Sepp Kuss wins Spanish Vuelta, ends U.S. Grand Tour drought - ESPN

MADRID — A decade later, the United States has a Grand Tour winner again.

Sepp Kuss won the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday to become the first American to win one of cycling's top races since Chris Horner earned the Vuelta victory in 2013. The other Grand Tour events are the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France.

Kuss had effectively secured the victory ahead of Sunday's largely ceremonial stage, when rivals in the Spanish capital respected his lead and did not launch any attacks as per cycling tradition.

It was a surprising victory for Kuss, who entered the race in a supporting role to his Jumbo-Visma teammates Jonas Vingegaard — a two-time Tour de France winner — and Primoz Roglic, a three-time Vuelta winner.

Vingegaard and Roglic finished second and third overall, respectively, capping a dominant performance and a historic treble for Jumbo-Visma, which swept all three Grand Tour events this year. Roglic won the Giro d'Italia in May and Vingegaard repeated as Tour de France champion in July.

Kuss crossed the line along with his teammates, who were all wearing a special jersey in honor of the team's treble.

Alpecin-Deceuninck rider Kaden Groves prevailed in the final sprint to win the last stage.

Kuss took the lead in the eighth stage and never relinquished it despite being pushed hard by his teammates a few times. The American held his own on difficult climbs up the Col du Tourmalet in France and the Alto de l'Angliru in northern Spain, ending the three-week race with a 17-second advantage.

The 29-year-old from Durango, Colorado, started cycling as a way to train all year for his passion of cross-country skiing. But he eventually changed the skis for wheels and has for several seasons featured as one of the top support riders