"I could have won" - Danny van Poppel thrives on Sam Bennett's absence and almost nets Vuelta a Espana win

Covid-19 has taken a heavy toll on the Vuelta a Espana peloton thus far, and one of the main absences from today's sprint was Sam Bennett as he could not start the second week. Leadout man Danny van Poppel took the opportunity, and almost made it count.

"The team put their trust in me for the sprint and the guys supported me very well today," van Poppel said after his second place on the day. "On the finishing straight, I stuck to the wheel of Groves the whole time, and was out of the wind. It was a pretty good position. However, then the riders came from the right and the group went a bit early".

"I followed Groves' wheel and had good speed. However. I hesitated a fraction of a second and I think that's what cost me the win," the Dutchman described. Although BORA did not have a leadout, he has taken advantage of his strong positioning skills to sneak into the right place. He was on the wheel of stage winner Kaden Groves into the final sprint and attempted to come around in sight of the line, however just barely missed out on it.

"If I didn't hesitate, I think I could have won. But that gives us confidence for the next sprints," he said. Van Poppel has proven his form and as in the Tour de France he will be the German team's option for the sprints from today onwards, and will be a contender in some of the upcoming finales. "I'm happy with my performance and I'm looking forward to the next sprint that's a little bit uphill, I think that will suit me well," he concluded.