"I have no expectations but I do believe in myself" - Can Sepp Kuss maintain Vuelta a Espana lead?

A much-loved super-domestique, Sepp Kuss has already helped his team win the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France this year. Reaching the first rest day of the Vuelta a Espana in the race lead, could the American be about to victory for himself?

“I can now take a little more risk because I am in a new position," the loyal, Jumbo-Visma rider reveals on the first rest day to the Domestique Podcast. "I have no expectations myself and the team has no unrealistic expectations either. But: I do believe in myself. I already feel better than in the last Tour de France. The further we get in this Vuelta, it will all depend on the freshness.”

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Arguably the biggest hurdle to Kuss's general classification challenge could be Tuesday's individual time-trial. “I don't feel any pressure, not even for the time trial. It's not like it's the last stage of this Vuelta either. I just have to believe in myself and then we'll see what's possible," the 28-year-old previews. "My last wind tunnel test was from a few years ago. I can only take myself a few positions in a time trial. I worked a lot on it in 2021, but it turned out terribly. This year I only rode my time trial bike in the Giro and in the run-up to the Vuelta for the team time trial.”

With the nearest of the pre-race favourites, Remco Evenepoel over two minutes down on Kuss, the American has to hold his own against the individual time-trial world champion. “I don't know what to expect. In the last Tour I rode well against the clock," says Kuss. "In many time trials I feel pretty good on the flat. It will all depend on the legs. It's good for a time trial if I feel a bit fresher."

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PREVIEW | Vuelta a Espana 2023 stage 10 - Filippo Ganna big favourite for flat time-trial; Evenepoel and Jumbo-Visma enter direct clash for red jersey

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