"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.”

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."