American Sepp Kuss wins Stage 15 as Primoz Roglic stamps his Authority on La Vuelta

25 year old American Sepp Kuss soloed to a high-five filled mountain top finish stage win as Jumbo-Visma teammate Primoz Roglic stamps his authority on the race

Sepp Kuss flew past his breakaway rivals with just 6.6 kms to go on the final climb up Puerto del Acebo. He managed to maintain his lead, as the GC battle heated up behind.

Kuss, who won by 39 seconds was estatic, high-fiving the huge crowds in the final hundred metres.

This is the second American Grand Tour stage win this year following Chad Haga's ITT victory on the final day of the Giro d'Italia last May. 

Behind, teammate Primoz Roglic distanced all his rivals, apart from World Champion Alejandro Valverde and crossed the line together. Behind them Pogacar wasn't able to drop Lopez who crossed the line next.

Behind Quintana finished in a group with Kelderman, Higuite and Pibernik and lost over a minute to Roglic.

Roglic is now 2m 25s ahead of Valverde and 3m 42s ahead of countryman Tadej Pogacar with Lopez just inside 4 minutes.

Monday's Stage 16 to Alto de la Cubilla is another brutal mountain stage with five climbs on the route, two 3rd category and three 1st category, which run together towards the end, the Puerto del Morabio, La Cobertoria and the top of La Cubilla. 

VIDEO: 2019 La Vuelta Stage 15 Highlights

2019 La Vuelta Stage 15 Top 10

1    Sepp Kuss (USA) Team Jumbo-Visma    4:19:04
2    Ruben Guerreiro (Por) Katusha-Alpecin    0:00:39
3    Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Team Ineos    0:00:40
4    Oscar Rodriguez Garaicoechea (Spa) Euskadi Basque Country-Murias    0:00:53
5    Mark Padun (Ukr) Bahrain-Merida    0:01:49
6    Ben O'Connor (Aus) Dimension Data    0:02:05
7    Lawson Craddock (USA) EF Education First    0:02:11
8    Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma    0:02:14
9    Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team  
10    Sander Armee (Bel) Lotto Soudal    0:02:48

2019 La Vuelta GC after Stage 15

1    Primoz Roglic (Slo) Team Jumbo-Visma    58:10:32
2    Alejandro Valverde (Spa) Movistar Team    0:02:25
3    Tadej Pogacar (Slo) UAE Team Emirates    0:03:42
4    Miguel Angel Lopez (Col) Astana Pro Team    0:03:59
5    Nairo Quintana (Col) Movistar Team    0:05:09
6    Rafal Majka (Pol) Bora-Hansgrohe    0:07:14
7    Nicolas Edet (Fra) Cofidis, Solutions Credits    0:09:08
8    Wilco Kelderman (Ned) Team Sunweb    0:09:15
9    Carl Fredrik Hagen (Nor) Lotto Soudal    0:09:44
10    Hermann Pernsteiner (Aut) Bahrain-Merida    0:11:39