Team Bahrain Victorious' Poels outsprinted Soudal-Quick-Step's Belgian Remco Evenepoel to the line, crossing in 4hour 59min 29sec.

Kuss went into the 208-kilometre stage, the longest of the race, from Manzanares el Real to Guadarrama 17 seconds ahead of team-mate Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark.

He retained the margin as the pair crossed the line side by side with Primož Roglič of Slovenia.

The Team Jumbo-Visma trio occupy the top three places in the general classification in what has been one of the most dominant Vuelta displays of all time.

With the Dutch team happy to sit back and defend their lead, a 31-rider breakaway group emerged on the opening climb and was led by last year's winner Evenepoel.

He looked set to win a fourth stage but was denied by 35-year-old Poels who attacked on the final climb to get away from the group.

"It was very special to finish the stage with my teammates after all the team had put in so much work," Kuss said.

"I am very, very happy.

"[We are] almost there...we still have tomorrow." 

Kuss will continue to wear the red jersey heading into tomorrow's final stage - a 101.5km journey from Hipódromo de la Zarzuela to Madrid.

Cycling etiquette dictates that title rivals respect the leader's advantage in the largely ceremonial arrival in the capital city.

The last American man to win one of the three cycling Grand Tours was 2013 Vuelta champion Chris Horner.

Not only is Team Jumbo-Visma set to monopolise this year's Vuelta podium, it is on the cusp of clinching all three Grand Tour titles this year after Roglič won the Giro d'Italia in May and Vingegaard won his second straight Tour de France in July.