A Visma, ils ont compté, le vainqueur s'est juste pris la tête.

French cyclist Bastien Tronchon (Groupama-FDJ United) made an unexpected victory in the tenth stage of the Spanish cycling race, finishing in a surprise sprint after a chaotic final stretch. The stage, which covered 184.7 kilometers from Alcaraz to Elche, saw Tronchon claim his first win of the season and only his third in his career. His triumph came in a non-traditional sprint finish, with no major sprint teams launching their usual peloton attacks. Slovenian riders performed reasonably well, with Gal Glivar placing 18th and Primož Roglič securing second place overall in the general classification, maintaining his position behind leader Enrique Mas. Tronchon, 24, had previously won in 2022 during the third stage of the race in Burgos and in 2023 during the one-day race Tro-Bro Leon in his home country. This year’s success marked a breakthrough for the French rider, who admitted he was unsure of his position during the final moments of the race. “I don’t know how I managed it,” he told organizers after the stage. “I started the sprint, but I wasn’t sure if anyone was ahead of me because there were so many attacks. So I didn’t raise my arms when crossing the finish line.” The stage unfolded with relative calm but at a high tempo, with a group of escapees leading much of the route. However, the final 40 kilometers saw numerous attacks, with teams preparing for the sprint. Dutch rider Wout van Aert of Visma-Lease a Bike, who had been the team’s main contender, failed to capitalize on the chaos, while British rider Matthew Brennan, who had been the team's primary sprinter, struggled late in the race. Van Aert finished fourth, just behind Belgian rider Thibau Nys and Danish rider Magnus Cort. Slovenian riders showed resilience, with Glivar finishing 18th and Roglič maintaining his second-place standing in the overall standings, trailing Mas by 1 minute and 18 seconds. Jakob Omrzel placed 42nd, keeping his position in the top ten. The stage also saw Austrian rider Felix Gall finish third, adding to the competitive nature of the race. Throughout the day, several teams lost key support riders, forcing them to chase down breakaways even in the final three kilometers. Brennan played a crucial role in helping van Aert maintain his lead, though the Dutch rider ultimately fell short. “I can't believe what happened,” Tronchon added. “The last few days have been tough, but I was ready. I told my teammate Guillame Martin to go all out until I ‘die.’ I took the win, it was crazy.” Tronchon, who faced challenges during preparations for the Vuelta, expressed confidence in his process despite the difficulties. “I trusted the process. When I arrived at the start of the Vuelta, I told myself I had already done most of the work and just needed to ride as I knew how.” His performance has positioned him as a potential contender in upcoming stages. The race will continue on Wednesday with the 11th stage, starting in Cartagena and ending in Lorca, covering 151.3 kilometers. The stage includes a challenging climb around 35 kilometers before the finish, which could disrupt the order among the top sprinting teams. If they attempt to control the breakaway, the race could see further unpredictability.