Sepp Kuss said three words at the Visma bus that sum up his mentality, after suffering 2 Tour de France crashes
CyclingSaturday, 25 July 2026 at 22:44
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Follow us on GoogleSepp Kuss single-handedly delivered a real thriller on Saturday during the 20th stage of the Tour de France. The American rider from Visma | Lease a Bike rode solo in the lead, but made two mistakes in the very final moments that cost him the victory. A little over an hour later, he had already partly put it all behind him, as we saw when he arrived at the team bus.
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Given the long trip to Paris, we decided not to head to the summit of Alpe d'Huez, but to wait for the riders and team managers by the buses. The buses were parked in Bourg d'Oisans— ready to go for the trip to the TGV station in Grenoble. From there, the Tour train departs for Versailles, with Visma | Lease a Bike at the back of the line.
One by one, the riders crossed the finish line. Davide Piganzoli was the first: “So close!” roared the Italian, cheered on by a small group of compatriots wearing “Zoncolan” on their chests. Next up was Matteo Jorgenson—who warmly greeted his compatriots from NBC Sports—and Bruno Armirail, who was signing autographs.
Kuss crossed the finish line in fifth place, after Victor Campenaets had already reached the team bus. With a broad smile, which made the tooth he’d chipped earlier in the Tour stand out even more. The man from Durango rode up, then took his time signing the Visma jerseys of a few fans and posing for photos“Well and alive,” he said, repeating the phrase several times to the staff members who were waiting for him.
It’s typical of the friendly American, a master of putting things into perspective. “I wasn’t quite focused anymore,” he admitted. “I would have liked to finish the Tour with a win, but I can still be satisfied with the spirit we showed.” And so he boarded the bus, having reached the most important conclusion:“Well and alive.”
Read more below the photo!
Sepp Kuss at the Visma | Lease a Bike team bus with fans.
Team Manager Reef of Visma | Lease a Bike is disappointed
A little while later, team director Marc Reef also arrived, still visibly upset. “The disappointment is huge. I think we rode a really good stage. Four of us were in the breakaway. Matteo and Bruno did a fantastic job up to the Télégraphe to extend the lead a bit. After that, it was Davide’s turn, and he did a great job for Sepp.”
"He rode away really nicely. We didn't see his first fall happen. We didn’t see the second one until the replay after the race, when we saw him hit the barriers. He just managed to keep his balance, so it was really lucky he didn’t end up down there,”Reef says, referringto the ravine at Alpe d’Huez.
"I literally said, 'Get your focus back—we have to keep going after the descent.' There were still 3.7 kilometers of climbing left. You try to coach him positively so he can bounce back. Sometimes adrenaline goes a long way, but in this case, the adrenaline quickly gave way to fatigue. 'There was nothing left,' he concluded.
Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- - Renshaw’s take is spot on: if teams aren’t defending green, they’ll collaborate to control MVDP. But Pogacar lurking with those legs after the Tour he’s had… madre mía, esto va a ser fuego.jeremya25-07-2026
- - I miss the pure sprinter parade on the Champs. Merlier types basically locked out now. Rewarding the fast men after three weeks used to mean something.andrewf25-07-2026
- - Van der Poel owes Paris one after the pneumonia and the Olympic heartbreak. If the green jersey fight is settled, the peloton marking him could actually open the door for Pedersen or Evenepoel to counter. Proper chess on the cobbles.patriciaw25-07-2026
- - Not sure I get the change: article says the top of the climb was 6 km from the finish last year but now it’s extended to 10 km? Wouldn’t that make a regroup more likely and help sprinters a bit?julien25-07-2026
- - Loved the Montmartre inclusion last year and can’t wait for round two. This finish finally gives classics guys a proper shot in Paris. MVDP vs Pog vs Remco vs Pedersen… yes please.pedalpowe2925-07-2026
- - Vamos Tom! De menos a más toda la carrera, y sin caerse en la tercera semana. Next year with a cleaner prep, podium fight en el Tour? Maybe not yet, pero se ve la progresión.pedalpowe2925-07-2026
- - Good read, but small nit: you mention “he couldn’t keep up in Stage 20” then jump to Carapaz winning—would’ve liked a bit more context on where Tom lost the wheels (Telegraphe? Galibier?).cyclechamp4525-07-2026
- - Quick q: Why did he ride the third week so conservative after the bonk? Is that to protect GC rather than risk a stage? I thought a late breakaway attempt could’ve nabbed a win.robert6525-07-2026
- - Ninth at +28 to Pogacar isn’t bad considering the March ravine crash and missing Suisse. If he strings together an uninterrupted spring, he can aim for 5–7th. Pinarello-Q5 support looked sharper than I expected too.gearguru3325-07-2026
- - Loved the detail about the Vosges triple—those were the days he really banked the top-Reminded me of his 2022 Alpe win vibes, just more measured this time. Coach Bogaerts called it right: top 5 was a stretch.bikebuffj25-07-2026
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