Defending champion Sepp Kuss starts Vuelta with nice gesture to teammate Wout van Aert

The Vuelta a Espana has also started for defending champion Sepp Kuss. The American of Visma | Lease a Bike finished 62nd in Oeiras in the opening time trial, 53 seconds behind his compatriot. Not a good result, but certainly not bad either. Time trial will never be the thing of Kuss, who once outdid himself against the clock in last year's Vuelta a España. Afterward, he told his story to IDLProCycling and others.

We absolutely cannot label Kuss selfish, as proved once again on Saturday. As the defending champion of the Vuelta and holder of jersey number 1, he was allowed to start the stage race last, but Kuss decided to give up this spot to teammate Wout van Aert. The Belgian, who eventually finished third, three seconds behind McNulty, gained a wind advantage and thanked his companion for this gesture.

"I'm happy with this warm-up," Kuss concluded with a big smile. "It was a good first day, although that's when it always hurts a little bit more. It was a short trial, but I think I got off to a good start. I didn't feel fast, but I had to get through it anyway. I didn't have a real goal, which was mostly about getting through."

Read more below the video.

Kuss knows: "This is not where you're going to win or lose the Vuelta"

"This is not where you're going to win or lose the Vuelta," Kuss knows. "But it's all about starting well and relaxed with the race that way, although you have to go full speed. It was fine," said the man from Durango, who also looked back briefly at his final victory in the Tour of Burgos. "That was a nice win regarding timing because that's also how I came to the start here confidently."

"We are so early on the tour, so I can't really get anything out of this either," the American said. "I see the first mountain stage more as an indicator."