Johannes [Staune-Mittet]<\/a>. I was talking about the Norwegian GC, and he said: \u2018You\u2019re a loser, because you\u2019re so close in the GC.\u2019<\/p>\n\u201cAnd then I said: \u2018When I am in the red jersey after the Andorra stage, I don\u2019t think you\u2019ll call me a loser anymore!\u2019 Now I think he owes me some beers in Madrid.\u201d<\/p>\n
Predicting the race lead and naming the day in question is an impressive feat.<\/p>\n
It was by no means a given: Tr\u00e6en was sitting 35 seconds off the overall lead earlier this week, and that rose to a 58 second deficit after Wednesday\u2019s time trial.<\/p>\n
He seemed out of the picture for the red jersey but everything changed when he infiltrated a large breakaway group early on during Thursday\u2019s stage from Olot to Pal. Andorra.<\/p>\n
With overnight leader Jonas Vingegaard apparently willing to temporarily relinquish the race lead, the gap opened up. Tr\u00e6en was best placed of those breakaway riders overall and, in finishing a fine second on the stage behind the day\u2019s winner Jay Vine (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), he took over at the top.<\/p>\n
That meant a lot, and even more so due to health issues he has experienced.<\/p>\n
\u2018I was a bit unsure if I would ever be good again\u2019
\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2231778057.jpg\")
Traeen finished second on the stage, 54 seconds behind Jay Vine (Photo: Josep LAGO \/ AFP)<\/p>\n
Three years ago the Norwegian went through a very stressful time. He had undergone a routine doping control in March of that year at the Volta a Catalunya. The test results revealed high levels of hCG, human chorionic gonadotropin, which in turn led to a diagnosis of testicular cancer.<\/p>\n
Being subjected to the test was a stroke of good fortune. He was feeling fine, performing so well that he won the mountains classification at the Tour of the Alps. Had he not done the doping control in March, the diagnosis of the disease might have happened at a much later point in time.<\/p>\n
And while surgeons had to remove his left testicle, the tumor was limited to that area only. That meant he didn\u2019t have to undergo chemotherapy, and he was able to return to competition that August.<\/p>\n
Tr\u00e6en won a stage of the Tour de Suisse last season, his first WorldTour victory, and then performed on an even bigger stage on Thursday.<\/p>\n
His past health scare made him appreciate it all the more, and so too another medical issue earlier this year.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be honest it is a bit special, especially this year, because I had five weeks of concussion in March,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd at this point I was a bit unsure if I would ever be good again because I was there on the couch looking at the ceiling for five weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was a big blow.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo be honest that was harder than to have cancer,\u201d he said. \u201cSo now I have been through quite a lot. It has been I would say a small rollercoaster.\u201d<\/p>\n
It has, but now things are on the up.<\/p>\n
\u2018I don\u2019t know how far I can go\u2019
\n![\"GOTTHARD](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/GettyImages-2157302309.jpg\")
Traen previously won stage 4 of last year\u2019s Tour de Suisse, a major boost for him (Photo by Tim de Waele\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Now 30 years of age, Tr\u00e6en went in the Vuelta in good shape. Fourth on the final stage of the Vuelta a Burgos was a very solid result, and so too seventh overall.<\/p>\n
He wanted to do something major in the grand tour, although he admitted going clear in the break was not initially about chasing the red jersey.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe knew it was a possibility that we would go for the stage. Since it was a climb at the start, it was pretty easy to come in the group if you have the legs,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo then when you are in the group you just hope you are the strongest. It turned out Jay Vine was the strongest, so I had to fight for red instead of both [the jersey and the stage].\u201d<\/p>\n
That objective was a big success: he jumped 25 places in the overall standings and now has a 31 second lead over the next rider, the French Bruno Armirail.<\/p>\n
It is, he says, a very special moment for him.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a bit unexpected, so obviously a nice surprise.\u201d<\/p>\n
Friday\u2019s stage will be hugely memorable. Few riders get a chance to lead a grand tour and he will soak up the atmosphere when the race rolls out of Olot.<\/p>\n
He\u2019ll be excited, and likely more than a little nervous too.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s completely understandable. All eyes will be on him Friday and the stage is one of the toughest of the whole race. It clocks up over 4200 meters of climbing and concludes atop the Cerler Huesca la Magia, a category one ascent.<\/p>\n
Given that parcours, he\u2019ll hope that his 2:33 buffer over Vingegaard will be enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know how far I can go,\u201d he said, with a laugh.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe tomorrow already Jonas [Vingegaard] already takes it back. That is also a possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is, and so he\u2019ll savor every minute.<\/p>\n
[instagram src=https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DN5-ylhjWku]<\/p>\n