Sepp Kuss

Sepp Kuss is an American cyclist who has been riding for Team Jumbo-Visma since 2018. He is considered one of the best climbers in the peloton and has played a significant role in the team's successful performances in recent years. IDLProCycling.com keeps a close eye on all news related to Kuss, along with maintaining a biography of his career.

Kuss began his cycling career in May 2016 with the American continental team Rally Racing. After riding with them for a year and a half, he caught the attention of Jumbo-Visma, thanks to his successes in 2017, where he achieved several top-10 finishes in American and Canadian races. Jumbo-Visma took notice of the American climber's potential and decided to bring him on board.

Kuss joined the Dutch team in 2018, and by August, he had already made a mark by winning three stages and the overall classification in the Tour of Utah. He finished well ahead of renowned riders like Ben Hermans, Jack Haig, Hugh Carthy, and Michael Woods. This achievement earned him a spot in his first grand tour just two weeks later. Kuss debuted in the Vuelta a España, a race won by Simon Yates, with his teammate Steven Kruijswijk finishing fourth.

In 2019, Kuss immediately started his second grand tour, the Giro d'Italia, which was won by Richard Carapaz, with teammate Primoz Roglic placing third. However, his biggest success and definitive breakthrough came in that year's Vuelta a España. In his second consecutive year in the Spanish race, he played a significant role. He supported Roglic in the mountains on his way to winning the overall classification. Moreover, Kuss claimed a personal victory by winning the fifteenth stage, staying well ahead of riders like Ruben Guerreiro and Tao Geoghegan Hart by over half a minute. This triumph marked the official arrival of Sepp Kuss on the world cycling stage.

Was Kuss able to continue his momentum in 2020? The answer is yes. After the pandemic break, he competed in events including the Critérium du Dauphiné, where he impressively won the final stage. In the subsequent Tour de France, his team, with Roglic as the leader, seemed poised for overall victory until the final time trial upset their plans. During that Tour, Kuss again demonstrated his immense value to the Slovenian leader, frequently emerging as the best climber in the group. In the following Vuelta, where Roglic did secure the overall win, Kuss once more exhibited outstanding performance, often proving himself as one of the top climbers.

Kuss continued to shine in the mountains in 2021. When Roglic withdrew from the Tour de France, the American was given more freedom to pursue personal achievements. In the fifteenth stage, he emerged as the strongest from a large breakaway group, leaving behind riders like Alejandro Valverde and Wout Poels. Like in previous years, Kuss also participated in the 2021 Vuelta, where Roglic claimed his third consecutive overall victory. Kuss was instrumental in supporting his leader in the mountains and finished eighth in the general classification.

In 2022, Kuss played a crucial role in helping Jumbo-Visma achieve its ultimate goal: winning the Tour de France. He peaked in the Tour, supporting Jonas Vingegaard, especially in the high mountains, often until the deep final stages. The Dane defeated Pogacar, securing the first overall victory ever for the black-and-yellow team. Kuss later entered the Vuelta but had to withdraw after eight days due to illness.

After his string of successes, Kuss was once again assigned a significant role in Jumbo-Visma's 2023 campaign. Stepping in for Wilco Kelderman, he was dispatched to the Giro d'Italia as Primoz Roglic's chief lieutenant, proving to be an astute move. Kuss played a crucial part in securing the pink jersey for Roglic and then cemented his place in the team for the Tour de France, supporting defending champion Vingegaard.

Kuss seamlessly adapted to this role, helping Vingegaard clinch the yellow jersey in Paris for the second consecutive year. Kuss himself was on track for a top-ten finish until a hard fall two days before the final stage relegated him to twelfth in the general classification.

However, Kuss's 2023 season was far from over. Weeks after the Tour, he embarked on his third grand tour of the year, the Vuelta a España. In a strategic move by Jumbo-Visma during the sixth stage, Kuss joined the breakaway, propelling him up the general classification. Two days later, he astonishingly donned the red leader's jersey, standing alongside fellow leaders Roglic and Vingegaard.

Kuss exceeded expectations, making the prospect of a Vuelta victory increasingly plausible, though the roles of Roglic and Vingegaard remained uncertain. Vingegaard was the first to publicly back Kuss, stating he deserved the win, with Roglic eventually conceding after some reluctance. In the end, all three Jumbo-Visma riders graced the podium, with Kuss as the radiant centerpiece.