A group of five breakaway riders was given little space by the peloton, as it was clear that the general classification contenders wanted to make their move on the slopes of the Alto de Moncalvillo. Roglič's team took the initiative, quickly turning the final climb into a battlefield.

Kuss managed to follow the chasing group but had to briefly drop back. With sheer determination, the American fought his way back to the wheel of some of his competitors. Kuss eventually crossed the finish line in eighth place and now finds himself in eleventh place in the general classification, with one mountain stage and a time trial remaining.

“I felt much better today than earlier in this Vuelta,” Kuss said after the stage. “That really boosts my mental state. In the position I’m in now, I have nothing to lose. I hope I can carry this good feeling into tomorrow. I’ll leave it all out on the road to achieve something great tomorrow. It’s the queen stage of this Vuelta, so it would be the perfect moment to do something special. It would be a great way to end this race. I’ve felt a lot of support from the fans along the roadside, and I want to give it my all for them in these last two days.”