Should Sepp Kuss after his incredible Vuelta a Espana victory have left Visma Lease A Bike to pursue his own chances? Or is staying at the superteam the best option?
Follow us @thecyclingdane
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecyclingdane
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecyclingdane8
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Thecyclingdane
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thecyclingdane/id1515044036
Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/01cFTZuV5Yr82RmUa65b94?si=cuEkN1RHRseLxYhCoR-YMw&dl_branch=1
Our new merchandise webshop:
https://teespring.com/en-GB/stores/the-cycling-dane-webshop
2023 was really the season of yumo bisma no other Rider had a more wild year than the climbing Lieutenant of sep cus not only did the Americans save Primos roget’s Jalia on stage 16 where the Slovenian Superstar was dropped and he nursed him back to limit the damage but
Seus in addition rode all the three grand Tours for the first time in his career in one season and as we know Yuma visma completely obliterated their rivals in all the grand Tours with sep Cruz being part of all the winning teams truly Sensational for him and a rider as
Well but the Highlight on the top of this glorious season for sep Cruz was of course him winning the welta espia outright becoming the first American to do so since Chris Herer and ending the long American Grand Tour drought that they have had SE Crush was certainly a
People’s favorite when it came to the win and it really solidified that amazing year and it was even a one 12 three on the podium nevertheless winning a ground tour changes the perception of a rider and that is no different for sep cus the expectations now from the
Cycling World placed on his shoulders are a lot bigger and prior to his Sensational wiip cus had of course carved himself out a very illustrious role in the world of cycling as probably the best climbing domestique in professional cycling as he demonstrated that numerous times since he had joined
The ddge team from the American team rally cycling but now looking towards the new season 2024 and at an age of 29 years old and potentially at the peak of his powers or very close to many people and fans of SE Cru would like to see The Return of GC
Cru but at the tour to France and try to become the first tour to France champion from USA since Greg Lamont as both Lance Armstrong and Floyd landis’s victories have been scraped off the history books with this in mind the recent news that se cus has extended his contract at Miss
Melisa bike to the end of 2027 with a big money contract making him stay with the team until he’s 32 but is this the right choice for SE crus would that actually be the best decision for his development into the upper echelons of grand to Riders has his personal expectations changed that is
The big question yis vingal the two times Toro France champion at yamb bisma with his victories in 2022 and 2023 assisted by SE Cruz is of course the Kingpin within the team and younger than sep cus and the team even brought on quite controversially the super talenan
Out of Brooks who is even younger and looks to be the next big thing in terms of gr to racing and would be the replacement for vingo in the long term so sep’s own gr tour ambitions might be limited and it would be a shame to not
See him test himself on the biggest stage at his peak of his powers considering he’s a Welter and gror Champion now and it’s already been shown as cous has ruled out returning to the Jalia in 20124 where he could have been the leader and now it looks like Jan
Alter Brooks is going to be the leader and if the young Belgian does well in the race perhaps this would mean that he would surpass seus in the rank of leaders is this a problem for SE cus well the whole scenario depends entirely on what seus wants for the remainder of
His career his personal Ambitions and if he really has that hunger for victory or is more comfortable being part of the winning team perhaps a change of setting would have been a great choice for sep crus as it could be a good mechanism for your career and seeing Prim much Rish
Switching to Bor Hans grower could certainly have done so and with many teams having a certain vacuum for a top level GC caliber Rider there definitely would be a plethora of teams lining up to sign sep cous UAE team Emirates is not one of these teams as they have many
Leaders in their ranks much like V Melisa bike but one team that could have been a perfect option would have been inos grenadiers who have the resources to sign the American they have the squad they have the history with winning gr TOS as well and the team missed out the
Opportunity to sign both rcoo and Primos R into 2023 and are going through somewhat of a rebuild with Young Riders in the squad and many big stars Jumping Ship as well so a shortterm success candidate could have been signing a big star while the talents develop around
The star enough to take over when they finish their career and here subus could have been a great addition to the team as I said inios steeped in gr toour glory and many Americans have been at the team including M Sheffield who’s there right now seus could then have
Been the sole leader at the toor front for inos granders and really have tested himself against the likes of yoris rogl and even Pacha and yes you can say he did that at the Welter hispania but they were on the same team and there was a bit of public pressure when they started
To twist the knife in his back on the angoo one example of a super domestique who tried to do it as a leader was none other than Richard Port himself of former super domestique kingping and he showed that it is very different being The Grand Tour leader as opposed to the
Super domestique within the team Richard Port was never a big success in the 3-week grand Tours at Team Sky even in 2014 where he got the opportunity after Chris V crashed out of the race so maybe this showcases that it isn’t a 100% guarantee is seus better than Rich port
On a onewe stage race front certainly not but the confidence from that that Wells Spiner Victory could really Propel seus into the next level and he has frequently showcased his climbing press and the prospect of seus as a leader at the tourant is certainly an intriguing
One for all us fans will this ever happen well now we know that he’s going to be staying until at least 2027 and this would make him 32 years old there have been all the gr toour winners than that and maybe in those years he will get opportunities at the
Jro or the Welter and be there for Yus at the total France and we will see what career he can amount to but I mean SE Cruz at inor granders would have certainly been a mouthwatering prospect in terms of a four-pronged rivalry but I still don’t think that sep Cruz could
Beat Bingle could beat RIT by himself or even Ty Pacha so maybe being the chief Lieutenant for yis vingo and being able to creep into the top 10 as a result is the best option on the table and certainly this m Lisa bikes are not short of a few Euros for a comfortable
Paycheck seus is an extraordinary character and a fan favorite and everyone will certainly look out at the next few years in terms of his development and results and for bis M Lisa bike securing him for the long term is certainly an important step in their Pursuit for more toor Frances more juros
More welters and the American truly is a staple of their SU uccess anyways that basically it for this video just a quick run through of sep cus and what could have been if he didn’t extend that contract do you think that him at inos Grandes or somewhere else little track
Could have been better than staying at Miss Melisa bike that is Up For Debate hit the like button subscribe to the channel and if you haven’t already make sure to check out the video I did of his career as well but of course as always thank you for watching and I will see
You around sh
25 Comments
He said after the Vuelta that he didn’t really like to be the GC guy because its so tiring to always be there to be 100% focused all the time, the mindgames and more. He was lucky that Remco wasn’t there to push for the win and the obly threats to the gc were in his team. So i would assume he is happy being paid 7digits and be the domestique
I generally liked the video. A lot of good points made. But it also depends on what Sepp Kuss wants. If the pressure of being a leader isn't for him, then being top domestique for the best three week rider on the planet isn't the worst situation one can be in. And he doesn't seem to be seeking out the pressure. I'm sure the team would have allowed him to lead at a race like Volta a Catalunya, which would fit his profile really well, but he's always gone there with other leaders.
But there's one thing I feel the need to point out: Ineos had no opportunity to sign Evenepoel, who's under contract with Soudal – Quick Step until the end of the 2026 season. Had the TJV-SQS merger gone through, with TJV's license being the one used, then there would have been an opportunity. There's no way on earth Lefevere is letting Evenepoel go while he's under contract. They did miss an opportunity with Uijtdebroeks though.
No.
Of course this is the best choice, without this team he wouldn't be a GC winner and he has good opportunities to win more in this team. He has made it clear he wants to ride Vuelta next year, not Giro. At Ineos he won't beat the results he'll get at Visma for sure.
He wouldn't have won la Vuelta outside Visma. I don't think he wants to leave either.
I guess there is a cucumber season now and you are looking for a sensation when there is none 😅
He was gifted the win, he knows it. Pretty sure he'll be happy.
"Or even Tadej Pogacar" SMH
Why bite the hand that feeds you?
Ineos really?
No.
End of story.
i believe that actually his chance to win the tour de france is bigger at jumbo than in any other team. i think this because in any other team he would have a weaker team to help him and also he would have about 4 riders who on paper are better then him (roglic, pogi, vingegaard, evenepoel) and some others who are at the same level as him. at jumbo however if something happens to vingegaard then he has the whole jumbo team behind him to win the tour. i even doubt that if he would have went to ineos that he would be the sole leader, they have some other great GC riders too. and other teams that would have him as sole leader are by far not as strong as the top teams.
if you add up all this i dont think its worth to try your luck in a team where he is the sole leader, ofcourse when he (or ppl who thinkk he should have moved teams) thinks he is on the same level as pogacar, vingegaard and roglic (or even better) then for sure it wouldve been worth it, but i think he knows he isnt at that level by quite a bit. remember, he is on the same team as vingegaard, so he probably also knows this by seeing the numbers or feeling what happens in training.
Kudos to Sep for his win in Spain. That said he doesn't seem to have the leader's demeanor, behavior, attitude nor presence. Staying at Visma will reinforce his image as a gregario , nothing more. Hope I'm wrong.
sepp without jumbo juice would turn average at best in GC
He has the talents to be team leader and go on to win the Giro this year.He should have gone to Ineous or EF Education as leader
I just think Sepp is loyal and appreciative of the big-bucks contract he has, quite rare for American riders and at age 29, he is at his peak yet it goes by quickly and perhaps he will call it a win at the end of this contract. Or not and maybe be like Chris Horner and stay lean and mean for another decade. But the writing is on the wall for the sport, the stars are getting younger and little wonder with all the training techniques and the incentives for fame and big-bucks contracts and we see that with ball sports here in the States, a lot of athletes play for the love of money more than love of the game and no knock, if you can make millions in your early 20s for playing a sport, wow, such a deal. And getting back to Sepp, while JV didn't do him right at the start of his run at the top in Spain, they ultimately did the right thing and let him step into the circle of GT winners and he knows if something happens to Jonas, and in cycling a rinky-dink mistake like an errant bottle can take down a superstar in an instant, Visma will let him fly, robin, fly, up, up to the sky. 😀
Winning vuelta is not his decision. He may wanted it but t'was not him to decide.
No.
Being the best GC domistique in the world is something. Why should He leave?
Sepp is Uber Domestique…..nothing wrong with that…..
completely agree! But i don't see INEOS as the perfect fit. Maybe a smaller Team would give him more of a "star"-feeling, but as you said i don't think he would be able to win another GT..
Seppy made the right choice staying !
Switching team to become a full fledged leader would be too much pressure.
At Visma, he gets to defend his Vuelta title while getting more experience as a leader, all while in a familiar environmment that works great for him.
So, Bernal is just done? Career over?
All three GT’s is hard on the body.. I think 2024 will see less explosive performances IMHO.
I don't think he can hear you under the mountain of cash they buried him with to stay there as a super-domestique.