Michel Wuyts: "It is certainly possible that Kuss will become the absolute leader of Jumbo-Visma"

What Jumbo-Visma have planned is an unknown. To everyone most likely, no-one knows how far Sepp Kuss can go at the Vuelta a Espana in the race lead, but after a very strong time-trial, there is the possibility that he will at some point become the man to protect.

"It is certainly possible that Kuss will become the absolute leader of Jumbo-Visma... You can say that he did a good job for the general classification," Michel Wuyts wrote for Het Laatste Nieuws. However, he puts in the spotlight the performance of Remco Evenepoel against the Jumbo-Visma riders: "He puts Roglic at twenty seconds and - even more importantly - Vingegaard at one minute. And I think that is quite strong."

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"But if you compare it with his Vuelta time trial last year, it is something different. Then he put Roglic three quarters of a minute behind and the rest even further behind. Let's just say he flew last year and rode very well this year." Whilst Evenepoel put time on the rest of the competition, Kuss defended himself very well, and still holds over a minute of lead over the Belgian, with no more time-trialing on the menu. The mountains will now decide the outcome of the Vuelta and here Jumbo-Visma can use tactics.

Whilst Kuss defended himself very well, Primoz Roglic also put in a very strong time, and Jonas Vingegaard was now slightly dropped in the overall classification. The Slovenian has been looking sharper than the Tour de France winner, combined with the better preparation this may see a bit of a change in Vingegaard's role from now on. "Roglic got the better of his teammate from Denmark two or three times. But Kuss remains in the game and I think he has done the best business of all."

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However the multi-climb mountain stages are still to come, and those will arguably me the most important in the race. In there the terrain favours both Kuss and Vingegaard, whilst Remco Evenepoel has at point shown (both during this and last year's Vuelta) small weak spots. Adding that to the obvious advantage in depth that the Dutch team - and UAE Team Emirates - have, it will become a very difficult job for Evenepoel and Soudal - Quick-Step to keep the race under control in a favourable way.

"In such stages, Jumbo-Visma can simply send Kuss out in his red jersey. Then the world is turned upside down. And who will solve it? They can also play Vingegaard in attacks. That boy still has to get to his territory: the longer climbs."

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