"Maybe another year" - Sepp Kuss confirms he won't ride the 2024 Giro d'Italia

After his stunning overall victory at the 2023 Vuelta a Espana, some had hoped Sepp Kuss would develop into a fully-fledged Jumbo-Visma leader at the 2024 Giro d'Italia. Kuss himself though, has now shut this talk down and ruled out a possible return to Italy.

“I think next year maybe will be a bit too soon to do all three again, I think it’s definitely possible but for sure one year I’d like to do the Giro again,” the American told reporters in a press conference at the Tour de France Prudential Singapore Criterium, with quotes collected by GCN.

The biggest issue Kuss has is the actual design of the course. Despite his impressive ride against the clock to keep a hold of the Red Jersey at the Vuelta a Espana, Kuss isn't renowned for his time-trialling abilities and as such, the near 70km of ITT at the Giro d'Italia isn't something that necessarily would suit him.

"Next year looks like too many TT kilometres and also I think it’s nice to go for the Tour and focus on that, whether that’s helping a teammate or whatever. And then going to the Vuelta, which is a really really important race to me,” Kuss explains. “I wish there were more high mountains, but maybe another year."

Given the fact he is now a Grand Tour winner, Kuss realises more is expected from him next year. “Now there are more opportunities for me and even if there were more leaders, it is still okay for me because in the end, I just have to do my best and be there with the best,” he says. “In the Vuelta there were two leaders and I could still have my chance, but now there’ll be more races that are more open for me. I can go for stages or go for the GC if it’s possible.”

“This season I surprised myself by doing three Grand Tours, winning the third one and being really consistent in all three of them," he concludes. "When I know that I can do that, it gives me a lot of confidence.”