"I've been close to this dream before, but to achieve it now is something truly incredible. I held my nerve today, and I'm proud of the way the time trial went to finish on a high. I was really surprised to be able to get to stage 19 still wearing the red jersey, and it was really nice to have that feeling that maybe one day you can win a Grand Tour. It's something I probably thought was unrealistic, especially after the Giro d'Italia, so to be so close here is really special."

It's an exceptional result. We know how difficult it is to achieve a podium finish in a Grand Tour. This Vuelta Ciclista a España was a very dense and challenging race. Ben seized a great opportunity on stage six, putting in a great performance that put him comfortably ahead of the pack. After that, the whole team was caught up in this dynamic defense of the red jersey. The boys were exemplary, courageous and full of self-sacrifice every day to defend the jersey body and soul, and to put Ben in the best possible position to fight with the favourites who attacked him relentlessly on very difficult courses. Each and every one of his team-mates gave him the strength to push himself to the limit on every stage. Ben's time was superb again today, and second place is fully deserved. A podium finish on a Grand Tour is truly fabulous. I'm really proud of what the team has done.