Sepp Kuss Fights On at Vuelta a España After Pogačar Crash
- American cyclist Sepp Kuss is locked in a fierce general classification battle at the Vuelta a España, dealing with the heavy physical and tactical fallout of a high-speed...
- I actually felt pretty good, considering that the crash happened at high speed.
- Visma | Lease a Bike had entered Stage 9 with Kuss sitting in fourth place overall.
Stage 8 Carnage and the Pogačar Exit
American cyclist Sepp Kuss is locked in a fierce general classification battle at the Vuelta a España, dealing with the heavy physical and tactical fallout of a high-speed crash on Stage 8.
The accident unfolded when a large rock by the roadside caused Tadej Pogačar to suddenly lose control near the front of the peloton, according to on-site observers and Eurosport reporting cited by idlprocycling.com. The impact forced Pogačar, riding for UAE Emirates-XRG, to abandon the race entirely. His departure threatens his planned starts at the World and European Championships.
Kuss and teammate Ben Tulett were swept directly into the pileup. While Pogačar’s injuries ended his race on the spot, Kuss escaped with minor scrapes and immediate resilience.
I actually felt pretty good, considering that the crash happened at high speed. I knew it wouldn’t be ideal, but I stayed positive and I can be happy that I felt pretty okay,
Eurosport via idlprocycling.com
The Standings Slip on Stage 9
Visma | Lease a Bike had entered Stage 9 with Kuss sitting in fourth place overall. Yet the lingering toll of the Stage 8 incident caught up to the American.
Decathlon’s Relentless Climbing Tempo
Physical recovery alone could not salvage the day as rival squads turned up the heat. Kuss was forced off the pace during the 22-kilometer-long final climb as Decathlon CMA CGM seized control of the front.
Felix Gall’s domestiques cranked out a punishing speed across the less steep sections of the ascent, dictating the race dynamics.
Decathlon rode a very fast climb. It wasn’t very steep until the final stretch, and they have a very good team. That really worked in their favor,
idlprocycling.com
The Road Ahead at the Vuelta
The dual blow of the Stage 8 crash aftermath and relentless team tactics reshuffled the general classification.
Even so, Velo reports that the American climber remains firmly in contention with the hardest stages of the Vuelta a España still ahead.
