Ganna bounces back from Tour ordeal with blistering Vuelta win

Ganna was in fine spirits after yet another time trial masterclass. "I suffered more in the last three hours in the hot seat than on the bike," Ganna joked after his winning performance. "In the final, I tried to push without thinking about the numbers."

The Italian time trial specialist spent three hours in the hot seat waiting for his victory to be confirmed. His exceptional closing kilometres proved to be the decisive factor in securing the win as Ganna graudally ramped up his effort in the 12.2km time trial, cut by 15km due to security concerns amid protests at Israel-Premier Tech's presence in the race.

Ganna's path to this Vuelta victory wasn't straightforward. A crash during the opening stage of the Tour de France back in July nearly prevented him from starting La Vuelta at all where the Ineos rider suffered a concussion, where he recalled in earlier media interviews that he couldn't remember anything from that incident.

"It's not easy getting back on the bike and back to fighting," Ganna explained. "Every time I was on the bike, I tried to do my best day by day to improve and keep my best condition."

The Ineos Grenadiers rider admitted he struggled to find his rhythm in the early part of the course before unleashing his powerful finish. His performance marks an impressive comeback after a challenging summer.

Ganna also noted the difficulties he has faced throughout the mountainous and tricky Vuelta where Ganna has been somewhat anonymous. "I've really suffered in this Vuelta with a lot of elevation. When a guy is about 85 kilos, it's not easy to climb," he said.

Despite these challenges, Ganna and his team have their sights set on the remaining stages. "This last week started really well for us, and it's not done for sure. We have more days ahead and we'll try to do our best," he added.

The victory  yet again strengthens Ganna's reputation as one of the world's premier time trialists alongside Remco Evenepoel, demonstrating his ability to overcome adversity and deliver exceptional performances when it matters most in Grand Tour time trials.

The Italian has opted against travelling to Rwanda for the hilly Worlds time trial, but he will be among the favourites for the European Championships time trial the following week.