Master attacker Kämna conserves energy in crosswinds, Sobrero saw the writing on the wall with the German in the lead

In recent years, Lennard Kämna has emerged as a master of breakaways, so it was no surprise that he once again claimed victory in the ninth stage of the Vuelta a España on Sunday. The 26-year-old German from BORA-hansgrohe executed a perfect strategy in a grueling race full of crosswinds and climbing challenges. With this, he has now won stages in all three Grand Tours.

"I'm super happy. I've worked hard in recent months and it wasn't always easy after the Giro. There were some setbacks, so I'm pleased to be back on the podium with a win," Kämna began in a flash interview, referring to his Giro d'Italia performance earlier this year, where he finished ninth as a general classification contender.

It was his first major tour as a team leader for the general classification, but in the Vuelta, he is back to being a stage hunter—a role that suits him perfectly, as his analysis revealed. "With the crosswinds at the start, I tried to move as smoothly as possible to conserve energy. By the first climb, everything came back together, allowing me to join the breakaway with plenty of energy left in the tank."

When a leading group of eight formed, Kämna knew he had to play his cards right. "The final climb was still tricky. It was undulating, making it difficult to find a moment to drop the others. Fortunately, I found that moment. You have to read the situation a bit, and I went full throttle when we rounded a corner after a bump. I got a gap and pushed beyond my limit for a while. From there, it was full power to the finish line."

Sobrero saw the writing on the wall with Kämna

Matteo Sobrero finished second. The Italian from Jayco-AlUla actually rode the perfect stage, but Kämna was simply just a little bit better. "I did my best. It was stressful with the crosswinds at the start, but I managed to join the breakaway, which was the first goal of the day. I checked who else was there and focused on Lennard. He was the strongest, and although I felt good, I couldn't quite close the gap. Fortunately, we still have two more weeks, and my form is good."