Sean Kelly: "There’s nothing you can do against Jumbo-Visma"

Heading into the 2023 Vuelta a Espana it was clear to see that Jumbo-Visma had a strong team. As they prepare to start stage 14 with the top 3 riders in the general classification however, the level of their dominance has truly been shown.

Eurosport analyst Sean Kelly knows how to win a Vuelta a Espana, doing so in 1988, yet even in the Irishman's vast experience has he ever seen such a dominant force in Grand Tour racing? “I think with modern cycling, we’re seeing these amazing performances. Jumbo-Visma, we were expecting three top men from Jumbo, but to dominate with three at the climb... what a performance," he praised on The Breakaway as part of Eurosport's coverage of the race.

A one-two-three finish atop the Col du Tourmalet ensured Jumbo-Visma now complete the podium of the general classification also and Kelly fears there could now be no stopping them. "They just broke everyone on that final climb. The morale of the other riders, there’s nothing you can do against Jumbo-Visma. Vingegaard rides again, and what a ride from Kuss again," he says. “I think when we said Jumbo-Visma, the three prongs going into the final climb, one was going to sacrifice their ride, but it wasn’t the situation at all."

"We saw attacks from other riders, but it was just killed off very quickly," Kelly concludes. "They were the ones who started attacking then. No chance at all for the other riders to have any possibility of doing something in the final, top three on the podium and in the GC.”