Michael Storer said he “knew exactly what he needed to do to win” on stage 10 of the Vuelta a España 2021, as he took his second victory in this year’s race.
The Australian, racing in Team DSM colours, took another stunning breakaway victory in Rincón de la Victoria, attacking on the only major climb and holding on to a slim advantage to win the day.
Storer, 24, has flourished in this year’s race, after he won from another breakaway on stage seven to Balcón de Alicante in very similar fashion.
Speaking after the stage Storer, who has won four pro races in his career, said: “It’s truly even more unbelievable than the last time. It was a massive fight for the breakaway, one of those epic days. I think we did 80km before it went. I was happy to be in there.
“I was feeling good on the last climb and I knew exactly what I needed to do to win - I needed to attack.”
Storer has come of age this season, having already raced four seasons at WorldTour level with Team DSM (previously Sunweb).
All four of his professional victories have come in the last month, as he won stage three of the Tour de l’Ain and secured the overall in the process, following that up with two Vuelta stages.
>>> Vuelta a España 2021: Five things to look out for in week two
On the moment he attacked, Storer said: “I just felt the moment, I went and hoped for the best.
“I didn’t have exact time gaps but I knew it was tight. I knew Ii had to go fast on that descent even though it was dry and slippery roads in this region. I was happy with my descent. It was just enough to hold on.
“I dreamed of one stage at this Vuelta. Now I have two after 10 days. It’s truly unbelievable.”
Alex is the digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter and now as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output.
Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) and joining CW in 2018, Alex has covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.
Away from journalism, Alex is a national level time triallist, avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
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