Teams & Riders Sepp Kuss is the next Sepp Kuss thread

[Potomac]

.....

Could Sep podium in a GT if he was the lead guy? Maybe a top ten but not a podium. Time trialing being a big factor.
I would LOVE it if he was given the chance, though.

That did not age well at all.

 

[Oldermanish]

Mr. Kuss, There’s a Dave Brailsford holding on line 1…

....and an angry man swearing on Line 2. Patrick, something and he has a fever. For more Kussbell!

 

[Oldermanish]

That did not age well at all.

No but the evidence and opportunity never merged like this race. A few folks misjudged him on the road in real time and now get to deal with it. Could he hold it to the end and does this mean a new GT contender? Some tough stages ahead that a team can't completely ride for you that may answer that. I'm not convinced he can do it if the remaining contenders commit to a real race.

 

[SafeBet]

Anyone know the best GC position anyone has ever done in their third GT of a year?

I vaguely remember Valverde getting something like 10/11th when he tried it

4th
Carlos Sastre in 2006

 

[CyclistAbi]

Go get them tiger.

 

[theyoungest]

No but the evidence and opportunity never merged like this race. A few folks misjudged him on the road in real time and now get to deal with it. Could he hold it to the end and does this mean a new GT contender? Some tough stages ahead that a team can't completely ride for you that may answer that. I'm not convinced he can do it if the remaining contenders commit to a real race.

What do you mean? So far none of them have put him in any trouble whatsoever, and they've tried.

 

[saunaking]

That did not age well at all.

love Sepp and hope he wins but lets be honest, he's never winning a GT as a team leader.
Not least because he would never be leader at Jumbo

 

[Bolder]

No but the evidence and opportunity never merged like this race. A few folks misjudged him on the road in real time and now get to deal with it. Could he hold it to the end and does this mean a new GT contender? Some tough stages ahead that a team can't completely ride for you that may answer that. I'm not convinced he can do it if the remaining contenders commit to a real race.

It's hard to say. He was better on the Tourmalet stage, two thirds through the race, than Ayuso, Almeida, Mas and Remco, all GT podium winners who targeted the Vuelta. Of course the stars have aligned for him, but you could make an argument that he's at least on the level of Bardet or Landa, as pure climbers who podiumed when circumstances allowed. He could also be a O'Connor, who fell back to earth when the heavies decided to take him seriously.

Of course he could collapse, but if he doesn't, then it's worth a serious look as to whether he's worth investing in as a GC rider, it could be a simple question of confidence and wind tunnel TT work...

 

[Red Rick]

Kuss said in an interview he intends to do 3 GTs more often. So I guess that means Giro leadership in a team where they also bring Kooij and where riders have a free role to go stagehunt a bit more often, then Tour/Vuelta in a similar role to this Vuelta where he's somewhat protected but more likely to be a domestique or not.

It can easily get too hard to go for 3 GC riders cause you're gonna need someone to set that pace. In the Tour Kuss had to do that nearly every time and that was without Roglic there.

 

[Potomac]

Kuss said in an interview he intends to do 3 GTs more often. So I guess that means Giro leadership in a team where they also bring Kooij and where riders have a free role to go stagehunt a bit more often, then Tour/Vuelta in a similar role to this Vuelta where he's somewhat protected but more likely to be a domestique or not.

It can easily get too hard to go for 3 GC riders cause you're gonna need someone to set that pace. In the Tour Kuss had to do that nearly every time and that was without Roglic there.

Maybe he will set a trend, with everyone doing three GTs.

 

[Oldermanish]

What do you mean? So far none of them have put him in any trouble whatsoever, and they've tried.

His lead was largely an opportunity that the team encouraged and protects. His opponents weren't prepared to respond and when they did they ended up towing around the other prime JV squad and giving them podium positions. None of that situation diminishes what Sepp has accomplished but it was a tactical surprise that set him up.
As I've said before...several times; that we're in deeply rare territory for someone to compete for 3 GTs as he has. I hope he prevails but if fatigue catches up to him he won't maintain his lead.

 

[Oldermanish]

Kuss said in an interview he intends to do 3 GTs more often. So I guess that means Giro leadership in a team where they also bring Kooij and where riders have a free role to go stagehunt a bit more often, then Tour/Vuelta in a similar role to this Vuelta where he's somewhat protected but more likely to be a domestique or not.

It can easily get too hard to go for 3 GC riders cause you're gonna need someone to set that pace. In the Tour Kuss had to do that nearly every time and that was without Roglic there.

Agreed. Most hope he wins. That said, next year would be a new year and GT ambitions may not allow 3 GTs if he has that desire. He also has to recover from this season no matter the Vuelta outcome.

 

[RedheadDane]

"Official supporter"

 

[Red Rick]

Kuss said on the rest day that "Roglic and Vingegaard are happy for me, but they want to win too. There is no fixed team hierarchy."

Perhaps they are allowed to go nuts after all but the stages where they're allowed to haven't happened yet.

 

[ManicJack]

Kuss said on the rest day that "Roglic and Vingegaard are happy for me, but they want to win too. There is no fixed team hierarchy."

Perhaps they are allowed to go nuts after all but the stages where they're allowed to haven't happened yet.

Kuss has got to be realistic and know that a bad moment could come at anytime and plans will change. If that happens I guarantee that his focus will switch instantly and do what is necessary to help Roglic or Vingo.

 

[Krzysztof_O]

How Vuelta a España leader Sepp Kuss rode three grand tours, and got faster along the way

Jumbo-Visma coach reveals how Kuss balanced recovery and rebuild to blaze through Giro, Tour, Vuelta in one season.

velo.outsideonline.com

The coach says about Kuss' preparation for the triple of GTs. He says Sepp responds well to high load of training. After a GT he has one week of almost total rest, one easy week (but with efforts) and from week three on big volume: 750 km and 18000 vertical meters per week! He's a machine.

Kuss said on the rest day that "Roglic and Vingegaard are happy for me, but they want to win too. There is no fixed team hierarchy."

Perhaps they are allowed to go nuts after all but the stages where they're allowed to haven't happened yet.

Angliru likely. Every man kinda rides for himself there anyway. Drag doesn't matter.

 

[Rob5091]

If Wout can gift Gent-W to Laporte, then I can n't see why Roglic & Vingegaard can n't gift the Vuelta to Kuss. If Kuss gets into trouble ok, go for it themselves, but otherwise it's all good for the team.

 

[tobydawq]

SUPPtember!

Uh, why not SEPPtember...?

 

[jmdirt]

Uh, why not SEPPtember...?

Because I clearly can't type.

 

[tobydawq]

If Wout can gift Gent-W to Laporte, then I can n't see why Roglic & Vingegaard can n't gift the Vuelta to Kuss. If Kuss gets into trouble ok, go for it themselves, but otherwise it's all good for the team.

A lot of people thought that was a mistake. And a GT is not comparable to GW.

That said, I have shifted opinion slightly from a few days ago where I was very downcast at the prospect of him winning. As long as Vingegaard and (especially) Roglic don't have to go in total defense mode, I think it very much would be a deserved win. He looked great on the Tourmalet. The next few days will be really interesting, I think.

 

[jmdirt]

love Sepp and hope he wins but lets be honest, he's never winning a GT as a team leader.
Not least because he would never be leader at Jumbo

Winning GTs as #3 counts the same as winning a GT as #1.

 

[Red Rick]

A lot of people thought that was a mistake. And a GT is not comparable to GW.

That said, I have shifted opinion slightly from a few days ago where I was very downcast at the prospect of him winning. As long as Vingegaard and (especially) Roglic don't have to go in total defense mode, I think it very much would be a deserved win. He looked great on the Tourmalet. The next few days will be really interesting, I think.

It would be kinda lame if Roglic or Vingegaard would get to show off they're actually much better than Kuss but wouldn't be allowed to win. I think for Vingegaard and Roglic it's also big they won their main target of the season already. The Vuelta would be massive, but they don't need it desperately.

From the teams perspective I really understand they're simply defended their 3 podium spots the previous 2 stages.

The outcome of this Vuelta depends more on Ayuso and Mas than on the Jumbo guys to be honest.

 

[tobydawq]

It would be kinda lame if Roglic or Vingegaard would get to show off they're actually much better than Kuss but wouldn't be allowed to win. I think for Vingegaard and Roglic it's also big they won their main target of the season already. The Vuelta would be massive, but they don't need it desperately.

From the teams perspective I really understand they're simply defended their 3 podium spots the previous 2 stages.

The outcome of this Vuelta depends more on Ayuso and Mas than on the Jumbo guys to be honest.

Agreed. But I think Tourmalet showed that Kuss is really not that inferior to either of the two. Which really was what I wanted to see.

Roglic can take his fourth Vuelta and tie the record. That's not nothing. Perhaps not in desperate need but when is anyone?

 

[Mayomaniac]

"Official supporter"

Bimba ain't a proper Mr Doggy, but not bad.

 

[dobrien]

Agreed. But I think Tourmalet showed that Kuss is really not that inferior to either of the two. Which really was what I wanted to see.

Roglic can take his fourth Vuelta and tie the record. That's not nothing. Perhaps not in desperate need but when is anyone?

Maybe I need to watch the Tourmalet again because not only was Sepp not inferior to the other two, he seemed stronger than Roglic and held his own against a Vingo who went very very deep. Had his attack not been balked he definitely would have been even closer to Jonas; at least this is how I saw it. At least at the moment, unless he really fades I don't believe he'll have any problems defending himself; of course, we've all seen people collapse massively in the third week but right now he looks very solid.