VIDEO INTERVIEW: Sepp Kuss realistic about his goals heading into Vuelta's first GC test - "It's still too early in the race for me to say if it will go well or not"

There was joy for Team Visma | Lease a Bike on stage 3 of the 2024 Vuelta a Espana as Wout van Aert took a powerful sprint win ahead of Kaden Groves. From tomorrow onwards however, the team's focus will shift to defending Sepp Kuss' Vuelta a Espana title.

Aside from Dylan van Baarle's sad abandon on stage 2 after fracturing his hip in a crash, there's not really much more that Team Visma | Lease a Bike could have asked for, with two days in red (so far ed.) for Wout van Aert plus a stage win. Speaking exclusively to CyclingUpToDate at the finish line of stage 2, Sepp Kuss reflected on his own ambitions.

With stage 3 presenting the first real GC test of this Grand Tour, we asked Kuss if he has plans to make it back to back Team Visma | Lease a Bike stage wins. "Uhh, no. No, I don't think so," he answers with a smile after a short pause. "It's still too early in the race for me to say if it will go well or not. But, I'm sure that will be the same for everyone else."

This year, the Vuelta a Espana got underway in the blistering summer sun of Portugal. As the race heads into it's native land on stage 4, we asked Kuss how he has enjoyed his time in the cycling mad nation. "It's been really nice!" Kuss answers glowingly. "I've been a few days before on holiday and that was also really nice. It's just a shame we can't enjoy the food," he concludes with a laugh.