"This is a stage tailor-made for him" - Jumbo-Visma confident of Sepp Kuss chances on Col du Tourmalet stage

Stage 13 of the Vuelta a Espana sees a second round in the Pyrenees but now substantially harder. Three difficult and long climbs and a summit finish at the Col du Tourmalet promise big gaps, and Jumbo-Visma believe this type of day will suit Sepp Kuss better than the first week.

"Yes, Kuss is still in the red after today. And yes, Roglic and Vingegaard are still in the top ten after today. This is a very important day, but the boys are in good shape," Girscha Niermann, who is leading Jumbo-Visma in the race convoy, told Het Laatste Nieuws. "They are healthy, fresh, cheerful."

Whilst Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard sit behind Remco Evenepoel, Sepp Kuss is a minute ahead and in the red jersey. The tactics can be quite complex, Niermann does not disclose tactics but on the first day with multiple high mountains, there is a lot that the Dutch team can do. "One thing is clear. Our rivals must attack. We know how to respond to that. And then we'll see what that means."

"Who will ride for whom if a gap needs to be closed? We'll see. That has of course been discussed. Roglic and Vingegaard came here to win the Vuelta. That is still the case. But they both also owe a lot to Sepp. The favor factor is certainly there. Plus: Kuss is just in great shape. This is a stage tailor-made for him. He has already proven that he is one of the best climbers," he hints.