"Sepp Kuss has deserved this victory" - Vincenzo Nibali believes more Grand Tour wins could follow after Vuelta a Espana triumph

A former Vuelta a Espana winner in his own right, Vincenzo Nibali watched on to the 2023 edition of the race with plenty of interest as Sepp Kuss claimed a first individual Grand Tour victory, ahead of his Jumbo-Visma teammates.

The victory wasn't without its controversy though, as attacks on Kuss by his own teammates, Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic, because a very public ceasefire was announced, left some questions about whether or not Kuss truly deserved his win. For Nibali however, there is no doubt. "Sepp Kuss has deserved this victory," the Italian insists in conversation with Marca. 

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"Seeing a Vingegaard attack before the Angliru... It must have been a bomb on the bus. It is a complicated situation for everyone," continues the 'Shark of Messina', recalling the controversy surrounding the Jumbo-Visma infighting.

The question now is whether or not Kuss can replicate his performances. Can the American switch from super-domestique to a consistent, Grand Tour challenger? "He won the three Grand Tours in one year, I think he now sets the goal of winning a Tour he can repeat," Nibali analyses. "People think not, but I do think so," he concludes.

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