For a long time, Sepp Kuss was considered arguably the best domestique in the peloton. Although fans have hyped the #GCKuss movement, the American himself seemed content with his role. After his overall victory in the Vuelta a España, could there be a change in status for the American within the Dutch team?
“The question is also whether you want that,” says Jumbo-Visma’s coach, Mathieu Heijboer, in conversation with the Dutch website In de Leiderstrui. “With him, we tried for one or two years to specifically target a general classification, with all that implies. We took that very seriously, but things didn’t go well for him.”
Kuss recently admitted that he doesn’t expect much change in his role despite becoming a Grand Tour winner, and apparently, Heijboer agrees. “We have to continue with him the way things are going, and in the future, there will be moments where he can achieve very good results in a particular situation,” he explains.
“Don’t forget that he already finished fourth in the UAE Tour and was in the top ten in the Tour without falling.”
“It’s straightforward. He has now found the ideal situation from which he will perform well. This isn’t accompanied by top results in every race, but it means a good level in all races,” Heijboer reports.
“He enjoys it very much, both in training and in competitions. So there will also be good results if he is always happy in the crucial moments,” concludes the Dutch coach.