Danny van Poppel, 22, made no mistake with his first opportunity at contesting a bunch finish at the Vuelta a España, waiting until the perfect moment to launch his sprint in the final uphill meters to take the biggest win of his young career.

“This was my first chance in this Vuelta. I missed the opportunities in the first week because I was not feeling good and struggled with the heat, and I was a little bit angry that I missed those chances. I knew that today was another chance, and I needed to take responsibility, and we as a team did it – it was a great job together," he said.

“I felt really strong and then I know it’s hard to beat me on a little bit of an uphill.  Especially also the guys - when I see the team pulling for me all day that really motivates me; it was really special.”

The 173-kilometer stage 12 was animated by a few tough climbs that needed to be conquered and a five-man breakaway that needed to be tamed, a far from an easy day for Trek Factory Racing who was at the front heading the chase with Giant-Alpecin for the final 70-kilometers.

Markel Irizar and Riccardo Zoidl put in kilometer after kilometer of relentless work, and when Lampre-Merida joined the chase in the final 25 kilometers the gap finally began to tumble.

Then, disaster struck.

Danny van Poppel punctured with just over 11 kilometers to go, and it looked like Trek Factory Racing’s bad luck had returned. But a super fast wheel change by the team’s mechanic, a hefty push by director Dirk Demol, and Danny was back into the caravan, leaping from car to car.

He made contact to the rear-end of the peloton where Fränk Schleck and Yaroslav Popovych were waiting; they leaped into action to bring van Poppel back to the front, while the green light was given to Irizar and Zoidl to continue their work pulling hard as the five men out front threatened to hold off the pursuit.

Teamwork made the difference.

“I have to say a big congrats to the team,” said director Dirk Demol. “It was really a team victory today. All seven guys were a part of this win. Markel, who is always super motivated, told me, ‘I can pull for two. I feel like I can pull all day’, and when the gap was still big earlier in the race Riccardo kept asking over and over again, ‘Tell me when I have to pull! Tell me when I have to pull!'  Everybody wanted to pull! 

“What has kept us together and going strong no matter what is that we have good team spirit. So many things went wrong for us this year, but always we have kept working and believing, knowing that one day we will have something back and this was one of those days.

"Today really makes it all worthwhile, and it makes you keep enjoying what you are doing.”

The late puncture threatened to upset the beautiful team effort, however, fortune trumped the ill-timed luck: it was a front wheel flat and Danny van Poppel was able to rejoin the peloton relatively quickly.

“I was not sure at first if I had a puncture, but then I noticed I had a slow leak in the front tire and at first I thought maybe I could continue like that,” explained van Poppel. “Then I knew I had to change, and it was a quick change and I came back behind the cars really quick. Markel and Riccardo stopped pulling at the front and then Fränk and Popo helped me get back to the front. Popo did a great job, he put me in a really good position right in the wheel of [John] Degenkolb. It was a strange finish, a bit chaotic I think because there were a few attacks."

It was a disorganized last kilometer, but van Poppel seemed unfazed, often used to battling in the hectic finales solo.  He played the ending perfectly, using patience and timing to textbook precision, and when he launched his final sprint he powered the last uphill meters to take the win by a bike length.

“Degenkolb took the wrong side of the road and I needed to go really early because I was a little bit in the back,” said van Poppel about the sprint. “So I went full gas and I felt I had a lot of power in the legs and I came really easy over the guys and I won. I am really happy!

"Before the sprint, my team did a great job. Popovych brought me in great position. I managed to take the wheel of Degenkolb. And then he took the wrong turn and I took the right one. I knew I needed to go very early otherwise it would be too late. I felt a lot of power in my legs and I knew I was going to win.

It was strange because there were still guys in the front when I took Degenkolb wheel. Then John took the wrong side and I took the right one. It was also a lot of luck. In a finale like this you don't think about the riders in front, you're focused on your sprint. I thought I had to take the wheel of Degenkolb. I did it. I didn't know if there was someone in front of me. But I didn't see anybody so I knew it was good.

“I was a little stressed when I had the puncture because it was not far from the finish. But the change was really quick and I know that I am feeling really strong and Josu [Larrazabal, director] and Dirk told me not to panic and be smart in coming back. By the time the team brought me back to the front the finale started immediately. It was perfect timing.

“This is a big win for me - this is WorldTour level, which makes it really important and I did it today – yeah, I am really happy. 

For me the level here is higher. It's a World Tour race, it's live on TV. This is my biggest victory, yes.

"I emulated my father but I'm Danny and not Jean-Paul. For me its the first one. I know I'm doing good like my dad did. But cycling is different. Now its much more professional. I don't think about what my Dad did. I'm Danny.

"Yesterday was very hard. I suffered a lot. I was already thinking about today. I feel OK now. I know I'm good in long races. I feel better and better. I was not so good in the first days because of the heat. I missed chances and it was tough because there are not so many in this race. It was today or Madrid.

"When its hilly, we work for Jasper [Sutyven] - who won -, and when it's flat, we go for me. We work very well together. But he's out now and I had only Popo to help me in the finale and he did a great job.

"My career was really quick. I was already a pro at 19. I was famous for that and now I'm finally famous because I win and that's important for me to be famous because I win and not because I'm the youngest rider in the Tour de France or something.

"In the Tour de Wallonie I attacked in a climb and beat really big names. I know I can be good in the classics but it will come when I'm older. It's better for me to improve in sprints and when I'm older, like Boonen or Degenkolb, to go for the classics. It's my goal in the future."