If there’s one factor you might be positive of on the Vuelta a España, it’s that there’ll at all times be some controversy of kinds. You can say the identical of the opposite Grand Excursions however the roads of Spain have a knack for producing it frequently. Anybody who is aware of about my profession is aware of what I am speaking about.
Trying again to the beginning of proceedings on this 12 months’s race the dangerous climate was blamed for the race ending at the hours of darkness however you then realise that the race was scheduled within the early night, when it was resulting from go darkish. The stage was additionally held on greasy Barcelona metropolis centre roads, with groups pressured to take big dangers to keep away from dropping time to their GC rivals. So it wasn’t only one factor, it was a mixture of all these parts.
That is why the Vuelta 2023 endured a painful opening week of crashes and rigidity and Jumbo-Visma’s first assault on the peloton. That in flip uncovered Soudal-Quickstep’s weaknesses and race chief Remco Evenepoel to what was to come back. Then Sepp Kuss took over the crimson jersey and by no means misplaced it.
The second week was most likely meant to be the calmest portion of the race with the person time trial giving some order to the GC after which the Col du Tourmalet end to disclose the true general contenders. But Kuss did not crumble on both of these days, creating Jumbo-Visma’s management conundrum, whereas Evenepoel cracked within the French Pyrenees, forcing him to alter his race technique.
Up till then, the flat levels gave the dash groups some alternatives however after the Tourmalet, the Vuelta was about surviving to Madrid for a lot of, whereas the GC battle grew to become a case examine in crew and rider administration.
With Remco and Soudal-QuickStep refocusing on stage wins and finally the climbers jersey, the race techniques modified for everybody concerned. The assaults grew to become extra selective, with solely scary riders of immense expertise and power making the escape group and combating it out for the honours.
With these sorts of riders on the assault, different groups than Jumbo-Visma had been obliged to do nearly all of the chasing and controlling to defend prime ten placings, so there was by no means a scenario the place the Dutch squad needed to panic and use their very own riders.
The primary hour of every day noticed a large battle to be a part of the escape however when you have got former world champions, Grand Tour podium finishers and the like struggling to make it into the assaults, it was apparent that Jumbo-Visma had the race locked down.
All that was left had been the components they hadn’t deliberate for: deciding who would really win the Vuelta
The crimson jersey regarded extra like an existential dialogue between the crew administration and the established leaders, particularly Primož Roglič and Jonas Vingegaard.
The fairytale story line of the loyal domestique all of a sudden discovering himself within the chief’s jersey slowly developed into one the place everybody on the surface of the crew was asking if they’d actually let him win.
I think about that grew to become fairly aggravating for Kuss. He wasn’t in that scenario by probability or being gifted it, he’d earned it by being constant simply as he had been in so many different races when he was driving for his crew leaders.
Now it was his flip to be the supported and guarded one nevertheless it took awhile for that to sink in in sure minds within the crew.
We could by no means discover out who stated what, when, and in what method within the collection of Jumbo-Visma crew conferences. Nevertheless, the dilemmas of getting a number of crew leaders with totally different egos and ambitions actually confirmed its ugly aspect on the Angliru.
Jumbo-Visma solely averted a PR catastrophe once they put an finish to ‘the strongest wins’ technique and satisfied Vingegaard and Roglič to experience for Kuss.
It took them far too lengthy to grasp the sense of public condemnation that arose when followers around the globe noticed Roglič and Vingegaard attacking their teammate and race chief.
Whether or not Sepp Kuss now develops right into a extra assertive component of the Jumbo-Visma management construction stays to be seen.
I can envisage that he turns into a completely protected rider for the Critérium du Dauphiné or the Volta a Catalunya however doubt he’ll ever problem for a Grand Tour management function.
Jumbo-Visma made a name and strategic choice simply in time to keep away from an enormous scandal and an embarrassing inside battle between its leaders. They had been near being like Stephen Roche and Roberto Visentini at Carera and the 1987 Giro d’Italia however saved the crew’s popularity simply in time.
Trying on the harm that might have been achieved to the ‘Samen Winnen’- ‘Profitable collectively” squad, they finally averted a possible scandal fairly properly. The total blown drama of Vingegaard and Roglič attacking Kuss out on the street by no means actually occurred.
Sure, Vingegaard and Roglič did take time again however they’d excuses or causes, as they wish to name them, similtaneously they’d short-term lapses of loyalty. Each clearly have egos and ambitions to feed however finally I believe they’re joyful to see their good friend and constant domestique win the Vuelta and have his large day within the highlight.
Would they’ve been happier if they’d gained is one other story, one that can play out by means of the winter, not simply of their particular person minds, but in addition within the corridors of the Jumbo-Visma places of work.
2024 will supply a brand new clear sheet and a brand new season however Jumbo-Visma must study from their success on the Vuelta a España.