Vuelta A España 2023: Dainese Sprints to Stage 19 Victory After Groves Wiped Out

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reviewed by Rory McAllister
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The bunch sprint at the finish of Stage 19 of the 2023 Vuelta a Espana.
© UNIPUBLIC/SPRINT CYCLING AGENCY

In an exhilarating Stage 19 of the Vuelta a España, the day’s narrative was dominated by a fiercely contested sprint finish with a game-changing crash.

The closing kilometers saw teams strategically positioning their sprinters for the anticipated bunch sprint finish in hopes of claiming the stage victory.

This nail-biting scenario was further intensified by a crash just outside the flamme rouge, where Australian Kaden Groves – riding in the green jersey – was among the unfortunate fallers.

This setback saw Groves’ hopes of stage victory dashed, allowing other contenders to battle it out for the top spot, with Alberto Dainese (dsm-firmenich) taking home the win.

The battle for the General Classification was unchanged, with Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma) remaining in the red jersey.

Kaden Groves stands with other riders still on the floor after a crash on Stage 19 of the 2023 Vuelta a Espana.
© UNIPUBLIC/SPRINT CYCLING AGENCY

Early Breakaway Attempts

From early on, a breakaway group formed which kept the peloton on its toes.

This group consisted of Mathis Le Berre (Arkéa Samsic), Paul Lapeira (AG2R-Citroen), Michal Schlegel (Caja Rural-Seguros RGA), and Clément Davy (Groupama-FDJ).

Throughout the stage, the lead these four managed over the peloton fluctuated, but the gap was never wide enough to allow them any sense of security. With 50 km to go, their lead was dwindling, with only 41 seconds separating them from the pursuing pack.

This diminishing lead and the peloton’s relentless pursuit set the tone for the latter part of the stage, leaving spectators in suspense.

Alberto Dainese celebrates his Stage 19 victory at the 2023 Vuelta a Espana.
© UNIPUBLIC/SPRINT CYCLING AGENCY

“I’m super happy to finish a hard Vuelta in this way”

Alberto Dainese of DSM emerged as the victor of Stage 19, marking his third win in a Grand Tour. His triumph was not without its challenges.

In the final moments leading to the finish line, Filippo Ganna made an audacious attempt, but Dainese strategically waited for the perfect moment, factoring in the headwind, to make his winning move.


Reflecting on his victory, Dainese acknowledged the misfortune of the crash that affected some riders, including the green jersey Kaden Groves, but expressed gratitude to his team for placing him in an optimal position.

This stage win was particularly special for Dainese as it marked a memorable conclusion to his time with DSM before his move to Tudor Pro Cycling in 2024.

As the Vuelta nears its end, the red jersey race intensifies. With Sepp Kuss inching ever closer to securing a Vuelta GC win, we are bound to witness more thrilling and unexpected turns in tomorrow’s stage.

Vuelta A España 2023: Stage 19 Results

  1. DAINESE Alberto (Team dsm – firmenich): 3:42:09
  2. GANNA Filippo (INEOS Grenadiers): Same time
  3. VAN DEN BERG Marijn (EF Education-EasyPost):
  4. CIMOLAI Davide (Cofidis):
  5. GARCÍA CORTINA Iván (Movistar Team):
  6. BALLERSTEDT Maurice (Alpecin-Deceuninck):
  7. ASKEY Lewis (Groupama – FDJ):
  8. HOFSTETTER Hugo (Team Arkéa Samsic):
  9. BARCELÓ Fernando (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA):
  10. KOCH Jonas (BORA – hansgrohe):
Sepp Kuss rides alongside Primoz Roglic on Stage 19 of the 2023 Vuelta a Espana.
© UNIPUBLIC/SPRINT CYCLING AGENCY

Vuelta A España 2023: General Classification Standings After Stage 19

  1. KUSS Sepp (Jumbo-Visma): 69:14:04
  2. VINGEGAARD Jonas (Jumbo-Visma): + 0:17
  3. ROGLIČ Primož (Jumbo-Visma): + 1:08
  4. AYUSO Juan (UAE Team Emirates): + 4:00
  5. LANDA Mikel (Bahrain – Victorious): + 4:19
  6. MAS Enric (Movistar Team): + 4:30
  7. UIJTDEBROEKS Cian (BORA – hansgrohe): + 7:37
  8. VLASOV Aleksandr (BORA – hansgrohe): + 8:35
  9. ALMEIDA João (UAE Team Emirates): + 10:20
  10. BUITRAGO Santiago (Bahrain – Victorious): + 12:20

Vuelta A España Jerseys After Stage 19

Red Jersey

KUSS Sepp (Jumbo-Visma)

Green Jersey

GROVES Kaden (ALPECIN-DECEUNINCK)

Polka-Dot Jersey

EVENEPOEL Remco (Soudal – QuickStep)

White Jersey

AYUSO Juan (UAE Team Emirates)

Stage 19 Combativity Award Winner

SCHLEGEL Michal (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA)

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Quentin's background in bike racing runs deep. In his youth, he won the prestigious junior Roc d'Azur MTB race before representing Belgium at the U17 European Championships in Graz, Austria. Shifting to road racing, he then competed in some of the biggest races on the junior calendar, including Gent-Wevelgem and the Tour of Flanders, before stepping up to race Liège-Bastogne-Liège and Paris-Roubaix as an U23. With a breakthrough into the cut-throat environment of professional racing just out of reach, Quentin decided to shift his focus to embrace bike racing as a passion rather than a career. Now writing for BikeTips, Quentin's experience provides invaluable insight into performance cycling - though he's always ready to embrace the fun side of the sport he loves too and share his passion with others.

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