“Whenever I think back to that, I’ll always think of Jonas” – Sepp Kuss reveals Jonas Vingegaard bought Visma teammates “memory for life” after La Vuelta 2025 victory
Cycling
After Jonas Vingegaard’s victory at the 2025 Vuelta a Espana, Sepp Kuss was left with a moment that has stayed with him ever since, one tied not just to the race itself, but to what came after it.
Kuss had spent that race in a role he knows better than most. While Vingegaard moved into control of the general classification, the American was again one of the riders shaping the decisive mountain stages, setting tempo and helping to close down moves as the race tilted in the Dane’s favour. It was a return to the structure that has defined so much of Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s Grand Tour success over the past five seasons.
What followed that victory is what has stayed with him.
Speaking in conversation with Wieler Revue, Kuss explained how a post-season gesture from Vingegaard turned into something more lasting. “Last year, after the Vuelta a España, we were given a holiday. Everyone could decide how to use it. I went to Greece with my family. It’s a memory for life and whenever I think back to that, I’ll always think of Jonas.”
A familiar role, a consistent structure
Kuss’ place in that Vuelta was not a new one. Despite his own overall win in 2023, he has fully returned to a support role within the team’s Grand Tour setup, forming part of the climbing group that allows Vingegaard to race on his terms in the high mountains.
That clarity around roles has been a constant. Since 2019, Visma have built their success on a defined hierarchy, with Kuss repeatedly at the centre of it as the rider tasked with supporting their leader deep into the decisive stages.
“I still love sacrificing myself for a leader like Jonas. It’s not even a question for me when I see how strong he is. I wouldn’t even call it a sacrifice. I feel incredibly lucky that I get to support such a great rider in his pursuit of success. My Vuelta win in 2023 hasn’t changed that.”
Kuss has long been regarded as one of the best super-domestiques in the peloton
Carrying the same dynamic into the Giro
Nothing about that structure changes heading into the 2026 Giro d’Italia. Vingegaard leads the team into the race, with Kuss once again expected to take on the same responsibilities in the mountains.
The approach is familiar because it has worked repeatedly. Kuss has been part of eight of the team’s nine Grand Tour victories in that period, either as a key domestique or, in 2023, as the rider who stood on the top step himself.
His perspective on Vingegaard also reflects the stability within that setup. “It sometimes surprises me how well he handles pressure. The very best riders feel pressure in their own way, but at the same time they have so much confidence in themselves. That’s a huge mental advantage. It means they’re able to deal with setbacks more easily.”
The roles remain clear. The results have followed.
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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