Chris Horner defends Sepp Kuss: "You can't take someone who has done so much for the team out of the leader's jersey"

Chris Horner, winner of the Vuelta a Espana 10 years ago exactly, may be seeing a compatriot win a Grand Tour for the first time ever since. Naturally, the hopes of Sepp Kuss winning the race are high in the United States, and Horner backs him fully.

"Kuss, together with Primoz Roglic, was able to follow the attacks of other men such as Juan Ayuso, Enric Mas and Mikel Landa, while Jonas Vingegaard deliberately gave time back to Kuss," Horner said in his Youtube channel. "That was a great tactical choice on his part, because with that gesture he indirectly said: hey, the battle for the general classification has been decided. We will do everything we can to help Sepp win the Vuelta."

After the stage to Cruz de Linares some order seems to have been put on Jumbo-Visma, both Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic have won multiple stages throughout the Vuelta, as did Kuss on stage 6 to Javalambre - the day which may have very well decided the Vuelta. After a few days of uncertainty on how the overall classification would pan out, yesterday's conservative behaviour in the final ascent seemed to indicate that the team was no longer indicating their three leaders to race all-out.

"The most important thing we can take away from this race is the fact that Sepp will win the Vuelta. Congratulations Sepp, but remember: you still have to keep your focus and keep your bike straight," Horner said, perhaps optimistic that stage 20, a very difficult day, will not bring difficulties to Kuss. "There are still some stages to come, but after this stage we can say that Jonas and Primoz will ride for you. Dylan van Baarle, Robert Gesink, Wilco Kelderman, Attila Valter and Jan Tratnik will also do everything for you, there is no doubt about that."

However that is the one stage that, on paper, is left for Kuss to tackle. Stages 19 and 21, although always days where something can go wrong, are mostly flat and the overall classification fight should be secondary. Horner believes the change of behaviour towards stage 18 may have come partly due to the heavy criticism that fell on them after the Alto de l'Angliru drama. "The pressure and negative energy of the stage to the Angliru have made Jumbo-Visma realize that you cannot drop a super domestique like Kuss."

"You can't take someone who has done so much for the team out of the leader's jersey. The twentieth stage can still be dangerous, but with the power that Jumbo-Visma has, it will probably not be too bad. I would love to see Sepp win the race," he concluded.