Cycling-Kuss close to overall Vuelta victory as Evenepoel wins stage 18

FILE PHOTO-Cycling - UCI World Championships 2023 - Stirling, Scotland, Britain - August 11, 2023 Belgium's Remco Evenepoel crosses the finish line during the Men's Elite Road Individual Time Trial REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska/File Photo

(Reuters) -Belgium's Remco Evenepoel claimed his third victory in this year's Vuelta a Espana with a solo attack on a mountainous stage 18 and Jumbo-Visma's Sepp Kuss moved a step closer to winning his first Grand Tour on Thursday.

Evenepoel blasted out of a breakaway group on the first of two climbs of the Puerto de La Cruz de Linares late in the 179km ride from Pola de Allande and was in a class of his own.