Former American national champion Larry Warbasse competed in his 10th Grand Tour of his career at the 2023 Vuelta a España. Like many other riders who couldn’t secure a stage win, the AG2R Citroen Team athlete admits that the constant pressure exerted by Jumbo-Visma affected the morale of the peloton.
“It’s tough for many of us because there weren’t many opportunities for many in this Vuelta,” said the 33-year-old cyclist on the GCN Cycling Show on Eurosport. “I would say that normally the Vuelta is one of the best Grand Tours to participate in, to seize chances in between the tough stages, and so on, to try and win a stage like that. However, not only UAE Team Emirates and Remco but Jumbo-Visma as well don’t give anyone a chance.”
Some athletes are fed up
Warbasse says. “It makes everything difficult because even in the final days of the Vuelta, you could try to get into the breakaway, but the breakaway never manages to make it to the finish line. It was a highly competitive race, and it’s not easy when you’re trying to make something happen,” Warbasse continues. “Many guys are suffering and are a bit tired of it, but that’s what happens.”
“Jumbo-Visma is a cut above almost everyone else at the moment, and I think this will compel many teams to go back to the drawing board next winter and try to catch up,” he concludes, looking ahead to 2024. “I think all of us, all the other teams, have work to do. Whether we like it or not, they are the best, and they have every right to win every stage.”