Groupama-FDJ team member Martinez topped the Vuelta at the age of 20 years and 51 days. He surpassed Spanish legend Miguel Indurain, who was also twenty years old but 283 days old in 1985. The current leader, Belgian Remco Evenepoel, was not enough in the final climb, and the reigning world champion in the time trial fell from first place to ninth position. He is 2:47 minutes behind Martinez.
Kuss attacked on the hill three kilometers before the finish line and celebrated the second individual Vuelta triumph of his career with a lead of almost half a minute. He achieved stage success after helping Primož Roglič to overall triumphs at the Giro d’Italia and Jonas Vingegaard at the Tour de France this year.
“I’ve been feeling absolutely amazing all day and just thinking about when I’m going to break out. I enjoyed the whole climb,” said Kuss, who is eight seconds behind second-place Martinez overall. The Slovenian Roglič and the Dane Vingegaard again did a great job for Jumbo Visma in the end when they stepped in and “took off” Evenepoel.
However, the Belgian driver was not too sad. “It wasn’t that bad. I felt good, I just couldn’t accelerate when the others set off. I kept my own pace, controlled it and ended up 30 seconds slower than the fastest guys (fighting for the overall). I still had some energy left at the end, that’s good. So if today was a bad day, that’s ok,” Evenepoel said.
Another Frenchman, Romain Bardet, finished third after 183.5 kilometers, followed by local Spaniards Mikel Landa and Marc Soler.
On Friday, a flat stage from Utiel to Oliva, measuring 188.8 km, awaits the cyclists. The favorite for the sprint is the Australian Kaden Groves, who can win the third stage in the 78th year. The Vuelta will end after 21 stages on September 17 in Madrid.
Vuelta cycling race – 6th stage (La Vall d’Uixó – Pico del Buitre, 183.5 km): 1. Kuss (USA/Jumbo-Visma) 4:27:292. Martinez (Fr./Groupama-FDJ) -263. Bardet (Fr./dsm-firmenich) -314. Landa (Sp./Bahrain Victorious)5. Soler (Sp./SAE Team Emirates) both -466. Poels (Netherlands/Bahrain Victorious) -1:03…46. Hirt (CZ/Soudal-Quick Step) -10:31122. Schlegel (CZ/Caja Rural-Seguros RGA) -26:27 Current ranking: 1. Martinez 21:40:352. Kuss -83. Soler -514. Poels -1:415. Cras (Belg./TotalEnergies) -1:486. Landa -1:58…37. Hirt -15:3480. Schlegel -37:05