Defending champion Sepp Kuss hopes to shake off post-coronavirus scars before the Vuelta a Espana

"That feels very good. It's an honor to be here as defending champion, and I want to bring out the best in myself," Kuss said. It is not the first time in his life that the American has been in the Portuguese capital. "I had been here on vacation a few years ago, and that was a lot of fun, but now it's a little different," he laughed. Kuss is, therefore, pleased with the stages the organization has laid out. "In the first three stages, I can get into my rhythm well, with a short time trial, and two stages are more suitable for sprinters."

The ever-friendly climber realizes that a replay is not in the cards. "Last year was unique, with Vingegaard and Roglic in the team. Everyone was watching them, so I got some space with a breakaway, which proved crucial. We are doing it without them this year, making it different for me. There is no more pressure, but on the other hand, we can't count on the best GC riders in the world in our team either. That does give it a different focus," he states.

"That Vuelta victory didn't change me as a person," he continues. "Of course, it gives expectations when you are successful in your sport, but I think I was able to find a good balance," said Kuss, who will face Roglic this time as an opponent on the Tour of Spain. "I still have a good relationship with Primoz, even now that we are opponents. He will be a favorite again so that he will be watched. But it's strange to race against someone you've ridden with for so long."

So Roglic, with his solid Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe block, will take on his former comrade, wary of the German formation's strength. "Like UAE-Team Emirates, they have a strong team, but we have to look at it day by day. In the Vuelta, you have such steep climbs, where it is more of a question of who has the legs than a strategic game. However, in certain stages, that game can also be played because the Vuelta tends to be raced in a less controlled way. We must be smart and move at the right moments."

You need good legs, which Kuss showed in the Tour of Burgos. "My physical condition is good, and it surprised me in Burgos, but it was nice that it went well without me expecting it. So that did boost the mental aspect. I do feel fresh at the start of this Vuelta anyway. For me, it's also good. There are fewer trial kilometers, but the mountains always decide the Vuelta. Again, this year, there are so many finishes uphill."

That Kuss would start in good shape at the Tour of Spain wasn't straightforward. He suffered corona in the Critérium du Dauphiné, which hit the rider from Durango hard. "It was bizarre," he explains now. "I've had it before, and each time there was no issue, then after a few days, I was my old self again."

"This time, I really suffered from it, and it took a very long time to recover," said Kuss, who also had to miss the Tour de France. "I was exhausted for several weeks, so I couldn't imagine making it to the Tour. Fortunately, those complications disappeared at some point; I now feel normal. That did take some time, and missing the Tour was disappointing though. However, I could not compete so that you can turn that page pretty quickly," he indicated his acceptance process towards this Vuelta.