Third in Ourém, Corbin Strong knows what to do better to "upset Kaden and Wout in another sprint"
Cycling
Right behind the two strongest sprinters at the start of Vuelta a Espana (at last on paper) - Kaden Groves and Wout Van Aert, a fierce battle for third spot unfolded with Israel - Premier Tech's Corbin Strong coming out on top of the mix. With an impressive turn of speed evident in the final meters, the 24-year-old came close to passing runner-up Van Aert and Strong already knows what he can do better to raise his hands next time.
"It was a really fast final 10 kilometers, downhill with a tailwind most of the way, so it was pretty chaotic with a lot of fighting. I let them [Groves and Van Aert] jump first and I think that was a mistake," Strong admits what cost him a shot at the stage win in Ourém.
Read also
In Strong's second Grand Tour start (the Kiwi sprinter made a debut at last year's Tour de France) this is his first podium finish. That's definitely something Strong can be proud of. "In the end though, I was happy with the day. I had good speed at the finish and I can be confident that I can upset them in another sprint. Hopefully I can put the hands in the air during this Vuelta."
He'll get another opportunity tomorrow with another uphill sprint in Castelo Branco.
Read also

Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Yes, Roglic could theoretically have beaten Sepp. Jonas must have had complete confidence that he could come back and win the Vuelta another year. Visma had not allowed Roglic to ride the Tour that year, so his future did not look so bright, despite his narrow Giro win..Hills3315-11-2026
- So far, a good series about riders before my time, even if the text feels AI generated like so much on this site. About the rider, he seems like one of many who are active fan favorites but don’t survive in the stories of cycling, a few decades later - I didn’t really know anything about him and this was a good read, thank you!RidesHills15-11-2026
- A calm, honest documentary, a bit of hagiography but mostly not too much. When he talks about a coffee shop, it aligns with several things in his world - he might want calm, but he does (more than a little bit) have someone near him (his fiancee) who makes sure that things happen the way he expects. Many atheletes have retired only to find out just how much others were taking care of their lives for them. If they work out (I'm old, things happen), I am sure it will take a renegotiation, which is a good thing. I truly enjoyed watching it, seeing him, seeing her, seeing the whole system built around him.RidesHills15-11-2026
- You do? My mother grew up around Bleiburg (Pliberk), across the border in Austria . My grandparents lived close to the train station in Bleiburg, and I spent a lot of the 70s and 80s there. The "Jugo" train of my youth went to Dravograd or Maribor, exotic places (behind the wall) at the time. What a moment that was, the 10 days war of '91 - times sure have changed.RidesHills15-11-2026
- I hope he rides a bitmij15-11-2026
- Greatest athlete this world has ever produced ! LOL ... you definitely are a comdian ! Cycling is so sprecialized and you think he's the greatest athlete ever ! Still laughing !frieders315-11-2026
- b.s. headline. Jonas wasn't told anything, it is just a pundit telling him what to do. the actual article is not even close to the insinuation of the headline.mij15-11-2026
- I think Roglic could have beaten Sepp. not Jonas. I was referring to Sepp.mij15-11-2026
- I'm deeply sick of this guy and his unwillingness to race seriously for more than a month or two. I'll never respect riders who do that. Seixas will be stronger than him next season, and maybe Del Toro as well. I don't even think he'll finish on the podium at any GT where Pogi, Seixas, and Del Toro are racing.megasmacky15-11-2026
- Not a chance in hell.megasmacky15-11-2026
Loading
🥉 for @corbin_strong on the first sprint stage of @lavuelta "𝘐𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 10 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘺, 𝘴𝘰 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧
Write a comment









