Roglic Surges to Impressive Victory on the Iberian Peninsula

Sep 10, 2024

Written by Bart de Jong

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Slovenian cyclist Primoz Roglic claimed victory at the recently concluded Vuelta a Espana. The gruelling 3,300-kilometre event started in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon, making it only the second time that the event has kicked off outside Spain in nearly three decades. After over 2,050 miles of racing over 21 stages in Europe’s Iberian Peninsula, the prestigious race ended in the Spanish capital of Madrid as per tradition. Roglic’s victory came after an intense 21-day battle against other top cyclists, but his victory wasn’t the only talking point from the event.

Roglic Claims Historic Win at Vuelta

Roglic claimed victory at the Vuelta a Espana for the fourth time - a historic triumph that puts him on par with Spain’s Roberto Heras as the most successful riders in the prestigious race. This victory was significant compensation for Roglic after a disappointing crash forced him out of the Tour de France earlier this year. Australia's Ben O'Connor came in second, while Spain's Enric Mas completed the podium. Roglic overcame a challenging race that featured some of the toughest climbs in cycling. The 34-year-old finished the race with a comfortable lead of two minutes and 36 seconds over O'Connor, spending 81 hours, 49 minutes and 18 seconds on the saddle. The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider faced a thrilling battle with O'Connor, who had taken the lead
early in the race.

The 2020 Velo d’Or winner won the fourth stage to take the overall lead, but O’Connor burst on to the top of the standings by nearly five minutes. However, Roglic gradually chipped away with impressive performances in the mountains before reclaiming the leader’s red jersey after winning Stage 19.

Eddie Dunbar Defies the Odds to Secure 11th Place
Republic of Ireland cyclist Eddie Dunbar has endured a rollercoaster career riddled with injuries and setbacks that would test even the most resilient athletes. However, his determination to excel shone through and his remarkable persistence was rewarded with an 11th-place overall finish at the Vuelta a Espana. Dubar’s route to success was far from a cakewalk. A devastating crash on the second day of the Giro d'Italia threatened to derail his career earlier this year. He had arrived in Italy keen to improve on his seventh-place finish in 2023, but his challenge was ruined when he was brought down by Olav Kooij en route to the summit finish at Oropa. He suffered a serious injury to his lateral cruciate ligament during the accident, and many people wondered if he’d ever be able to compete at the highest level again. However, Dunbar refused to give up. Through countless hours of rehabilitation and unwavering dedication, he fought his way back from the brink.

His triumph on stage 11 marked a huge turning point in his troubled career and secured a sizeable payout for punters who backed him on Irish platforms to record a stage victory. Dunbar wouldn’t have been a prominent pick on popular Irish betting apps, but his victory in Galicia proved lucrative for those willing to gamble on his ability to rise from adversity. In a sport where the unpredictable is the only constant, Dunbar undoubtedly defied the bookmakers’ odds and silenced his doubters.

Sepp Kuss Fails to Live Up to Expectations in Chaotic Vuelta
Sepp Kuss was not as dominant as he was last year at the Vuelta a Espana, and he certainly didn’t live up to the bookies’ expectations at the recently concluded event. The American cyclist finished 14th overall, although he may consider it a respectable finish given the chaos that unfolded throughout the race. The early stages of the race were a wild ride, with riders either crashing or falling ill, and it seemed like simply staying in contention was a win in itself.

For example, Australia’s O’Connor was leading the general classification by almost four minutes at one point but eventually relinquished his seemingly comfortable lead. Joao Almeida and Antonio Tiberi were forced to quit the race due to illness and heatstroke, but Kuss leveraged his experience amid the chaos to keep his head above water. The Colorado-born cyclist had his own ups and downs. He lost time early on but bounced back with a strong performance to support his teammate Wout van Aert in Cordoba. Kuss sat 14th overall halfway through the race, trailing his former teammate and eventual winner Roglic by over four minutes. He was unable to improve his position by the end of the race. Kuss won’t be participating in the World Championships with his wife set to give birth to their first child in a few weeks, but he’ll be looking forward to making a return to cycling in the near future.