"Big Chapeau for Sepp Kuss" Remco Evenepoel repeatedly compliments the American after Vuelta's time trial

Remco Evenepoel could not beat Filippo Ganna in the Valladolid time trial of the Vuelta a Espana as he had done in the Giro d'Italia and the World Championships this year, but he did manage to gain time on all his rivals in the fight for the red jersey.

After the stage, he was asked by the press if he was satisfied to have taken time off Jonas Vingegaard, Primoz Roglic and the rest of those fighting for the general classification: "It's very good, knowing also that it was not my best day, I went through a complicated moment at 10 minutes, I think that's why I lost some time with Pippo (Filippo Ganna, ed.), but if someone deserved to win this stage it was him:"

"So yes I'm happy for the result with respect to the overall, but it's a pity not to have won the stage, but to have done 2 times second and to have won a stage in 10 days is very good to start the Vuelta, we have to be happy with the differences and to have gotten closer to Sepp Kuss, who has done a great time trial, I want to congratulate him from here, we'll see tomorrow".

The times speak for themselves. Evenepoel won 20 seconds on Primoz Roglic, 55 on Juan Ayuso, 1:02 on Jonas Vingegaard and 1:13 minutes on Sepp Kuss - who defended himself better than expected against the clock. Meaningful gains. Despite being vastly outnumbered by Jumbo-Visma and UAE Team Emirates, the Belgian goes into the 11th stage ahead of all of his expected main rivals, and now in third on the overall classification behind only Sepp Kuss and Marc Soler.

Evenepoel is clear that Sepp Kuss, after his good result, will continue to be important in Jumbo-Visma's strategy in the fight for the Vuelta. He, in any case, is happy with his performance and hopes to continue to gain time on his rivals in the coming stages:

"They told him to give everything and not to lose time today because they want to play to have three leaders and I think he did a very good job, 'big chapeau' for him, I'm surprised by his great finish. That said, the Vuelta is still long, more opportunities will come and we will go for them, I think we have shown a good level in the 3 mountain days, we have to keep building from there and get more time in other stages."