Special moments from the past month’s pro racing, as selected by the photographers who captured them
Race: Vuelta a España, 17th September 2023
Photographer: Chris Auld ‘I don’t know anyone who didn’t want Sepp Kuss to win the Vuelta. Here, Jonas Vingegaard congratulates his teammate after crossing the finish line of the Vuelta a España in Madrid on Stage 21. Jumbo-Visma narrowly avoided a PR disaster after joint leaders Vingegaard and Primož Roglič dropped fan favourite Kuss on the brutal slopes of the Alto de l’Angliru.
‘With elbows sharpened and camera aloft, it was a mass pile-on to get this photo. This shot is pretty much “spray and pray”; you can’t see through the viewfinder and you’re pointing the camera vaguely in the right direction. Some you win, some you lose.’
Race: Tour of Britain, 8th September 2023
Photographer: James York ‘Stage 6 of the 2023 Tour of Britain started in the Essex town of Southendon-Sea. I’ll often leave the start location before the race begins to avoid getting caught behind the peloton, but on this day I thought the seafront would be a fun place to shoot the roll-out.
‘This shot shows a neutralised peloton before the racing starts in earnest. I found this rollercoaster situated in Adventure Island to use as a backdrop as the riders came through at a leisurely pace. Danny van Poppel (Bora-Hansgrohe) became the first non-Jumbo-Visma rider to win a stage, sprinting to victory in Harlow ahead of Great Britain’s Ethan Vernon.’
Race: Simac Ladies Tour, 10th September 2023
Photographer: Bas Czerwinski ‘It was an emotional week during the Simac Ladies Tour, where 40-year-old Annemiek van Vleuten (Movistar) began the last race of her professional road career. She had arrived fresh from winning the overall at the Tour of Scandinavia and was able to end her illustrious career after 104 UCI wins on her own terms. One of the greatest cyclists of all time, Van Vleuten’s palmarès includes the Giro d’Italia Donne, Tour de France Femmes, La Vuelta Femenina, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tour of Flanders, European and World Championships and Olympic gold and silver medals.
‘On Stage 5 of the Simac Ladies Tour, Van Vleuten spent the last lap of her career waving to fans, friends and family on the roadside, finishing by raising her arms in celebration across the line. What a legend.’
Race: Vuelta a España, 8
