Resilient Team Visma | Lease a Bike concludes Itzulia Basque Country with a smile

Resilient Team Visma | Lease a Bike concludes Itzulia Basque Country with a smile

Team Visma | Lease a Bike concluded the 63rd edition of Itzulia Basque Country in a positive way. In the difficult final stage around Eibar, Steven Kruijswijk and Sepp Kuss climbed with the best and Kuss won the mountain classification. For the yellow-and-black formation it was a week with a smile and a tear.

The final stage had seven categorized climbs to offer the peloton. Kruijswijk, Kuss and Milan Vader saw their chance to attack and were part of a large breakaway. Kuss had his sights set on the mountain classification and collected enough points along the way to stand on the podium afterwards.

On the slopes of the Izua, the penultimate climb, the breakaway split. Kruijswijk and Kuss held on for a long time, but eventually had to pass when the GC riders got involved. Carlos Rodriguez won the stage and Ayuso the final classification. Kuss, Kruijswijk and Johannes Staune-Mittet all finished in the top twenty.

"I am incredibly proud of the resilience the guys have shown this week."

Frans Maassen

"I am really happy that I was able to bring the mountain jersey home. The loss of Jonas hit hard, but I think we did very well as a team," Kuss says. Sports director Frans Maassen agrees. "Our thoughts are still with Jonas, but I am incredibly proud of the resilience the guys have shown this week. Winning the mountain jersey is the perfect proof of that. I'm happy to see that."

 / 

Related updates