The peloton faced a grueling challenge in the third stage of the Catalan race. Defending overall leader Brennan and his teammates had to tackle a brutal 220-kilometer course with over 5,000 meters of climbing.

The toughest part of the stage clearly came in the final section. While the pace on the penultimate climb—an hors catégorie ascent—resembled a steady gallop, things changed dramatically on the final climb.

Kuss showed he had good legs, launching an attack with eight kilometers to go, immediately followed by Ben O’Connor. That move didn’t stick, but the American from Team Visma | Lease a Bike didn’t let it discourage him. Shortly after, he joined another breakaway attempt, and this time, the attack looked more promising. Together with Lorenzo Fortunato and Marc Soler, Kuss extended their lead over the peloton to a maximum of fifteen seconds. However, with just 500 meters to go, the charging pack proved too strong. In the end, Juan Ayuso claimed the victory.

“The feeling after today’s stage is good”, Kuss said after the race. “I had good legs on the final climb, so I wanted to give it a go. We were in a strong position with the three of us, but in the end, it’s a shame we couldn’t stay ahead of the peloton. Still, I finish the stage with a positive feeling.”

Kuss’ teammate Yates also reflected positively on the stage. “I was in a good position several times, so overall, I think we put in a solid performance today. We didn’t get a podium spot, but I believe we showed what we’re capable of. It’s only my second race of the year, so I think I can still improve a lot”, the Brit concluded.