Kaden Groves, an Australian cyclist, achieved his third stage victory in the Vuelta a Espana, nailing the timing of his sprint in the seventeenth stage on Wednesday. The event’s runners-up were Pavel Bittner from Czech Republic and Vito Braet from Belgium, both secured their respective positions during a crowded sprint finish on the rain-soaked roads of Santander, a port city. It has over two decades since Santander last played host to a Vuelta finish, and also a first stage departure after ten years.
Ben O’Connor, also from Australia and the event’s overall leader, was a part of the significant clutch of sprinters who managed to cross the finish line, alongside his toughest opponent, Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic. O’Connor managed to preserve his five-second lead on the overall scoreboard.
Groves remarked on the challenges faced, namely, changing weather conditions that added a layer of danger to the contest. Given the limited number of sprint stages in the Vuelta juxtaposed with numerous mountain stages, he judged these circumstances as an opportunity for middle-distance cyclists to exert themselves.
A team of four leading cyclists cruised through the mountainous landscapes of north-west Spain, heading towards mostly flat terrain for the final stretch. The group lost time, as none attempted to break away.
The peloton gradually reduced the lead whilst traversing through the city centre, eventually closing in on the leaders in the last km.
O’Connor was vocal in his admiration for his fellow Australian, Groves, who succeeded in taking the green points jersey from Wout van Aert, who had to withdraw following a crash on Tuesday.
Despite the damp conditions and tricky descents, O’Connor found the race relatively straightforward.
Meanwhile, Eddie Dunbar from Ireland progressed to 14th place overall after concluding the stage in the 40th spot, while Darren Rafferty climbed four positions to 67th after finishing 67th in the stage.