For the first time since Chris Horner himself back in 2013, an American has been crowned winner of the Vuelta a Espana. Sepp Kuss is that man and Horner couldn't be more delighted to finally have a successor.
"I hope to see that this gives US racing a kick and that we see sponsors come back," says Horner on his official YouTube channel. "You can get more US teams finding sponsorship instead of having just Lidl-Trek and EF Education-EasyPost, who don’t have that many Americans on the team, and it could possibly bring in more sponsors and help the sport grow."
"The racing scene in the US is drowning or at best its nose is over the water. Hopefully, this brings out the exposure but it does take a few years because it doesn’t happen immediately," Horner continues, referencing the troubled relationship the US has with cycling following the much-publicised dramas of the likes of Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis.
"It gives the US that ability to look at Sepp Kuss winning and it just highlights the stuff I’ve said in that we’ve got these talented riders, it’s just that they happen to ride for Jumbo and UAE," Horner continues. "I think that Sepp Kuss is an amazing ambassador for the sport on the US side. His character is just such a joy to watch, with how he dedicates his success to the team, and it’s really remarkable how he races. I was so upset with the way Jumbo were treating him because throughout my career it was always about your team winning and sharing wins. It hit a spot on the heart when his teammates were attacking him but I love that Sepp is winning. He’s a fantastic guy."
Primoz Roglic en rose, Jonas Vingegaard en jaune et Sepp Kuss en rouge : avant la dernière étape de #LaVuelta23, les leaders de la Jumbo-Visma ont réalisé une photo symbolique. La formation néerlandaise est la 1re équipe à remporter les 3 Grands Tours lors d'une même saison.
