Hours after GC leader Simon Yates abandoned the Vuelta a España due to a positive test for COVID-19, Bike Exchange Jayco was able to get the race under difficult circumstances as sprinter Kayden Groves took his first WorldTour stage win. He regained maximum momentum.

Vuelta lead sport director Gene Bates described Yates' loss on the day as "devastating" and acknowledged that it was a "blow" in the team's UCI points race.

But even if their hopes of an overall lead were dashed by the positive COVID-19 test, Groves' collective sprint success not only gave the team at least some great comfort, but when the team spoke Wednesday morning of increasing their focus on a stage win, they clearly proved that they were serious.

"It's devastating for us and for the team," Bates said at the start of Wednesday morning's stage. 'With Simon we had great focus for the Vuelta and we were going well. With Simon we were focused on the Vuelta and it was going well. Obviously the top three are very strong right now, but we had a steady approach and on Tuesday we were up to fifth overall."

"It's hard to swallow. But the important thing is that we can't control it; it's not ours to control.

According to Bates, Yates came down with a high fever and other symptoms throughout the night and did not sleep well. The positive test confirmed the worst, and the coronavirus dashed Yates' hopes of a GC at the Grand Tour for only the second time in his career, following a positive test at the 2020 Giro.

Bates recognized that, apart from the Vuelta itself, the loss of a chance to finish higher in GC "was a blow in that regard" in terms of UCI points contention.

"You can't hide that, so I guess you have to use a little imagination to figure out where to go for points."

As for the Vuelta, he said, "You know the points system and the way it's set up doesn't favor stage wins. But we're focused on the stages and that's what we'll do while we're here and we're looking for other plan B's."

Bates cited Groves as the first of these, saying that although his Vuelta finish in Cabo de Gata was not straightforward because of the wind, "it suits his style."

As a result, Groves was quick to step into the breach in team morale that day and became the first Australian to win a stage in a Grand Tour.

Groves also agreed that the victory was the best possible result on a day that started badly for Bike Exchange-Jayco.

"Totally. I heard Simon's sad news this morning and it's hard for him and for the team. Half the team was here to support him on GC, but now we're going to focus on the stage," Groves said. 'So I want to thank everyone and the whole team for supporting me today.'

Groves, who is set to move from the Australian team to Alpecin Deceuninck next season, said he "owes" the team good results in his final months with the team and that he had a great performance at the end of the stage.

"The wind was stressful, especially in the corners around the last 20 km and the final corner along the coast with 4 km to go," he said of stage 11.

"But I controlled the stage at the front with Luke Durbridge. We were at the front of the bunch with four kilometers to go, and only when the other sprinters came up fast did we change positions. But luckily I was fresh enough to pass them before the finish. "

Groves' next bunch sprint opportunity will probably be Montilla in two days. But whatever his performance there, his boost to Bike Exchange-Jayco's morale after Yates retired will likely last for some time to come.