Ares del Maestrat (Spain), August 29th – Team Bahrain Merida celebrate the first-ever leader’s jersey on a Grand Tour. It happens at the Vuelta a España, where for Dylan Teuns takes the overall lead today.

A little unexpected maybe, but a well-deserved leader’s jersey for the Belgian rider, who missed out the win on stage 6th (Mora de Rubielos-Ares del Maestrat, 198.9km) - finishing second behind José Herrada - but he moved into the red jersey.

“It was a goal in this Vuelta” he explains “I started to realise that it was possible to get the leader’s jersey in a Grand Tour. Yesterday I was disappointed about not being in the breakaway, but I still kept going on the climb so as not to lose too much time and it was all in the plan actually”.

Dylan was part of the 11-man group breakaway of the day and he was very active in the finale, trying to attack to take also today’s stage win: “I knew a 3-4 minute climb is my speciality, like the Ardennes, and with about 4km to go I just went full gas, with the hope that nobody would stay in the wheel, but there was one guy who could follow. He didn’t want to pass me and to do a turn, and then I didn’t have the punch anymore. I gave everything for the jersey today. Also for the victory, but in the end, one guy was smarter or stronger”.

Another brilliant result for Teuns, who took 2 wins with Bahrain Merida so far: at the Dauphiné - wearing also the yellow jersey for two days – and above all at Le Tour de France. It happened at stage 6 too. A happy coincidence for him and the team.

(All pictures can be used for editorial and non-commercial usages only and are copyright @Bettiniphoto @Team Bahrain Merida)