‘It’s a race that is always decided in the mountains’ – Sepp Kuss back on track for Vuelta a España title defence

2023 was a banner year for Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike). In fact, the US rider did more in one year than many riders do in a career. He went from climbing domestique to Vuelta a España champion and in the process added his name to several records, as well as helping his team become the first-ever group to sweep all three Grand Tours. 

Landing in Lisbon, Portugal this week to begin his defence of the Vuelta, Kuss took part in a Visma-Lease a Bike virtual press conference to talk about a recent illness that kept him away from the Tour de France, winning Vuelta a Burgos last week, facing long-time former teammate Primož Roglič as a competitor, and staying consistent with his low-key character after the rigors of major accolades from a year ago.