Sepp Kuss Reflects on Unexpected Retention of Jersey
September 13, 2023 – In a surprising turn of events, cyclist Sepp Kuss has shared his jubilation and disbelief upon realizing that he had retained the jersey after crossing the finish line. Kuss, who initially believed he had lost the jersey, expressed his happiness and satisfaction with his performance during the race.
“I’m really happy. When I crossed the finish line, I thought I had lost the jersey. And I wasn’t even sad because I gave it the best I could on the climb,” Kuss stated. Despite his initial assumptions, he later discovered that he had indeed retained the coveted jersey, leaving him pleasantly surprised. “When I heard I still had the jersey, I was a bit surprised. Strange feelings today, but not in a bad way!”
Kuss also spoke of the camaraderie amongst his teammates and the enjoyable experience they shared during the race. “Another day with my two strong teammates, my friends as well… I think we had as good as a time you can racing up the Angliru and it was just a crazy day.”
Reflecting on the challenging climb, Kuss revealed the encouragement he received from teammate Jonas Vingegaard. “Halfway up the climb, [Jonas Vingegaard] told me: ‘You’re gonna win’. And I was like, ‘we’ll see’.” Additionally, Kuss praised Primoz Roglic for his exceptional performance during the climb. “Primoz [Roglic] felt super good on the climb and just rode amazing. I tried to stay with him as long as I could and then limit the damage in the end.”
While Kuss acknowledged that fellow cyclist Mikel Landa may have deserved the podium spot more than he did, he understood the importance of going for the bonus seconds in the race. “Landa probably deserved the podium spot more than I did, but I knew it would be close for the jersey, and I need to go for the bonus seconds.”
Ultimately, Kuss’s unexpected retention of the jersey on his birthday made the day even more special. “It was a very happy birthday, spending it doing what I enjoy most.”
