Kuss on Roglic's departure and Pogacar's Giro adventure: "For him, it's a three-week training camp"

Sepp Kuss participated in the Tour of Murcia on Saturday but welcomed an interviewer from Off the Marc to his home a few days earlier. The Vuelta winner looked ahead to his season and commented, among other things, on Tadej Pogacar's participation in the Giro and Primoz Roglic's departure from Visma | Lease a Bike.

For years, Kuss was considered a key figure at Jumbo-Visma. Serving Jonas Vingegaard and Roglic, he triumphed with them in the Tour and the Vuelta, but he didn't feel bound by any specific commitments to them. "I only feel pressure from myself, not from the team," Kuss says. "Of course, they want the best from me, but they don't expect impossible things. I feel the least pressure in the big tours because that's when I'm at my best. I just have fun, and then we'll see."

Against all odds, the American from Durango also clinched victory in the Vuelta in September as a teammate of Vingegaard and Roglic. "Beforehand, I never thought about a possible overall victory. It was only after the individual time trial that I started to believe in it, and that made the difference in the end. It was the first time trial ever where I had something to lose. I've never had to push like I did that day. I also had to stay focused and sharp, whereas normally I ride quietly at the back when I don't need to. The team was also surprised by that. Throughout the Tour of Spain, I didn't have a single bad day, but overall, my performances in the Giro, Tour, and Vuelta were at the same level."

Kuss appreciates Pogacar's choice to participate in the Giro

So, what has Kuss learned from his Vuelta victory? "That I can compete in big tours. That gives me peace of mind and confidence at the same time. There are more opportunities, but I don't need to change as a rider because I'm not seeking a role as an absolute leader." However, someone who was seeking that role was Roglic. It was one of the reasons he made the move to BORA-hansgrohe, according to Kuss. "He now has a better environment and a better role for the Tour and his other goals."

As for who Kuss and Vingegaard will have to contend with in La Grande Boucle, it's Pogacar. However, the Slovenian has chosen to also ride the Giro, something that may be appreciated by Kuss. "It's nice that he's trying that. He's always doing something different and exploring all sorts of things in the race. For him, the Giro is like a three-week training camp, perhaps the best training camp there is. If he comes through the Giro well with good weather, he will be in better shape at the start of the Tour."