantastic to finish like this after all the hard work of my teammates. It’s not often that I win a stage, but when it happens, it’s a great feeling.”

The 28-year-old referred to the tactics of the Dutch team. After tens of kilometres, Dylan van Baarle, Jan Tratnik and Attila Valter joined Kuss in the lead group of around forty riders. “We wanted to try and put pressure on Remco Evenepoel and Soudal-Quick Step. We knew it was going to be a difficult day to control. Dylan, Jan and Attila rode brilliantly. I have to thank them for all their hard work. For me, it was just a matter of finding out when to make the final gap”, Kuss said.

A few minutes behind the American, Roglic and Vingegaard attacked together on the steep final climb, gaining over half a minute on the red jersey wearer Evenepoel. “The legs were much better today. We still have a long way to go, but today was a good day. I enjoyed it”, Roglic said.

Vingegaard, co-leader of Team Jumbo-Visma in the Spanish stage race, was also pleased with his team’s tactics and praised his teammate Kuss. “He’s a great guy. He deserves this after everything he has done for the team in the past. A great stage win.”

“I enjoy riding for both guys, but of course, it’s great to win for yourself, too”, Kuss said. “I heard on the radio that our leaders were very strong today. Because we were in the lead group with four riders, I could stay in front. A perfect day.”

Evenepoel Limits Losses

Remco Evenepoel made sure to limit the losses after an insane day of racing which culminated in a ruthless climb that, as expected, led to some noticeable changes in the general classification, which he was leading at the start of stage six.

Remaining calm through tough moments allowed Evenepoel to limit the losses, which at one point were close to 50 seconds, and conclude the stage only half a minute behind his main rivals, thus keeping a small advantage over them in the overall standings.

“I felt good, but I just couldn’t match the others when they went. I am glad I could limit the damage, riding at my own pace and making a controlled effort. I didn’t have the best legs today, it’s something that happens in cycling, but at least I could find a good tempo in the final kilometers and could even accelerate a bit at one point. Hopefully, this was my bad race of this race”, Remco said at the finish.

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