Louis Meintjes conquers "one of my goals in my career" at brutal Vuelta a Espana finale showdown

Intermarché - Wanty - Gobert Matériaux have been performing at a very high level this year, and that has driven Louis Meintjes into the best results of his career at 30 years of age. This afternoon he took the stage win at the Vuelta a Espana, a career-best for the South African.

“It's my first time on the highest podium in a WorldTour race. That was one of my goals in my career," Meintjes said in a post-race interview. "The last few days I couldn't follow the classification riders in the mountains. So if that doesn't work, I'll just have to try the attack. That went well".

Meintjes joined the move on the right day, as it lacked the pure climbers that battled for the glory on the previous day. “The team controlled the race. Then I tried it once and I was immediately satisfied," he detailed. He was part of a ten-rider group which saw some moves before the start of the final climb, however without enough of a gap to keep him away from the win. 

“I wasn't really convinced that I would win on the final climb. It was a tough day and I had to do a little more work in the leading group. That's why I wasn't sure if I had the best legs," however he easily dispatched the competition in the double-digit gradients, taking his second win of the season, sixth of his career and first Grand Tour - and World Tour - win. This, only a month after finishing seventh in a highly competitive Tour de France.

"The final climb was really tough. It wasn't about attacking, because it was just a time trial to the finish," he concluded. Meintjes has also risen to 16th place in the GC with this result, but with a stage win in the pocket the South African will already have his accomplishment.