“Those ‘marathon’ Alps will be a real test” – Sepp Kuss backs Jonas Vingegaard to 'make a difference' against Pogacar in Tour de France high mountains
Cycling
Sepp Kuss says Jonas Vingegaard is playing the long game at
the 2025 Tour de France. After finishing second to Tadej Pogacar in the uphill
sprint on Stage 7, Vingegaard sits 1:17 behind his rival, but Kuss insists the
Dane is far from out of contention.
Speaking to AS, Kuss downplayed the early time gap
and pointed toward the high mountains still to come. “This is a three-week
race,” he said, noting that comparisons to the Critérium du Dauphine, where
Pogačar dominated, are premature.
Read also
“The Dauphiné I took another step up in my preparation which
was very useful,” said Kuss, who won the Vuelta a España in 2023 and is once
again a central figure in Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s Tour strategy. “My main
job’s in the mountains, as in the early stages it's difficult for me to be up
towards the front, so my work was more internal, being as far up there as I
could be.”
Kuss believes the terrain that lies ahead will suit
Vingegaard far better than the punchy finishes of the first week, “Those
‘marathon’ Alps will be a real endurance test, and that’s where we think Jonas
can make a difference. If one rider is stronger than another, then those
strategies aren’t so important, but we have to use our strength as a team,
too.”
Read also
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 2visitors 2
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- Seixas appears to be that good but if he isn't (an absolute rival to Pogacar) he would have plenty of company in rising stars that did not go on to fully meet the expectations of many. That Pogacar wasn't the greatest (as great) sooner can't be transposed onto another's development. It may be not that simple.flyer14-11-2026
- I agree that, for Evenepoel, the Euro championship is overshadowed by the slightly off Lombardia and Worlds. However, I disagree that "Ciccone also made a serious mistake at the European Championships" because I don't think he had a win in the bag although he could have won with a perfect bike throw. Guesswork about the finish is not evidence by me for some serious mistake. Sometimes you just barely lose - although Ciccone's sourpuss about it persona was serious.flyer14-11-2026
- I bet you photobombed the video since you are his shadow!frieders314-11-2026
- Skipping the 2027 TDF would be fine in my opinion, and if so, it further reveals that him racing it in 2026 was a good decision. Seixas speaks confident, almost cocky, these days (not meant to be a criticism) and I find it a tad humorous that people (rather commentators) continually chide and advise on how Decathlon should direct and manage Seixas when Paul seems to be calling all his shots since well before this year's TDF.flyer14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too.Lozza14-11-2026
- Well I just watched this and I thought it was great! If you’re a Pogi fan, like me, you’ll enjoy it. Even if you’re not necessarily a Pogi fan I still recommend it. There’s plenty of new stuff I didn’t know about and I’m a Pogi-maniac! Nice interviews with Pogi & Matteo Trentin too. So Zonnewotsit can stick it!Lozza14-11-2026
- Who’s gifting grand tours at UAE? Defo not Pogi! Stage wins maybe.Lozza13-11-2026
- Sepp Kuss Vuelta 2023.Lozza13-11-2026
- they have no expertise with classics, they have no leaders in classics. the classics is dominated by the few Fuori Classe riders where other riders are left with scraps. the Hiring , the salaries dont make sense at all. Same problem as Man Utd. over paid players, egos, very little performanceabstractengineer13-11-2026
- Contract year means you gotta win, at least collect UCI points, helping be damnedabstractengineer13-11-2026
Loading
2 Comments








