Three men on the move in Galicia

# Thrilling Vuelta a España: Three Cyclists Make Their Mark in Galicia

As the second week of the Vuelta a España came to a close, a fierce competition unfolded on Sunday, particularly among three standout cyclists: Stefan Küng, Clément Braz Afonso, and Thibaud Gruel. These riders initially joined a leading pack of about forty cyclists but fell short of grabbing the crucial break that determined the race outcome, which came just twenty kilometers before the finish line. Ultimately, nine riders battled for victory, with Mads Pedersen emerging triumphant. Now, the teams enter a well-deserved rest day.

The day began in Vegadeo with a need for a warm-up, especially for the fifteenth stage designed for breakaway attempts. The first segment of the race spanned sixteen challenging kilometers, characterized by an average gradient of 5%. Frédéric Guesdon, the team’s director, remarked, “There were only three easy kilometers, then the race clearly got going.” The early climbs saw initial efforts from Küng, who was quickly joined by Afonso and Gruel in a determination to seize their moment.

Even though their team, Groupama-FDJ, had a significant presence, they allowed others to take the lead in the breakaway formed by around forty riders. The dynamics shifted dramatically when Jay Vine and Louis Vervaeke made a decisive move post the second climb, positioned 110 kilometers from the finish.

Guesdon elaborated on the situation: “Lidl-Trek and Movistar rode hard because the two leaders put on a show, and we had to take them seriously.” The fast-paced race led to a dwindling group as the final legs neared. Notably, as the breakaway group splintered less than thirty kilometers from the end, Guesdon noted, “Given how hard it was at the start, one thing was for sure: the forty-five riders in front were going well.”

When a surge came from Santiago Buitrago, Egan Bernal, and Mads Pedersen, the Groupama-FDJ cyclists struggled to keep pace. Thibaud Gruel reflected on the tough finale, stating, “This stage was a goal for me, I did everything I wanted, but towards the end, my left leg was kind of paralyzed. I felt like I was pedalling with one and a half legs. When they attacked, I could no longer follow. I’m disappointed.”

At the finish line, Mads Pedersen triumphed as Küng and Afonso crossed shortly after in a larger chase group, trailing by 23 seconds. The main peloton followed, arriving approximately 13 minutes later.

Guesdon concluded the day with a sense of accomplishment despite the challenges: “The boys did a solid second week, which was quite difficult to be honest… we can’t forget that we have three riders competing in their first Grand Tour. The rest day comes at the right time. We’ll look at our possibilities in the last week, but we’ll have to target the stages smartly.”

As the riders gear up for the final week, all eyes will be on how they approach the remaining stages of this grueling race.