08/09/2024

Visma DS admits cruel reality about their race without Wout Van Aert: "We simply weren't good enough to compete today"

Team Visma | Lease a Bike was unable to get involved in the battle for the stage win in the final regular stage of the Vuelta a España. Sepp Kuss crossed the line in 25th place which puts him into 13th in the overall standings ahead of the final time trial.

"We had the plan to go for the stage win," said sports director Grischa Niermann after the race. "That could have been possible either through the breakaway or with a strong Sepp. But unfortunately, we have to admit that we weren't good enough today. Sepp had to drop back on the penultimate climb. It is what it is for now. The guys certainly fought and did what they could, but we simply weren't good enough to compete today."

"I’ll leave it all out on the road to achieve something great tomorrow" - Sepp Kuss promises to put on a show in the queen stage of this Vuelta

Overall classification of the Vuelta a Espana 2024 after stage 20:

Position	Rider	Team	Time
01	Roglic Primoz	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe	81:22:19
02	O'Connor Ben	Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale	+ 02:02
03	Mas Enric	Movistar Team	+ 02:11
04	Carapaz Richard	EF Education-EasyPost	+ 03:00
05	Gaudu David	Groupama - FDJ	+ 04:48
06	Skjelmose Mattias	Lidl-Trek	+ 05:18
07	Lipowitz Florian	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe	+ 06:26
08	Landa Mikel	Soudal - Quick-Step	+ 06:57
09	Sivakov Pavel	UAE Team Emirates	+ 08:50
10	Rodriguez Carlos	INEOS Grenadiers	+ 10:31
11	Dunbar Edward	Team Jayco AlUla	+ 13:15
12	Yates Adam	UAE Team Emirates	+ 14:06
13	Kuss Sepp	Team Visma \| Lease a Bike	+ 17:49
14	Rodriguez Cristian	ARKEA-B&B HOTELS	+ 18:24
15	Martin Guillaume	Cofidis	+ 28:50
16	Fortunato Lorenzo	Astana Qazaqstan Team	+ 37:28
17	Parra José Félix	Equipo Kern Pharma	+ 48:14
18	Vlasov Aleksandr	Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe	+ 53:22
19	Kruijswijk Steven	Team Visma \| Lease a Bike	+ 59:39
20	Berthet Clément	Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale	+ 01:01:57