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"
CyclingThere 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.
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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.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- Yeah his ride at World's was unreal. Over 6 W/kg for over an hour and a half...he single handedly destroyed the break.DAS11-11-2026
- Exactly, you hit the nail on te head.... Ayuso sucks. 3 to 4 years ago some cycling experts were comparing Ayuso as the "new Pogi"... but he's not even close to him... either physically or mentally. Capish you naive schoolboy?PogiSloFans11-11-2026
- I think they expected more from riders like Carlos Rodriguez, Vauquelin and Magnus Sheffield. Imo they should have focused on signing Primoz Roglic, at least they´d probably have had a guaranteed podium GT finisher (he still might sign for them). Now they have 2nd or third tier riders in the classics (Ben Turner, Arensman, Beloki and hopefully Onley can step up again even more). Sheffield, August, Bernal, Tarling and Geoghan Hart did not live up to the star expectations eventually..Jonatan11-11-2026
- Fuuuuuuck, Ciccone and Pidcock on the same team, attacking like crazy and taking it to the other competitors? Yes, please.Occam11-11-2026
- Oh Cameron, this win has been a long time coming! We could not be more proud. All I’ll say is: roll on Glasgow 🔥anonymouscyclist11-11-2026
- Ayuso is another guy riding for GC but won't be able to consistently do it. Almost all of these guys, Skjelmose included, would be better off targeting shorter stage races or one-day races rather than shooting for a GT top-five.Occam11-11-2026
- Awesome. Because you didn't like him, he sucks. Good Lord, you're tendentious. And you write like a 15 yo locked in his room after school.Occam11-11-2026
- He's another guy that got caught up in the hype for GC at GT's. That's a fool's errand for most riders. Clearly, he's in the right spot now, looking at what he's done as a team domestique. Regularly blowing apart the peloton, and in particular, his ride at World's was stellar.Occam11-11-2026
- The conditions there were absolutely heavenly. No wonder that Vanthourenhout was literally sucked into the ground. I think Mason and Wyseure are very similar types of riders. We've seen that when Vanthourenhout has been in a similar position to where Mason was, and Wyseure has had the legs, he's been able to power his way back. But that's not quite possible when Mason is putting out more power in front.
Rafionain-Glas11-11-2026 - What a win! It's been been so long in the waiting but I'm so glad for Cameron that he's finally got that victory. Sad to see Brand crash out like that. It didn't look too bad initially but there was clearly something very wrong. It could be like van Aert's last yearRafionain-Glas11-11-2026
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