Jumbo-Visma 'don't trust' Sepp Kuss to keep red jersey at Vuelta a Espana, claims Jens Voigt

ByAlasdair Mackenzie

Updated 14/09/2023 at 10:26 GMT+1

Do Jumbo-Visma believe Sepp Kuss has what it takes to win the Vuelta a Espana? Eurosport expert Jens Voigt has claimed the star-studded team showed they "don't trust" the American when he was left behnd by team-mates Jonas Vingegaard and Primoz Roglic on the final climb of Stage 17. But Voigt believes Kuss is "clearly stronger than everyone else" at the final Grand Tour of the year.

Jumbo-Visma showed they “don’t trust” Sepp Kuss during the controversial climax to Stage 17 of the Vuelta a Espana despite the American being “clearly stronger” than his team-mates, says Jens Voigt.

Kuss clung onto the red jersey after being dropped by his team-mates, Giro d’Italia champion Primoz Roglic and double Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard, on the final climb.

Eurosport expert and former Giro and Tour stage winner Voigt gave his take on an astonishing finale that left Kuss with a slim eight-second lead over Vingegaard in the GC standings.

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"I'm afraid they've made the decision within the team - they don't trust Kuss to keep it that way over the next two tough days,” said Voigt.

“I think they actually want to hand it over to Roglic or Vingegaard.”

Roglic and Vingegaard were victorious in the first two Grand Tours of the year at the Giro and the Tour, where Kuss helped their efforts as part of the Jumbo-Visma team.

Vingegaard 'would love to see Kuss winning Vuelta' despite dropping him

Video credit: TNT Sports

The pair were slammed by former Vuelta winner Sean Kelly for an “unfair” move with less than 2km to go to the finish line, while Adam Blythe said their unwillingness to help their team-mate highlighted “huge egos”.

And Voigt believes Jumbo-Visma would be wrong to remove their support for Kuss, who has been in strong form in Spain as he bids for a maiden Grand Tour title.

“Sepp Kuss is clearly stronger than everyone else. They [Jumbo-Visma] just don't seem to care. I find that astonishing,” Voigt added.

“This is sport, not a fairy tale with a happy ending, and of course the best should win.

• Blythe brands Roglic 'so disrespectul' as Vingegaard says he wants Kuss to win Vuelta
• Roglic wins Stage 17 as Jumbo stars leave red jersey Kuss behind on Angliru

“But Roglic won the Giro d'Italia this year because he had the most loyal helper in Kuss. Vingegaard also won the Tour de France this year, among other things, only because he had the most loyal helper in Kuss.

“And now would be the perfect moment to give back some loyalty.

“Would it be presumptuous to hand over some of the luck to the rider who has worked 3,500km on behalf of his captains this year?

Stage 17 highlights: Jumbo-Visma drama as Roglic wins after dropping Kuss

Video credit: TNT Sports

“It’s clear: under my direction the race wouldn’t have gone the way it did, but we live in a free world and there is certainly a common team policy, a common tactical direction and I have no say in Jumbo."

Kuss, Vingegaard, Roglic and the rest will be right back into the thick of the action on Thursday with another mountain stage from Pola de Allande to La Cruz de Linares in Stage 18.

The Vuelta a Espana concludes on Sunday, September 17 with Stage 21.

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