• >", "name": "top-nav-watch", "type": "link"}}' href="https://watch.outsideonline.com">Watch
  • >", "name": "top-nav-learn", "type": "link"}}' href="https://learn.outsideonline.com">Learn
  • >", "name": "top-nav-podcasts", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideonline.com/podcast-directory/">Podcasts
  • >", "name": "top-nav-maps", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.gaiagps.com">Maps
  • >", "name": "top-nav-events", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.athletereg.com/events">Events
  • >", "name": "top-nav-shop", "type": "link"}}' href="https://shop.outsideonline.com">Shop
  • >", "name": "top-nav-buysell", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell">BuySell
  • >", "name": "top-nav-outside", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideonline.com/outsideplus">Outside+

Become a Member

Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more.

Already have an account? >", "name": "mega-signin", "type": "link"}}' class="u-color--red-dark u-font--xs u-text-transform--upper u-font-weight--bold">Sign In

Outside watch, outside learn.

  • >", "name": "mega-backpacker-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.backpacker.com/">Backpacker
  • >", "name": "mega-climbing-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.climbing.com/">Climbing
  • >", "name": "mega-flyfilmtour-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://flyfilmtour.com/">Fly Fishing Film Tour
  • >", "name": "mega-gaiagps-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.gaiagps.com/">Gaia GPS
  • >", "name": "mega-npt-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.nationalparktrips.com/">National Park Trips
  • >", "name": "mega-outsideonline-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideonline.com/">Outside
  • >", "name": "mega-outsideio-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outside.io/">Outside.io
  • >", "name": "mega-outsidetv-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://watch.outsideonline.com">Outside Watch
  • >", "name": "mega-ski-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.skimag.com/">Ski
  • >", "name": "mega-warrenmiller-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://warrenmiller.com/">Warren Miller Entertainment

Healthy Living

  • >", "name": "mega-ce-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/">Clean Eating
  • >", "name": "mega-oxy-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.oxygenmag.com/">Oxygen
  • >", "name": "mega-vt-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.vegetariantimes.com/">Vegetarian Times
  • >", "name": "mega-yj-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.yogajournal.com/">Yoga Journal
  • >", "name": "mega-beta-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.betamtb.com/">Beta
  • >", "name": "mega-pinkbike-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.pinkbike.com/">Pinkbike
  • >", "name": "mega-roll-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.rollmassif.com/">Roll Massif
  • >", "name": "mega-trailforks-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.trailforks.com/">Trailforks
  • >", "name": "mega-trail-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://trailrunnermag.com/">Trail Runner
  • >", "name": "mega-tri-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.triathlete.com/">Triathlete
  • >", "name": "mega-vn-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/">Velo
  • >", "name": "mega-wr-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.womensrunning.com/">Women's Running
  • >", "name": "mega-athletereg-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.athletereg.com/">athleteReg
  • >", "name": "mega-bicycleretailer-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.bicycleretailer.com/">Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
  • >", "name": "mega-cairn-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.getcairn.com/">Cairn
  • >", "name": "mega-finisherpix-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.finisherpix.com/">FinisherPix
  • >", "name": "mega-idea-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.ideafit.com/">Idea
  • >", "name": "mega-nastar-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.nastar.com/">NASTAR
  • >", "name": "mega-shop-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideinc.com/outside-books/">Outside Books
  • >", "name": "mega-veloswap-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.veloswap.com/">VeloSwap
  • >", "name": "mega-backpacker-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.backpacker.com/">Backpacker
  • >", "name": "mega-climbing-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.climbing.com/">Climbing
  • >", "name": "mega-flyfilmtour-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://flyfilmtour.com/">Fly Fishing Film Tour
  • >", "name": "mega-gaiagps-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.gaiagps.com/">Gaia GPS
  • >", "name": "mega-npt-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.nationalparktrips.com/">National Park Trips
  • >", "name": "mega-outsideonline-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideonline.com/">Outside
  • >", "name": "mega-outsidetv-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://watch.outsideonline.com">Watch
  • >", "name": "mega-ski-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.skimag.com/">Ski
  • >", "name": "mega-warrenmiller-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://warrenmiller.com/">Warren Miller Entertainment
  • >", "name": "mega-ce-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/">Clean Eating
  • >", "name": "mega-oxy-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.oxygenmag.com/">Oxygen
  • >", "name": "mega-vt-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.vegetariantimes.com/">Vegetarian Times
  • >", "name": "mega-yj-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.yogajournal.com/">Yoga Journal
  • >", "name": "mega-beta-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.betamtb.com/">Beta
  • >", "name": "mega-roll-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.rollmassif.com/">Roll Massif
  • >", "name": "mega-trail-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://trailrunnermag.com/">Trail Runner
  • >", "name": "mega-tri-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.triathlete.com/">Triathlete
  • >", "name": "mega-vn-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/">Velo
  • >", "name": "mega-wr-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.womensrunning.com/">Women's Running
  • >", "name": "mega-athletereg-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.athletereg.com/">athleteReg
  • >", "name": "mega-bicycleretailer-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.bicycleretailer.com/">Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
  • >", "name": "mega-finisherpix-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.finisherpix.com/">FinisherPix
  • >", "name": "mega-idea-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.ideafit.com/">Idea
  • >", "name": "mega-nastar-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.nastar.com/">NASTAR
  • >", "name": "mega-shop-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://shop.outsideonline.com/">Outside Shop
  • >", "name": "mega-vp-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.velopress.com/">VeloPress
  • >", "name": "mega-veloswap-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.veloswap.com/">VeloSwap

2-FOR-1 GA TICKETS WITH OUTSIDE+

Don’t miss Thundercat, Fleet Foxes, and more at the Outside Festival.

GET TICKETS

OUTSIDE FESTIVAL JUNE 1-2

Don't miss Thundercat + Fleet Foxes, adventure films, experiences, and more!

American Sepp Kuss wins a stage of the Vuelta a Espana

Sepp Kuss Is Chasing a Historic Win. His Hometown Is Going Bananas.

In Durango, Colorado, the cycling-crazed locals have rallied behind their hero and his pursuit of a landmark victory

American Sepp Kuss wins a stage of the Vuelta a Espana

Heading out the door? Read this article on the Outside app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

A few dozen people milled about the Mountain Bike Specialists bike shop in downtown Durango, Colorado on the morning of Friday, September 8. The store had opened two hours earlier than normal, and employees set out free donuts, bagels, and coffee. Guests munched on breakfast as they chatted about the topic du jour: local cyclist Sepp Kuss , who was leading Spain’s Vuelta a España .

Around 8 A.M. someone flicked on the television showing a livestream of the Vuelta’s 13th stage. An hour or so later, the broadcast showed Kuss, clad in the red race leader’s jersey, accelerating away from the peloton on the slopes of the famed Pyrenean climb, the Col du Tourmalet.

“People literally roared, it was really exciting,” Michael Philips, a salesman and bike fit specialist at the shop, said. Phillips, 60, helped organize the watch party to honor Kuss, who was sponsored by the shop when he was a teenager. “You can tell there’s a real heartfelt desire in town for him to win,” he added.

durango tour de france rider

To stroll the streets of Durango these days, locals tell me, is to witness a cycling-crazed community unify behind its hometown hero. Kuss grew up in Durango, the son of Sabina Kuss and Dolph Kuss—the latter is a stalwart in the Colorado ski industry and a former coach of the U.S. Olympic skiing team. As a teenager Kuss joined the Durango DEVO mountain-bike program, and became a nationally-ranked racer. Then, in his early twenties, Kuss exploded onto international road cycling scene, making the jump to the European WorldTour at age 23. A few years ago he relocated from Durango to a village in the principality of Andorra in the Pyrenees, where he can train on the same roads used in the Tour de France.

Durangoans have not forgotten Kuss in his absence, and his popularity has reached a peak amid his success at the Vuelta. Kuss posters hang in storefront windows. Kuss cartoon stickers stare out at the world from lamp posts and from the backs of laptop computers. Framed photos of him as a teenaged cyclist adorn the walls of bike shops. When a group of cyclists spins by, you know who they’re chatting about.

“He’s the talk of the town,” says Todd Wells, a three-time Olympic mountain biker who now works as a mortgage lender. “It’s all anybody is asking about on the group rides. Do you think he can do it? Do you think he can hold on to the lead?”

That’s because Kuss, 29, stands on the precipice of making American cycling history. After Thursday’s 18th (of 21) stages, he leads the Vuelta by just 17 seconds over his Jumbo-Visma teammate, Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark. Should Kuss maintain his advantage through Sunday’s final stage in Madrid, he will become the second American to win the Vuelta, and just the fourth American male to claim one of pro cycling’s three-week grand tours. That tiny circle includes Greg LeMond, who won the Tour de France in 1986, 89, and 90; Andrew Hampsten, who won the Giro d’Italia in 1988; and Chris Horner, who claimed the 2013 Vuelta.

The historical significance is not lost on Durango residents. The small city in southwestern Colorado is a hotbed of American cycling, and over the years it has been home to world champions and Olympians: Ned Overend, John Tomac, Ruthie Matthes, Julie Furtado, Travis Brown, among others. In Durango, cycling regularly makes front-page news and connects with general sports fans, and not just those who don Lycra shorts and pedal along the paths and trails.

John Livingston, a public relations officer with the Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife, told me some of his coworkers have asked him to avoid sharing the results of each day’s stage—the Vuelta airs each morning—so they can watch the replay at night and be surprised. And when he walks around town, Livingston hears Sepp chatter almost everywhere he goes. I phoned Livingston to give me a temperature check on Kuss’s popularity, because he has deep historical background on the topic. Prior to joining the state government he was the sports editor at the local Durango Herald .

Sepp Kuss sticker

“If I’m in a coffee shop or at the local distillery, people will come ask me for an update on the race—what’s going on with Sepp?” Livingston told me. “He’s become one of the biggest athletes in town.”

When Kuss won a stage of the 2021 Tour de France, I asked Livingston to write about the victory’s impact on the Durango community for  VeloNews.  That win, Livingston wrote, transformed Kuss into a Durango folk hero almost overnight.

Livingston told me there’s a different vibe amongst Durango locals this time around. Back in 2021 people were surprised and elated by Kuss’s stage win. Now, Livingston says, locals share a heightened level of anxiety watching Kuss defend his overall lead. Kuss has never raced for overall victory in a grand tour. History is at stake. His grip on the race lead is tenuous. Every day presents a new opportunity for him to lose.

“I think a year ago we would have been stoked to see him wear a race leader’s jersey for a day or two,” Livingston says. “Now we’re more interested in seeing what it’s going to take for him to win. I know I’m nervous.”

The level of anxiety has been heightened by an unorthodox rivalry at this year’s Vuelta: Kuss has had to fight off his own two teammates, who have tried again and again to wrestle the lead away. The inter-squad rivalry has generated a glut of controversy within the global bike racing scene, since teammates traditionally try to help one another win big races.

Kuss entered the race as a domestique , a worker-bee for Vingegaard, the reigning Tour de France winner, and Primoz Roglič, winner of the 2023 Giro d’Italia. But he took over the race lead on stage 8, placing him in a somewhat awkward situation. For the last four seasons Kuss has helped both Vingegaard and Roglič score huge victories on the international stage, sacrificing his own ambitions to vault them to victory. They are the team’s star riders, while he is the helper. But when Kuss took over the lead, his two teammates appeared less than enthused to help him win.

durango tour de france rider

Vingegaard attacked Kuss on stage 13 to win atop the Tourmalet and bolt into contention for the race lead; the Dane did it again on stage 16 to bring himself within two minutes of the lead. On Wednesday’s stage 17 Roglič and Vingegaard both dropped Kuss on the slopes of the steep Alto de l’Angliru, leaving the American to ride the final kilometer to the finish alone. But Kuss dug deep and limited his time losses to his own teammates, preserving his razor-thin gap to Vingegaard in the overall.

The tactics didn’t sit well with cycling pundits, or with fans back home in Durango.

“His own teammates worked him over—it’s pretty lame to see that happen,” Wells said. “But Sepp keeps hanging on. You couldn’t make the race more exciting if you tried.”

Wells says the ugly battle has shown the world what Durango natives have know forever about Kuss’s character. Long before Kuss entered the WorldTour, he was known in the Durango scene for his happy-go-lucky attitude. Bike racing is a stressful sport, where athletes agonize over diet, training, and results. The Durango DEVO program that Kuss grew up in preaches fun and camaraderie over cutthroat competition. The attitude, it seems, has stayed with Kuss to the highest echelon of the sport.

“You watch these road races and nobody is smiling at the top of these climbs, everybody is so serious,” Wells says. “And then they show Sepp and he’s grinning. He’s so stoked.”

Chad Cheeney, founder of the Durango DEVO program, says some of Kuss’s laid-back attitude can be traced to his program, as well as to Durango’s other top cyclists. Kids in Durango grow up riding alongside stars of the sport, and as a teenager Kuss regularly pedaled alongside Wells, Overend, and other renowned cyclists on the local group ride. Cheeney invited these men and women to attend DEVO practices and to share their experiences with up-and-coming racers like Kuss.

But a lot of the chill vibe, Cheeney says, springs from Kuss’s own personality. Even as a kid, Cheeney says, Kuss valued fun over everything else in cycling. “People always ask me if I knew he was going to be this good when he was a kid,” Cheeney says. “I tell them no way.”

Shredding down trails was just as important as working the climbs, Cheeney remembers. And Kuss thumbed his nose at the sport’s traditional rules around nutrition. “Sepp’s favorite thing was pounding hamburgers after a race—or he’d crush Taco Bell before a race,” Cheeney says. “Even back then people would be making fun of him for eating garbage food. He would just grin.”

After Kuss won stage 6 of the 2023 Vuelta, he was handed the celebratory bottle of champagne to spray at the crowd. Many cyclists pop the bubbly, take a sip, and then hand the bottle down. Kuss, however, took a mighty swig, chugging champagne for several seconds before erupting with a mighty burp. The display of joy was not lost on Cheeney.

“Sepp looks like he’s having so much fun,” Cheeney says. “He’s not your typical stone-faced winner.”

🇺🇸Sepp Kuss, you legend! 🍾😂 #LaVuelta23 pic.twitter.com/Kd8yvzWv6J — NBC Sports Cycling (@NBCSCycling) August 31, 2023

This past July I phoned up Kuss on the eve of the Tour de France to talk about Jumbo-Visma’s goals for the race, and how he fit into that strategy. After some talk of pelotons and echelons, Kuss brought up a topic he wanted to talk about: Durango. He told me he missed his hometown, and the people, the Mexican food, and trails. These days he returns home perhaps once a year to see family and friends before returning to Andorra.

Kuss told me his experiences in town had shaped his perspective, specifically on how he saw himself as a star athlete in an international sport.

“Being on a big team in the WorldTour, there are fans who look at you like a famous person, but I feel like I’m a cyclist just like you are,” he told me. “That comes from the environment I grew up in. In Durango you’re surrounded by the big stars, but I never thought about them that way. They’re just the guys from the local ride.”

  • Tour de France

Popular on Outside Online

durango tour de france rider

Enjoy coverage of racing, history, food, culture, travel, and tech with access to unlimited digital content from Outside Network's iconic brands.

  • Clean Eating
  • Vegetarian Times
  • Yoga Journal
  • Fly Fishing Film Tour
  • National Park Trips
  • Warren Miller
  • Fastest Known Time
  • Trail Runner
  • Women's Running
  • Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
  • FinisherPix
  • Outside Events Cycling Series
  • Outside Shop

© 2024 Outside Interactive, Inc

  • >", "name": "top-nav-watch", "type": "link"}}' href="https://watch.outsideonline.com">Watch
  • >", "name": "top-nav-learn", "type": "link"}}' href="https://learn.outsideonline.com">Learn
  • >", "name": "top-nav-podcasts", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideonline.com/podcast-directory/">Podcasts
  • >", "name": "top-nav-maps", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.gaiagps.com">Maps
  • >", "name": "top-nav-events", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.athletereg.com/events">Events
  • >", "name": "top-nav-shop", "type": "link"}}' href="https://shop.outsideonline.com">Shop
  • >", "name": "top-nav-buysell", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell">BuySell
  • >", "name": "top-nav-outside", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideonline.com/outsideplus">Outside+

Become a Member

Get access to more than 30 brands, premium video, exclusive content, events, mapping, and more.

Already have an account? >", "name": "mega-signin", "type": "link"}}' class="u-color--red-dark u-font--xs u-text-transform--upper u-font-weight--bold">Sign In

Outside watch, outside learn.

  • >", "name": "mega-backpacker-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.backpacker.com/">Backpacker
  • >", "name": "mega-climbing-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.climbing.com/">Climbing
  • >", "name": "mega-flyfilmtour-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://flyfilmtour.com/">Fly Fishing Film Tour
  • >", "name": "mega-gaiagps-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.gaiagps.com/">Gaia GPS
  • >", "name": "mega-npt-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.nationalparktrips.com/">National Park Trips
  • >", "name": "mega-outsideonline-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideonline.com/">Outside
  • >", "name": "mega-outsideio-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outside.io/">Outside.io
  • >", "name": "mega-outsidetv-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://watch.outsideonline.com">Outside Watch
  • >", "name": "mega-ski-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.skimag.com/">Ski
  • >", "name": "mega-warrenmiller-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://warrenmiller.com/">Warren Miller Entertainment

Healthy Living

  • >", "name": "mega-ce-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/">Clean Eating
  • >", "name": "mega-oxy-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.oxygenmag.com/">Oxygen
  • >", "name": "mega-vt-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.vegetariantimes.com/">Vegetarian Times
  • >", "name": "mega-yj-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.yogajournal.com/">Yoga Journal
  • >", "name": "mega-beta-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.betamtb.com/">Beta
  • >", "name": "mega-pinkbike-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.pinkbike.com/">Pinkbike
  • >", "name": "mega-roll-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.rollmassif.com/">Roll Massif
  • >", "name": "mega-trailforks-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.trailforks.com/">Trailforks
  • >", "name": "mega-trail-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://trailrunnermag.com/">Trail Runner
  • >", "name": "mega-tri-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.triathlete.com/">Triathlete
  • >", "name": "mega-vn-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/">Velo
  • >", "name": "mega-wr-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.womensrunning.com/">Women's Running
  • >", "name": "mega-athletereg-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.athletereg.com/">athleteReg
  • >", "name": "mega-bicycleretailer-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.bicycleretailer.com/">Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
  • >", "name": "mega-cairn-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.getcairn.com/">Cairn
  • >", "name": "mega-finisherpix-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.finisherpix.com/">FinisherPix
  • >", "name": "mega-idea-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.ideafit.com/">Idea
  • >", "name": "mega-nastar-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.nastar.com/">NASTAR
  • >", "name": "mega-shop-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideinc.com/outside-books/">Outside Books
  • >", "name": "mega-veloswap-link", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.veloswap.com/">VeloSwap
  • >", "name": "mega-backpacker-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.backpacker.com/">Backpacker
  • >", "name": "mega-climbing-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.climbing.com/">Climbing
  • >", "name": "mega-flyfilmtour-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://flyfilmtour.com/">Fly Fishing Film Tour
  • >", "name": "mega-gaiagps-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.gaiagps.com/">Gaia GPS
  • >", "name": "mega-npt-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.nationalparktrips.com/">National Park Trips
  • >", "name": "mega-outsideonline-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.outsideonline.com/">Outside
  • >", "name": "mega-outsidetv-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://watch.outsideonline.com">Watch
  • >", "name": "mega-ski-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.skimag.com/">Ski
  • >", "name": "mega-warrenmiller-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://warrenmiller.com/">Warren Miller Entertainment
  • >", "name": "mega-ce-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/">Clean Eating
  • >", "name": "mega-oxy-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.oxygenmag.com/">Oxygen
  • >", "name": "mega-vt-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.vegetariantimes.com/">Vegetarian Times
  • >", "name": "mega-yj-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.yogajournal.com/">Yoga Journal
  • >", "name": "mega-beta-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.betamtb.com/">Beta
  • >", "name": "mega-roll-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.rollmassif.com/">Roll Massif
  • >", "name": "mega-trail-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://trailrunnermag.com/">Trail Runner
  • >", "name": "mega-tri-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.triathlete.com/">Triathlete
  • >", "name": "mega-vn-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://velo.outsideonline.com/">Velo
  • >", "name": "mega-wr-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.womensrunning.com/">Women's Running
  • >", "name": "mega-athletereg-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.athletereg.com/">athleteReg
  • >", "name": "mega-bicycleretailer-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.bicycleretailer.com/">Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
  • >", "name": "mega-finisherpix-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.finisherpix.com/">FinisherPix
  • >", "name": "mega-idea-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.ideafit.com/">Idea
  • >", "name": "mega-nastar-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.nastar.com/">NASTAR
  • >", "name": "mega-shop-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://shop.outsideonline.com/">Outside Shop
  • >", "name": "mega-vp-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.velopress.com/">VeloPress
  • >", "name": "mega-veloswap-link-accordion", "type": "link"}}' href="https://www.veloswap.com/">VeloSwap

2-FOR-1 GA TICKETS WITH OUTSIDE+

Don’t miss Thundercat, Fleet Foxes, and more at the Outside Festival.

GET TICKETS

OUTSIDE FESTIVAL JUNE 1-2

Don't miss Thundercat + Fleet Foxes, adventure films, experiences, and more!

Tour de France

In durango, colorado, a community celebrates sepp kuss’ tour de france triumph, for cyclists in durango, colorado, sepp kuss's tour de france stage win brought joy, memories, and good vibes..

Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! >","name":"in-content-cta","type":"link"}}'>Download the app .

At the Kuss family home in Durango, Colorado, Dolph and Sabina Kuss screamed into the television this past Sunday, watching their son, Sepp , navigate the twists and turns on his bicycle as he descended the Col de Beixalis during stage 15 of the Tour de France , thousands of miles away in Andorra.

Behind Kuss, Alejandro Valverde gave chase, hoping to challenge the American for the stage win.

“Come on Seppy, take a risk,” shouted Dolph, a two-time Olympic cross-country skiing coach for Team USA in 1964 and 1972. “I was encouraging him on that downhill so he wouldn’t have to battle Valverde out for the last few seconds going into the finish. Sepp, of course, I know he’s not void of downhill skills. When they would show the splits – 18, 20, down to 15, back to 16 – oh man, every one of those second losses felt like they sucked the wind out of you, and every gain brought you to life.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Durango Devo (@durango.devo)

Sabina, herself a cyclist who has conquered the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic from Durango to Silverton on numerous occasions, at times with her son in tow during his early days on a bike, said she could watch him without fear as he reached speeds as high as 50 mph on the downhill for the first time in her life.

“Thank goodness there was no rain,” Sabina Kuss told VeloNews . “We know Sepp is a good descender, so this was the first time I could relax, and I took every curve with him.”

As Dolph and Sabina proudly looked on, Sepp held off Valverde, and coasted across the line to take the biggest victory of his professional cycling career. In doing so, he became the first American in a decade to win a stage of the Tour de France.

Back in Durango, Colorado, where Sepp grew up, the victory sent ripples through the community. Those who knew him best had just watched him do what he had done so. many times on a mountain bike throughout his childhood. And in the days after the victory, these friends explained how Kuss’s win reverberated throughout the mountain town in Southwestern Colorado, that has produced so many great cyclists before.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sepp Kuss (@seppkuss)

“Back in 2017 when he was racing domestically for Rally Cycling, Sepp, Howard Grotts and I rode the South Boundary Trail from Angel Fire to Taos in New Mexico,” said pro mountain bike and gravel racer Payson McElveen of Durango.

“It was a super long descent and pretty technical in the end. I don’t think Sepp had ridden his mountain bike in like nine months or something crazy because he had been focused on the road. But he just hops on his mountain bike, and he was ripping, and he was even wearing road pedals and road shoes. Howie and I had just gotten off a full mountain bike season, and Sepp had absolutely not lost a beat.

“So when he dropped into that descent on the Tour, I had a pretty good feeling he was just going to absolutely rip it. It was easy to believe in his massive bank of skills at this point,” McElveen added.

Dreams of mountain bike success fill many Durango children at a young age. From his early days working with coach Chad Cheeney at Durango Devo, Kuss was known for his small frame, pointy elbows, strong climbing ability, and the tail whips he would try to throw off even the smallest features on any trail.

“Like everyone, he was into mountain bikes. But he would always ride the road, too,” Cheeney said. “Sepp always had these really cool and funny custom road bikes, beaters he had boughten off eBay or found in the Durango Cyclery recycling section. He’d find these super-light frames and put funky parts on them. We’d go on rides, and his bike would be creaking and rattling loose. He was this cobbler of bikes.”

During his senior year of high school, Kuss made the USA Cycling roster for the UCI mountain world championships, and he was a member of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Devo Sweet Elite team put together in Durango. It was made up of under-23 stars such as Kaylee Blevins, Lauren Catlin, Tad Elliott, Grotts, McElveen, and Sarah Sturm along with high school shredders in Kuss and Stephan Davoust, among others.

While none of those riders ever would have gone on to predict the success Kuss would have in road cycling, he left a few clues behind along the way.

“We were at a race in Colorado Springs for Sweet Elite, and Sepp couldn’t make it because he was in Europe for a world cup,” Cheeney said. “We all watched the live timing for it. He started like 130th, and it was a super climbing race. He moved all the way up to like 50th or something. All of us had the tingles, and we looked at each other like, ‘Holy cow, Sepp can really, like really, climb. Before, we all knew he was fast, but that was this world-class moment. Before, you just thought of Sepp as some chill and mellow guy. You never thought of him as a world killer.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Visit Durango, CO (@visitdurango)

McElveen recalled training rides with Grotts, the 2016 mountain bike Olympian, and Kuss during those days. After, they would return home before meeting back up for yet another spin. Asked how he had spent his downtime, Kuss would surprise them with his answer.

“He’d be like, ‘I went back and watched the full four-hour replay from the 2003 Giro d’Italia Stage 17,’” McElveen said. “We would be like, ‘Wow, that’s really specific.’ He was giving this massive time commitment to watching these really long road races from a decade ago. You could see there was this brewing interest he had in the highest level of the sport, the most traditional version of the sport. Based on his mountain bike results, I would have never thought we’d see him in the Tour de France. But interest-wise, it makes sense he is there. He seemed so inspired by these massive alpine stages of the grand tours.”

Elliott was the rider Kuss looked up to most. He was a two-time under-23 mountain bike national champion and an elite Nordic skier who went onto a pro career on skinny skis. Dolph Kuss had coached Elliott’s father, Mike, at the Olympics, and the two have remained extremely close their entire lives, leading backcountry expeditions deep into the San Juan Mountains throughout Kuss’ childhood.

Elliott envisioned Kuss going on to a mountain bike or even a hockey career, but not the Tour de France. Still, because of the cycling culture established in Durango since the 1990 mountain bike world championships when world champions such as Juli Furtado, Greg Herbold, Ruthie Matthes, Ned Overend, and John Tomac called the southwest Colorado mountain town home, Elliott said it wasn’t a shock to see Kuss win Sunday as he sipped coffee on his couch and watched him make the break.

“Sepp’s always been a normal Durango kid, running around being a little menace who loved riding his bike, and you always knew he was very, very talented,” Elliott said. “There was never this moment I point to where I thought he would be one of the best in the world and on TV, but it’s just not a surprise to see him winning, and we’re never surprised here in Durango to see someone we grew up with or our neighbors have these incredible results.

“If you watched any other American win a stage at the Tour de France, you would be excited and feel country pride. But when you see Sepp win a stage at the Tour de France, somehow you have all those same feelings, but it feels natural. Stuff like this when it happens in our community, it’s really fun, but it doesn’t feel otherworldly, and that’s pretty cool.”

As Kuss caught his breath after Sunday’s finish in his new adopted home country of Andorra, his mind turned to Durango, those who had helped him along the way, and how his friends who were chasing mountain bike national championships the same day.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Iron Horse Bicycle Classic (@ihbcdurango)

“There’s always a story behind every successful rider,” he said. “The mentors and the people who helped them get to that point. That is something I will always be grateful for, and the support of everyone in Durango means so much on a day like today.”

At U.S. mountain-bike nationals in Winter Park Cheeney gathered the crop of Durango Devo riders, and they hosted a watch party of the Tour replay in the team house that night. Cheeney looked across the room, perhaps making eye contact with the next great WorldTour pro in the making, and told them the legend of Kuss.

“They thought it was so incredible that not more than 10 years ago, he was in their shoes,” Cheeney said. “That’s kind of special when you can show these kids, hey, he wasn’t always just winning at mountain bike nationals when he was their age. They can relate to a normal dude who just kept working hard.”

In Park City, Utah, Durango’s other WorldTour pro, Quinn Simmons, watched Kuss with pride and felt inspired.

“Seeing that as an American is really special,” Simmons said. “That win is the biggest accomplishment from an American on the bike in the last 10 years, across all disciplines. For it to be Sepp that gets it done as a Durango boy makes it even more special. It will serve as a big motivator for us other American pros to step up our game.”

Above any of his accomplishments, Kuss had continued to make Durango proud for his steady, laid-back demeanor, his compassionate attitude, and friendliness that makes everyone in his hometown feel as though they are his friend and as if they were there to personally cheer him on and embrace with a hug Sunday, even from more than 5,000 miles away.

“You can take the kid out of Durango, but you can’t take the Durango out of the kid,” Sturm said. “Sepp has always had such a unique attitude and is so similar to (Grotts) in the way they purely enjoy the action of riding a bike. It’s so cool to see someone who is such a good person find such success and maintain who he is throughout all of it. It’s why people are so excited for him.

“For us, Sepp is still that same goofy kid. Now, he’s just really fast.”

Popular on Velo

\n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/cyclist-fighting-for-his-life-after-contracting-flesh-eating-disease-from-saddle-sore\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"cyclist fighting for his life after contracting flesh-eating disease from saddle sore\"}}\u0027>\n cyclist fighting for his life after contracting flesh-eating disease from saddle sore\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"think gravel cycling is a recent phenomenon a 60-year-old frame says otherwise.","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-culture\/first-gravel-bike-john-finley-scott-cow-trailing\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-culture\/first-gravel-bike-john-finley-scott-cow-trailing\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"think gravel cycling is a recent phenomenon a 60-year-old frame says otherwise.\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-culture\/first-gravel-bike-john-finley-scott-cow-trailing\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"think gravel cycling is a recent phenomenon a 60-year-old frame says otherwise.\"}}\u0027>\n think gravel cycling is a recent phenomenon a 60-year-old frame says otherwise.\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"10 must see builds from the philly bike expo","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/10-must-see-builds-from-the-philly-bike-expo\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/10-must-see-builds-from-the-philly-bike-expo\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"10 must see builds from the philly bike expo\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-gear\/10-must-see-builds-from-the-philly-bike-expo\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"10 must see builds from the philly bike expo\"}}\u0027>\n 10 must see builds from the philly bike expo\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"tadej poga\u010dar buries everyone in avalanche of attacks at volta a catalunya","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tadej-pogacar-buries-everyone-in-avalanche-of-attacks-at-volta-a-catalunya\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tadej-pogacar-buries-everyone-in-avalanche-of-attacks-at-volta-a-catalunya\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tadej poga\u010dar buries everyone in avalanche of attacks at volta a catalunya\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tadej-pogacar-buries-everyone-in-avalanche-of-attacks-at-volta-a-catalunya\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tadej poga\u010dar buries everyone in avalanche of attacks at volta a catalunya\"}}\u0027>\n tadej poga\u010dar buries everyone in avalanche of attacks at volta a catalunya\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"the 5 best road rides in the world","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-culture\/the-5-best-road-rides-in-the-world\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-culture\/the-5-best-road-rides-in-the-world\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the 5 best road rides in the world\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-culture\/the-5-best-road-rides-in-the-world\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"the 5 best road rides in the world\"}}\u0027>\n the 5 best road rides in the world\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"wout van aert licks wounds post-e3 saxo classic","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/wout-van-aert-licks-wounds-post-e3-saxo-classic\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/wout-van-aert-licks-wounds-post-e3-saxo-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"wout van aert licks wounds post-e3 saxo classic\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/wout-van-aert-licks-wounds-post-e3-saxo-classic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"wout van aert licks wounds post-e3 saxo classic\"}}\u0027>\n wout van aert licks wounds post-e3 saxo classic\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018we stopped for a pee-pee and hid in the bushes\u2019: how tadej poga\u010dar destroyed everyone and set a new climbing record","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/we-stopped-for-a-pee-pee-and-hid-in-the-bushes-how-tadej-pogacar-destroyed-everyone-and-set-a-new-climbing-record\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/we-stopped-for-a-pee-pee-and-hid-in-the-bushes-how-tadej-pogacar-destroyed-everyone-and-set-a-new-climbing-record\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018we stopped for a pee-pee and hid in the bushes\u2019: how tadej poga\u010dar destroyed everyone and set a new climbing record\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/we-stopped-for-a-pee-pee-and-hid-in-the-bushes-how-tadej-pogacar-destroyed-everyone-and-set-a-new-climbing-record\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018we stopped for a pee-pee and hid in the bushes\u2019: how tadej poga\u010dar destroyed everyone and set a new climbing record\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018we stopped for a pee-pee and hid in the bushes\u2019: how tadej poga\u010dar destroyed everyone and set a new climbing record\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"will the van der poel-philipsen bromance survive alpecin-deceuninck\u2019s milan-san remo success","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/will-the-mathieu-van-der-poel-jasper-philipsen-bromance-survive\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/will-the-mathieu-van-der-poel-jasper-philipsen-bromance-survive\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"will the van der poel-philipsen bromance survive alpecin-deceuninck\u2019s milan-san remo success\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/will-the-mathieu-van-der-poel-jasper-philipsen-bromance-survive\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"will the van der poel-philipsen bromance survive alpecin-deceuninck\u2019s milan-san remo success\"}}\u0027>\n will the van der poel-philipsen bromance survive alpecin-deceuninck\u2019s milan-san remo success\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018three grand tours and no monument \u2013 it\u2019s like something\u2019s missing\u2019: wout van aert under spotlight in must-win spring","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/wout-van-aert-under-spotlight-in-must-win-spring\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/wout-van-aert-under-spotlight-in-must-win-spring\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018three grand tours and no monument \u2013 it\u2019s like something\u2019s missing\u2019: wout van aert under spotlight in must-win spring\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/wout-van-aert-under-spotlight-in-must-win-spring\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018three grand tours and no monument \u2013 it\u2019s like something\u2019s missing\u2019: wout van aert under spotlight in must-win spring\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018three grand tours and no monument \u2013 it\u2019s like something\u2019s missing\u2019: wout van aert under spotlight in must-win spring\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"meet the only person who can fix your brooks saddle (in north america, at least)","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/only-brooks-saddle-repair-north-america-simon-firth-philly-bike-expo\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/only-brooks-saddle-repair-north-america-simon-firth-philly-bike-expo\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"meet the only person who can fix your brooks saddle (in north america, at least)\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-gear\/only-brooks-saddle-repair-north-america-simon-firth-philly-bike-expo\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"meet the only person who can fix your brooks saddle (in north america, at least)\"}}\u0027>\n meet the only person who can fix your brooks saddle (in north america, at least)\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"e3 saxo classic: mathieu van der poel crushes solo cobblestone victory after wout van aert crash","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/e3-saxo-classic-mathieu-van-der-poel-crushes-solo-cobblestone-victory-after-wout-van-aert-crash\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/e3-saxo-classic-mathieu-van-der-poel-crushes-solo-cobblestone-victory-after-wout-van-aert-crash\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"e3 saxo classic: mathieu van der poel crushes solo cobblestone victory after wout van aert crash\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/e3-saxo-classic-mathieu-van-der-poel-crushes-solo-cobblestone-victory-after-wout-van-aert-crash\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"e3 saxo classic: mathieu van der poel crushes solo cobblestone victory after wout van aert crash\"}}\u0027>\n e3 saxo classic: mathieu van der poel crushes solo cobblestone victory after wout van aert crash\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"tour of flanders and the birth of the modern-era\u2019s cobblestone climber","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-of-flanders-and-the-birth-of-the-modern-eras-cobblestone-climber\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-of-flanders-and-the-birth-of-the-modern-eras-cobblestone-climber\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tour of flanders and the birth of the modern-era\u2019s cobblestone climber\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/tour-of-flanders-and-the-birth-of-the-modern-eras-cobblestone-climber\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"tour of flanders and the birth of the modern-era\u2019s cobblestone climber\"}}\u0027>\n tour of flanders and the birth of the modern-era\u2019s cobblestone climber\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"\u2018so much chaos\u2019: cobblestone season starts with a van aert-van der poel slugfest that sets tone for flanders","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/cobblestone-season-starts-with-a-van-aert-van-der-poel-slugfest\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/cobblestone-season-starts-with-a-van-aert-van-der-poel-slugfest\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018so much chaos\u2019: cobblestone season starts with a van aert-van der poel slugfest that sets tone for flanders\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/cobblestone-season-starts-with-a-van-aert-van-der-poel-slugfest\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"\u2018so much chaos\u2019: cobblestone season starts with a van aert-van der poel slugfest that sets tone for flanders\"}}\u0027>\n \u2018so much chaos\u2019: cobblestone season starts with a van aert-van der poel slugfest that sets tone for flanders\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"jasper philipsen wins milan-san remo in select group sprint, poga\u010dar surge can\u2019t break rivals","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/jasper-philipsen-wins-milan-san-remo-in-select-group-sprint\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/jasper-philipsen-wins-milan-san-remo-in-select-group-sprint\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"jasper philipsen wins milan-san remo in select group sprint, poga\u010dar surge can\u2019t break rivals\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/jasper-philipsen-wins-milan-san-remo-in-select-group-sprint\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"jasper philipsen wins milan-san remo in select group sprint, poga\u010dar surge can\u2019t break rivals\"}}\u0027>\n jasper philipsen wins milan-san remo in select group sprint, poga\u010dar surge can\u2019t break rivals\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"peter sagan to undergo additional heart surgery after further symptoms arise","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/peter-sagan-to-undergo-additional-heart-surgery-after-further-symptoms-arise\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/peter-sagan-to-undergo-additional-heart-surgery-after-further-symptoms-arise\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"peter sagan to undergo additional heart surgery after further symptoms arise\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/peter-sagan-to-undergo-additional-heart-surgery-after-further-symptoms-arise\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"peter sagan to undergo additional heart surgery after further symptoms arise\"}}\u0027>\n peter sagan to undergo additional heart surgery after further symptoms arise\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"power analysis: inside milan-san remo, the longest one-day race in the worldtour","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/power-analysis-milan-san-remo-2024\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/power-analysis-milan-san-remo-2024\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"power analysis: inside milan-san remo, the longest one-day race in the worldtour\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/power-analysis-milan-san-remo-2024\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"power analysis: inside milan-san remo, the longest one-day race in the worldtour\"}}\u0027>\n power analysis: inside milan-san remo, the longest one-day race in the worldtour\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"mathieu van der poel signs unprecedented 10-year deal with canyon","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/mathieu-van-der-poel-10-year-canyon\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/mathieu-van-der-poel-10-year-canyon\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"mathieu van der poel signs unprecedented 10-year deal with canyon\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/news\/mathieu-van-der-poel-10-year-canyon\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"mathieu van der poel signs unprecedented 10-year deal with canyon\"}}\u0027>\n mathieu van der poel signs unprecedented 10-year deal with canyon\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"watch: can ted king return to the front of the pack","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/ted-king-unbound-gravel\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/ted-king-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"watch: can ted king return to the front of the pack\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/gravel\/gravel-racing\/ted-king-unbound-gravel\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"watch: can ted king return to the front of the pack\"}}\u0027>\n watch: can ted king return to the front of the pack\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"derailed by the doctor: rider fractures fibula in mix-up with volta a catalunya race medic","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/derailed-by-the-doctor-rider-fractures-fibula-in-mix-up-with-volta-a-catalunya-race-medic\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/derailed-by-the-doctor-rider-fractures-fibula-in-mix-up-with-volta-a-catalunya-race-medic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"derailed by the doctor: rider fractures fibula in mix-up with volta a catalunya race medic\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/derailed-by-the-doctor-rider-fractures-fibula-in-mix-up-with-volta-a-catalunya-race-medic\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"derailed by the doctor: rider fractures fibula in mix-up with volta a catalunya race medic\"}}\u0027>\n derailed by the doctor: rider fractures fibula in mix-up with volta a catalunya race medic\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "},{"title":"joe martin stage race canceled for 2024 in shock to us stage-race calendar","url":"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/joe-martin-stage-race-cancelled-for-2024\/","markup":" \n \n\n\n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/joe-martin-stage-race-cancelled-for-2024\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"joe martin stage race canceled for 2024 in shock to us stage-race calendar\"}}\u0027>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n\n \n\n \n \n\n \n \n >\", \"path\": \"https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/joe-martin-stage-race-cancelled-for-2024\/\", \"listing_type\": \"recirc\", \"location\": \"list\", \"title\": \"joe martin stage race canceled for 2024 in shock to us stage-race calendar\"}}\u0027>\n joe martin stage race canceled for 2024 in shock to us stage-race calendar\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n \n \n \n \n\n \n "}]' > >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>advertise >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>privacy policy >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>contact >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>careers >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>terms of use >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>site map >", "name": "footer-menu", "type": "link"}}'>my newsletters manage cookie preferences privacy request healthy living.

  • Clean Eating
  • Vegetarian Times
  • Yoga Journal
  • Fly Fishing Film Tour
  • National Park Trips
  • Warren Miller
  • Fastest Known Time
  • Trail Runner
  • Women's Running
  • Bicycle Retailer & Industry News
  • FinisherPix
  • Outside Events Cycling Series
  • Outside Shop

© 2024 Outside Interactive, Inc

durango tour de france rider

Volta a Catalunya

Tour de romandie, critérium du dauphiné, tour de france, vuelta a espana, giro dell'emilia, milano - torino, gran piemonte, faun-ardèche classic, drome classic, strade bianche, tirreno-adriatico, itzulia basque country, tour de suisse, vuelta a españa dnf, tour de france saitama criterium, volta ciclista a catalunya, giro d'italia, vuelta ciclista a españa, vuelta ciclista a la región de murcia, clásica jaén paraiso interior, volta ao algarve, in the news, visiting sepp kuss at his house .

  • Durangatangs Roll Out the Red Carpet for Sepp Kuss by Taneika Duhaney - Men's Journal ( 21 Oct 2023 )
  • Sepp Kuss wins 2023 Vuelta a España by Lyne Lamoureux - cyclingnews.com ( 17 Sep 2023 )
  • Super Sepp Kuss elevates into the Vuelta a España GC race by Logan Jones-Wilkins - Global Cycling Network ( 31 Aug 2023 )
  • Fever knocks Sepp Kuss out of Vuelta a España by Cody Olivas - Durango Herald ( 01 Sep 2022 )
  • SEPP KUSS IS THE LAST, BEST DEFENSE by Caley Fretz - Cycling Tips ( 19 Jul 2022 )
  • Sepp Kuss: 'Win Or Lose, We Wanted To Put On A Show' FloBikes ( 14 Jul 2022 )
  • Kuss, Jumbo Visma ready for the Tour de France by Cody Olivas - Durango Herald ( 30 Jun 2022 )
  • Sepp Kuss alters his approach to be in better shape for Tour de France by Alasdair Fotheringham - cyclingnews.com ( 17 Jan 2022 )
  • Sepp Kuss: Climbing the Grand Tour hierarchy one step at a time by Stephen Farrand - cyclingnews.com ( 04 Nov 2021 )
  • Sepp Kuss draws confidence from fast start to Vuelta a España by Barry Ryan - cyclingnews.com ( 14 Aug 2021 )
  • Bobby & Jens: Sepp Kuss Bobby & Jens Podcast ( 06 Aug 2021 )
  • ‘It's pretty fleeting’: After Tour de France, life settles down for Sepp Kuss by Ryan Simonovich - Durango Herald ( 23 Jul 2021 )
  • American Sepp Kuss wins Tour de France's grueling 15th stage Associated Press ( 11 Jul 2021 )
  • Sepp Kuss on Tour de France: Lessons have been learned from 2020 disappointment by Sadhbh O'Shea - velonews.com ( 24 Jun 2021 )
  • Sepp Kuss bypassing Olympics to focus on Tour de France velonews.com ( 20 May 2021 )
  • Kuss to stay with Jumbo-Visma through 2024 cyclingnews.com ( 19 Mar 2021 )
  • Sepp Kuss on GC leadership: ‘I feel ready for that step up’ VeloNews ( 19 Feb 2021 )
  • An Interview With Sepp Kuss on Alpe du Zwift by Christopher Schwenker - Zwiftinsider ( 29 Jan 2021 )
  • Durango’s Sepp Kuss set for third start as a veteran of the Vuelta a España by John Livingston - Durango Herald ( 19 Oct 2020 )
  • Sepp Kuss on Jumbo-Visma’s Tour de France finale: ‘We finished in high spirits’ by Fred Dreier - velonews.com ( 25 Sep 2020 )
  • Pride for Sepp Kuss at Tour de France swells in Durango streets by John Livingston - Durango Herald ( 18 Sep 2020 )
  • Sepp Kuss downplays potential Tour de France leadership: ‘I’d rather win stages than finish in the top-5’ by Andrew Hood - velonews.com ( 17 Sep 2020 )
  • The American Late-Bloomer Helping to Win the Tour de France ($) by Joshua Robinson - Wall Street Journal ( 12 Sep 2020 )
  • An unexpected climb to Tour de France debut for Sepp Kuss by John Livingston - Durango Herald ( 28 Aug 2020 )
  • Sepp Kuss: I'm always going to be a work in progress cyclingnews.com ( 22 Aug 2020 )
  • How Sepp Kuss paid to get a bike fit that put him in a powerful position by Ben Delaney - velonews.com ( 19 Aug 2020 )
  • Sepp Kuss victorious on Stage 5 of Dauphiné, dedicates win to Ben Sonntag Durango Herald ( 18 Aug 2020 )
  • Critérium du Dauphiné: Sepp Kuss shows his worth on Col de Porte cyclingnews.com ( 13 Aug 2020 )
  • Feature - Sepp Kuss: My biggest ambition is really just to learn by Jonathan Roorda - cyclingpub.com ( 14 Aug 2018 )
  • Sepp Kuss: Taking the fast track to the WorldTour by Pat Malach - cyclingnews.com ( 01 Nov 2017 )

Photo Gallery

2023 vuelta a espana.

2023 Vuelta a Espana

Vuelta a Espana 2023

durango tour de france rider

Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre - Spain - cycling - Sepp Kuss (USA - Jumbo - Visma) pictured during Vuelta Espana 2023 - 78th edition - stage 6 - La Vall d’Uixo - Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre 183,1km - 31/08/2023- Photo: Miwa iijima/Cor Vos © 2023

Sepp Kuss (USA - Jumbo - Visma) celebrates winning stage 6 of the Vuelta Espana 2023 - 31/08/2023

Andorra la Vella - France - wielrennen - cycling - cyclisme - radsport - Sepp Kuss (USA / Team Jumbo-Visma) pictured during 108th Tour de France 2021 stage 15 from Ceret to Andorra la Vella (191.3KM) - photo GvG/PN/Cor Vos © 2021

durango tour de france rider

Sepp Kuss (USA / Team Jumbo-Visma) pictured during 108th Tour de France 2021 stage 15 from Ceret to Andorra la Vella (191.3KM) - photo GvG/PN//PN/Cor Vos © 2021

durango tour de france rider

Sepp Kuss (USA / Team Jumbo-Visma) pictured during 108th Tour de France 2021 stage 14 from Carcassonne to Quillan (183.7KM) - photo Dion Kerckhoffs/Cor Vos © 2021

durango tour de france rider

Stage 5 - Critérium du Dauphiné 2020

durango tour de france rider

The Larry H.Miller Tour of Utah, 2018

durango tour de france rider

Training camp, Tignes, France. Photo: Team Jumbo-Visma

Training camp Tignes

Stage 2, 2017 Tour of Utah

durango tour de france rider

Training ride

durango tour de france rider

Sepp Kuss wins Spanish Vuelta, becoming the first American to win a Grand Tour race in a decade

Sepp Kuss, center, celebrates in Madrid, Spain, with Jumbo-Visma teammates after winning the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023. Jonas Vingegaard, left, finished second and Primoz Roglic finished third.

MADRID — A decade later, the United States has a Grand Tour winner again.

Sepp Kuss won the Spanish Vuelta on Sunday to become the first American to win one of cycling’s top races since Chris Horner earned the Vuelta victory in 2013. The other Grand Tour events are the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France.

Kuss had effectively secured the victory ahead of Sunday’s largely ceremonial stage, when rivals in the Spanish capital respected his lead and did not launch any attacks as per cycling tradition.

“It’s incredible. I think today was the stage that I suffered the most of the whole race, now I’m just glad it’s over,” Kuss said. “It’s life-changing for sure. I think I’ll look back on this experience with a lot of fun memories. It’s still sinking in, I think it’s gonna take quite some time. Now, a big celebration. Family, friends are here, and that’s gonna be really special.”

It was a surprising victory for Kuss, who entered the race in a supporting role to his Jumbo-Visma teammates Jonas Vingegaard — the two-time Tour de France winner — and Primoz Roglic, a three-time Vuelta winner.

Vingegaard and Roglic finished second and third overall, respectively, capping a dominant performance and a historic treble for Jumbo-Visma, which swept all three Grand Tour events this year. Roglic won the Giro d’Italia in May and Vingegaard repeated as Tour de France champion in July.

Kuss crossed the line along with his teammates, who were all wearing a special jersey in honor of the team’s treble.

Sepp Kuss of Jumbo-Visma, right, celebrates after winning the Vuelta cycling race in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023.

Alpecin-Deceuninck rider Kaden Groves prevailed in the final sprint to win the last stage.

Kuss took the lead in the eighth stage and never relinquished it despite being pushed hard by his teammates a few times. The American held his own on difficult climbs up the Col du Tourmalet in France and the Alto de l’Angliru in northern Spain, ending the three-week race with a 17-second advantage.

The 29-year-old from Durango, Colorado, started cycling as a way to train all year for his passion of cross-country skiing. But he eventually changed the skis for wheels and has for several seasons featured as one of the top support riders for Jumbo-Visma. He now lives in Andorra with his wife in the Pyrenees Mountains nestled between Spain and France.

The final stage began at Madrid’s horse-racing track and ended with riders taking laps around some of the iconic monuments in the Spanish capital.

Kuss took it easy within the peloton and was celebrated by his rivals and fans who lined Madrid’s streets.

Last year’s champion, Remco Evenepoel of Soudal Quick-Step, ended as King of the Mountains and became the first Belgian to win the Vuelta’s most combative award. Groves became the first Australian to win the points standings, while 21-year-old Juan Ayuso of Spain was the best young rider.

Organizers announced Sunday that the 2024 edition of the Vuelta will begin in Portugal, with the cities of Lisbon, Oeiras and Cascais hosting the race’s official start.

Lisbon was the first foreign city to host a Vuelta start back in 1997.

  • About Us Overview Leadership Team Board of Directors Finances Governance DEI Contact Us
  • Quicklinks Join / Renew Membership Results & Rankings Category Upgrades Rule Book & Policies Resources Search Events Find A Club Plan An Event Officials Coaches USA Cycling Foundation

Elite Men's National Team Member, Tokyo 2020 Olympic Long Team Member

Meet the Athlete

Sepp started out in mountain bike and cross-country ski racing as a junior. He started road cycling while at CU Boulder and went on to win several Collegiate National Championship in mountain bike and road. His first breakout result was a win at the Redlands Classic with other impressive results at the Tour of the Gila. His results earned him a full-season contract with Rally Cycling the following year, having joined the team earlier in 2016. At Rally, he had many impressive results that caught the eye of Jumbo-Visma where he signed his first World Tour contract while he was still in college. Since signing with the team in 2018, he has sky rocketed and become one of the best American talents in the World Tour. Sepp’s career highlights include stage wins in the Tour de France ('21), Vuelta a España ('19), Criterium du Dauphine ('20), and the overall GC at the Tour of Utah ('18).

Shayna Powless

  • Gangwon 2024
  • Milano Cortina 2026
  • Brisbane 2032
  • Olympic Refuge Foundation
  • Olympic Games
  • Olympic Channel
  • Let's Move

Sepp Kuss: The climbing phenom who's American cycling's newest star

The American rider has been a super-domestique in the mountains for Jumbo-Visma, but has big goals of his own for the future.

2020-09-06T144735Z_531231392_UP1EG96153BP7_RTRMADP_3_CYCLING-FRANCE

To win the Tour de France , it takes skill, endurance, climbing prowess, and perhaps most importantly the right team around you.

American cyclist Sepp Kuss knows that full well as a domestique – support rider – for Dutch team Jumbo-Visma and its leaders Primoz Roglic and Tom Dumoulin .

The Coloradan, who first caught the eye at the lower levels of professional road cycling, has a promising future in the sport.

For now, though, he is happy to work in Roglic's interests , albeit with his own long-term aims of being a team leader.

Sporting genes

Kuss comes from a sporting family . The 26-year-old's father, Dolph , coached the U.S. national Nordic skiing (cross-country and ski jumping) team from 1963 to 1972, including at the Innsbruck 1964 and Sapporo 1972 Olympic Winter Games.

Unsurprisingly, growing up in the Rocky Mountains with his dad's background, skiing was one of the younger Kuss's favourite sports, alongside ice hockey and mountain biking . Road racing simply was not on the agenda.

"When I was young, growing up in Durango, none of my friends rode road - it was almost lame to ride a road bike," he explained to CyclingNews . "(They would say,) 'Why would you ride a road bike when you can go mountain biking and it’s so much more fun and cool?'"

Kuss raced in the 2014 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Lillehammer, finishing 36th in the under-23 cross-country race; he was 48th in the same race a year later.

But he found the world of mountain bike racing too predictable for his liking, eventually switching to the road in 2015 while at the University of Colorado Boulder, majoring in advertising.

Climbing prowess

Being a simple domestique wasn't at the forefront of Kuss' mind when he first raced on the UCI Continental circuit in North America for Rally Cycling.

He quickly impressed, showing off his climbing ability at the Tour of California in 2017 – a race sometimes used by European-based cyclists as a tune-up for the Tour de France. That caught the eye of Jumbo-Visma, which signed him that winter.

It was an easy decision for the then-23-year-old. "It was never an objective to be on a U.S. team," he said. "Moving to Europe and everything was already a big change, so I thought, 'Why not be on a European team too?'

"In bike racing, it's such a European culture. To learn how to race in Europe, what better than with a Dutch team with lots of experience and knowledge and great riders?"

Three stage wins and the overall general classification win at the Tour of Utah in his rookie year earned Kuss a selection for the 2018 Vuelta a España, his first Grand Tour in which he would be expected to work for a team leader.

However, it was a role he quickly settled into, as his mother Sabina explained to their local newspaper, the Durango Herald . "He enjoys the teamwork and knowing that everybody gets their chance eventually," she said. "He loves the camaraderie and not having the only goal of winning. It’s the process of what it takes to get to the final finish line in good speed."

Kuss was finally rewarded in his third Grand Tour with Jumbo-Visma, earning the right to break away on Stage 15 of the 2019 Vuelta which he ended up winning on a mountain-top finish at El Acebo.

Weaker points

There is one quality a potential general classification winner has that Kuss does not have yet.

"I do work on my TT (time trials), but not nearly as much as the other GC riders," he admitted to Ciclismo Internacional . "As a support rider, I rarely do a TT at 'race speed' because I'm saving energy for the next day.

"This year and next I'd like to approach (them) as an actual race because I still need to improve the flow of a TT during a race, physically and mentally."

What about a bigger leadership role? "If I look at myself right now, I don’t think I have the mindset to be a Grand Tour contender," he said to CyclingNews.

"I have the resilience - I work hard - but there are also so many sacrifices you need to make to be so focused every single day. That takes quite a bit of extra energy that maybe not everybody sees."

His climbing skills – honed in the high altitudes of the Rockies – do, however, set him apart from some of his American compatriots.

One possibility for Kuss may be leading his national team at Tokyo 2020 , which features a parcours that includes climbing Mount Fuji. He is on USA Cycling's long list for the Games.

"It's difficult to get much lower than 1600m (above sea level) in Colorado, and most of the climbing is between 2000m and 4000m, so it's a great place to train," he explained in his Ciclismo Internacional interview.

Whatever awaits Kuss in the future, American cycling has a new star on its hands after years of controversy.

United States of America

Related content

He's tearing up the roads, but this is just the start for Wout van Aert

He's tearing up the roads, but this is just the start for Wout van Aert

Primoz Roglic - the ski jumper turned Tour de France favourite

Primoz Roglic - the ski jumper turned Tour de France favourite

Tadej Pogacar: The Slovenian prodigy with the winning touch 

Tadej Pogacar: The Slovenian prodigy with the winning touch 

You may like.

Durango Downtown

  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Subscribe To Rss Feed

‘A legend in the making’: Durango’s Sepp Kuss wins stage of Tour de France

Posted on Jul 19, 2021

Sepp Kuss

Cycling – Tour de France – Stage 15 – Ceret to Andorra La Vella – France – July 11, 2021 Team Jumbo–Visma rider Sepp Kuss of the U.S. celebrates on the podium after winning stage 15 REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

Hailed as “The Durango Kid,” Sepp Kuss accomplished the greatest feat by an athlete in the storied history of the Colorado mountain town Sunday.

Kuss, 26, can now call himself a stage winner of the Tour de France. He is only the 11th rider from the United States to win a stage of the event in its 108-year history, and he is the first American since Tyler Farrar in 2011 to celebrate victory at the world’s most famous race.

“I am in total disbelief,” Kuss said. “I never would have imagined winning a stage in the Tour, especially this year because I never felt super good in the stages leading up to this. To do it shows that you always need to believe in yourself and keep trying. If you work hard and enjoy what you’re doing, something good always comes from it. That’s what I was thinking about after the race, was the hard work and my love for doing it.”

Following a route that traveled directly past his new residence in Andorra, Kuss would mount a solo attack three miles before the summit on the last of four categorized climbs Sunday. Chased only by Spain’s Alejandro Valverde, a four-time Tour de France stage winner, Kuss built a 25-second advantage going over the top of Col de Beixalis with a steep gradient of 8.5%.

“I don’t ride to Col de Beixalis much in training because it’s so hard, but I knew if I had a good gap, I’d stay away till the finish,” Kuss said. “I felt confident in my descending. But there was a lot of headwind on the flatter part to the finish, so I was still a bit nervous with the gap. I was suffering like crazy the last two kilometers to keep driving away.”

With a ripping descent into Andorra la Vella, the capital city of the country nestled between France and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains, Kuss had to fight with everything he had to hold off the charging Valverde, the 2018 world champion long heralded as one of the most explosive finishers in the peloton.

Kuss would keep Valverde at bay, as he finished the 118.9-mile Stage 15 in 5 hours, 12 minutes, 6 seconds. Valverde, who was 23 seconds behind Kuss, found the 2013 graduate of Durango High School at the finish area, and the two exchanged congratulations in Kuss’ newly learned tongue of Spanish.

“At the finish, he just said, ‘Job well done.’ We were both saying how hard it was and how hard we were going over the climb and also in the headwind all the way to the finish,” Kuss said. “For me, it’s nice when a rider like Valverde, who has won so many races and been in cycling for so long tells you ‘good job’ at the end of a race.”

Going into this year’s Tour de France, Kuss quickly noticed the Stage 15 route that would ride from the French communue of Céret and into Andorra, where he and his girlfriend, Noemi Ferré, are in the process of building a home.

“Today, I knew it was finishing where I live, so I was motivated for the stage. My girlfriend and her family stood on the final climb to cheer me on, so I am really happy that I won here,” Kuss said. “I also didn’t want to overthink it or target it too much coming into today. If it doesn’t go well, then you’re more disappointed. I needed to take every day as it came, and today I focused on doing the race one step at a time, getting through each moment and do the best I could in the end.”

‘The Durango kid’

Viewers in Durango tuned into the race on NBC Sports, where commentator Bob Roll, also a longtime Durango resident, was on the microphone to provide color commentary. As Kuss surged, Roll referenced Kuss’ upbringing in the Durango Devo cycling program that has turned out dozens of national champions and a handful of Olympians and world cycling stars.

In Winter Park, scene of the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships, Devo athletes huddled together in the team house to watch their hero climb and then twist and turn his way to victory.

“Made me cry today,” said Devo co-founder and coach Chad Cheeney, long credited for sparking Kuss’ love for the bike at a young age. “So proud of Sepp, that smile, that dig. He’s one hell of a bike rider. I’m at mountain bike nationals, and everyone here was cheering for him. A legend in the making.”

In Italy, 2021 mountain bike Olympian Christopher Blevins of Durango also watched in awe of an accomplishment of a hometown rider only three years his elder who he used to chase around at local races.

“I talked about hometown heroes last week, and Sepp was absolutely part of that list for me growing up,” Blevins said. “He’s still one of, if not the pro cyclist, I look up to the most, so today’s win was incredible on a number of levels.”

Since the first mountain bike world championships in 1990 at Purgatory Resort north of Durango, the town has been a hub for many of the top cyclists in the world. Success has primarily come on the mountain bike. Ned Overend, winner of that 1990 race, was one of several world champions who would call Durango home in the years after. With the formation of the Fort Lewis College and Devo cycling programs, Durango has remained a force, with four men’s mountain bikers representing the U.S. at the last six Olympics and a junior road world champion in Quinn Simmons, now a WorldTour rider for the Trek-Segafredo team.

Kuss grew up winning national championships in mountain biking. He went to the University of Colorado and continued to race for the club team, and he won two more collegiate mountain bike titles before he gained an opportunity to race on the road. His natural climbing ability quickly saw him rise from small local squads to continental team Rally Cycling and then to a contract with Team Jumbo-Visma on the WorldTour in only a matter of three years.

It’s all come from a community of 20,000 residents lauded for having the most Olympians and national and world champions per capita than any town in the U.S.

Kuss called it an honor to put together the performance during mountain bike nationals, a weekend that has always meant so much to Durango cycling.

“To do it for everyone at home, especially all the young Devo kids, it’s special. I wouldn’t be here without that upbringing in Durango and Devo and that love for cycling,” Kuss said. “As they teach in Devo, you ‘Never Forget the Feeling,’ and to take that feeling and love of riding bikes to the biggest stage in cycling, it’s really incredible for me. I hope everybody gets some inspiration from it.”

‘I can feel their emotion’

Kuss’ father, a two-time Olympic coach of Nordic skiing at the 1964 Winter Games in Austria and 1972 in Japan, watched his son’s ride Sunday from the family home in Durango. Normally quiet while consuming sporting events, Dolph was as animated as ever Sunday as he urged his son up the climbs and summoned him to take risks to keep Valverde away on the descent.

“By the time one of those climbs is over, I am exhausted,” said Dolph, an inaugural Durango Athletic Hall of Fame inductee. “I normally don’t make very much noise, but when I watch him take off like that, I feel like a sucked orange when it’s done. I have felt that way about some other athletes as I’ve watched them, but it’s different when it’s your own son. It’s hard to verbalize the feeling.

“Between participation at the Olympics, participation in the WorldTour and world championships, we’ve all kind of talked about how the peak achievement would certainly be winning a Grand Tour stage. Even beyond that, to do it at the Tour de France would be the biggest accomplishment. Even an Olympic win doesn’t take the type of perseverance like a 21-day race and the conditioning and mental skills it requires. If I reflect back on my time in Durango, this at present is the top achievement.”

Kuss’ mother, Sabina, is known for screaming to her son through the television in hopes of willing him to victory. She savored every second of her son’s performance Sunday. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he hasn’t been able to travel to the U.S. to see his family since winter of 2019. But Sabina felt as though she was there in Andorra alongside his girlfriend and her family to cheer him to victory.

And while watching him rip through the descent to the finish line, Sabina said it was the first time she ever felt calm watching him ride downhill. He reached a top speed of 50 mph and averaged 36 mph on the way down after he had averaged a stunning 12.7 mph on the last climb.

“Anytime Sepp does something like he did today, it’s truly a treasure,” Sabina said. “It’s unbelievable. Today felt like watching him at the Tour of Utah in 2018. It brought me back to where I saw him flash that big grin and the huge relief he expressed at the finish line when he won that race. That’s when we first saw he could be a winner, but we have never taken it as if it is supposed to happen.

“With this year’s Tour being so difficult with all the crashes, seeing what he did today – and this is no slight to Olympians – but this was an Olympic kind of win for Sepp. It just spoke so much to what he can do.”

After the race, Kuss was quick to phone his parents, as he does after any race.

“They put the same amount of energy into every stage as I do,” Kuss said. “Even the days that maybe aren’t worth watching, they put in the hard hours in front of the TV. They are my biggest supporters, and I can feel their emotion even though I am across an ocean.”

Going into his debut Tour de France in 2020, Kuss already had a stage win at one of the three famed 21-day Grand Tours with a 2019 victory at the Vuelta a España. Coincidentally, that win also came on the 15th stage.

“I don’t know if 15 is my favorite number, but maybe it says that the second week is good for me,” Kuss joked. “It takes awhile to get my engine running.”

Slovenia’s Primož Roglic would go on to be crowned overall champion of the 2019 Spanish Vuelta for a second consecutive year with Kuss as his primary helper, and Roglic wanted Kuss with him when he went for victory in France the next year.

Iconic climbing performances by Kuss helped keep Roglic in the leader’s yellow jersey for the majority of the 2020 race. But a poor individual time trial saw Roglic surrender the lead to fellow Slovenian Tadej Pogacar on the penultimate day, and Roglic had to settle for second.

For his incredible showing, Kuss was awarded a rich new contract to remain with Jumbo-Visma for another three years.

This year, the goal again was to see Roglic wear yellow into Paris. But it was never to be. He withdrew from the race after Stage 8 because of his injuries, and the rest of the team was given some freedom to pursue individual results.

“There’s definitely less pressure. We are racing in a different way than we normally would with Primož,” Kuss said.

Belgian national champion Wout van Aert made the most of his chance on Stage 11, which featured two climbs of the famed Mont Ventoux.

Kuss, who was able to get through the wreckage in the first week largely unscathed, looked to his own opportunities in the Pyrenees mountains.

Sunday, it was Van Aert who aided Kuss through the descent of Port d’Envalira before Kuss was turned loose on the final climb.

“This was Sepp’s day,” Van Aert said. “He lives in Andorra, and he was looking forward to this stage. I’m happy he managed to get this amazing victory for him and for the team. He spends the whole year working for others, so it’s nice he gets his own chance.”

Kuss thanked the effort of Van Aert for helping deliver him to the last climb in position to attack.

“My team did a fantastic job today,” he said. “Wout was ahead of me in the whole valley. If a champion like that works for me, then I have to finish it off, too.”

With Pogacar more than five minutes ahead of Rigoberto Uran and poised to stay in the yellow jersey and win his second consecutive overall Tour de France title, the riders went into Monday’s final rest day only five stages away from the finish in Paris.

For Kuss, who is currently 49th in the standings after a top-15 overall finish a year ago, there will be more opportunities to show his strength on mountain climbs Wednesday and Thursday in the Pyrenees. But he said he will turn his primary attention into aiding teammate Jonas Vingegaard, who is third in the overall standings and only 14 seconds behind second place.

“I think after the stage success we have had so far and the way Jonas is riding, now we can be really happy and confident and give our best in this third week,” Kuss said. “I want to help Jonas to the podium. That would be a really successful Tour if we can do that.”

With Sunday’s historic stage win now in his pocket, Kuss will carry plenty of confidence for the final week, future Tour de France appearances and his upcoming co-leadership role next month at the Spanish Vuelta.

When he gets a chance to catch his breath during Monday’s rest day, he said he will reflect on all those who helped him get to Sunday’s finish line.

“When you are in a race and in the rhythm every day, sometimes it can feel just like any other bike race. But then maybe you zoom out a bit, and yeah, the Tour de France is a pretty big deal,” Kuss said. “You can get so absorbed in the moment. For me, it’s important to step back and realize that by showing yourself in a race like the Tour, you can do a lot more and inspire other people.

“There’s always a story behind every successful rider. The mentors and the people who helped them get to that point. That is something I will always be grateful for, and the support of everyone in Durango means so much on a day like today.”

Share this:

Search durango downtown, recent posts.

  • Uncompahgre River Annual Benefit
  • Wildfire Resource Center Hub Launched
  • DURANGO SPRING & SUMMER PLANNING GUIDE
  • DHS Principal Named Principal of the Year
  • Be “Bear Aware” to Keep Animal Conflicts Trending Down

Durango Upcoming Events

  • Durango Web Cam - Downtown Durango
  • Durango's Happy Hour Menu
  • Trimble Hot Springs

Durango Herald News

  • Tyler Kolek leads Marquette to Sweet 16 with 81-77 March Madness win over Colorado March 24, 2024
  • On the anniversary of the 1976 military coup, Argentines push back against leaders revising history March 24, 2024
  • Italy marks 80th anniversary of WWII-era massacre in Rome with a concert honoring the dead March 24, 2024

Mind Body Green

  • Help! I've Added Another Pair Of Sneakers To My Collection (But They're Worth Every Penny) March 24, 2024
  • 12 Foods That MDs & PhDs Want You To Eat For The Sake Of Your Brain March 24, 2024
  • Fragrance Can Help Us Remember The Past — But Can It Inspire A Better Future, Too? March 24, 2024

Copyright© 2024 Durango Downtown, a Durango Global, LLC Company. All Rights Reserved. Proudly Powered by Web Services Management

  • Mobile Site
  • Staff Directory
  • Advertise with Ars

Filter by topic

  • Biz & IT
  • Gaming & Culture

Front page layout

A Sepptember to remember —

A water carrier just won the hardest cycling race on the planet, the cycling drama came to a head on top of the most demanding mountain in europe..

Eric Berger - Sep 18, 2023 9:16 pm UTC

Cyclist Sepp Kuss, center, on the podium of the 21st stage of the Vuelta a España with Jonas Vingegaard, left, and Primož Roglič, right.

Something amazing happened this past weekend.

If you are an American, you probably have not heard about it. You probably don't know who did it or what he did. And until you clicked on this article, you probably didn't care. But you should.

Sepp Kuss won the Vuelta a España.

Who? Did what now?

Kuss is a 29-year-old professional cyclist from Durango, Colorado. On Sunday, he won one of the three major "grand tours" in road cycling. The others are the more famous Tour de France and the Giro d'Italia. All are grueling, three-week races across the flatlands and mountainous terrain of their eponymous nations. The Spanish tour is the last of the three, and this year it had the most difficult and demanding route.

What's so remarkable about Kuss winning is that he has devoted his career to helping other cyclists win these grand tours. His Vuelta win is a little bit like Kansas City Chiefs starting center Creed Humphrey winning the National Football League Most Valuable Player trophy instead of his quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.

GC Kuss checks out the special paint job on his road bike ahead of the final stage of the Vuelta a España.

Until this Vuelta.

There is a famous cycling film that was made 50 years ago, at the Giro d'Italia, titled Stars and Water Carriers . That edition of the race featured the biggest stars, including Belgian rider Eddy Merckx, widely considered the greatest bike racer of all time. But the film also focuses on the water carriers, the riders who fetch water for their team leaders, protect their position in the peloton, ride into the wind, and so much more.

Kuss is a water carrier.

He is a highly paid one, to be sure. He makes more than $1 million per year as a luxury domestique. In the mountains, he does the final lead out for the stars on his team, Jonas Vingegaard of Denmark and Primož Roglič of Slovenia. You've probably never heard of these two men, but they are two of the three best "general classification" riders in the world. (The other one, not at the race, is Tadej Pogačar, who improbably also hails from Slovenia.) Vingegaard has won the last two Tours de France. Earlier this year, Kuss also helped Roglič win the Giro d'Italia. They ride for the best cycling team in the world, based in the Netherlands and sponsored by a chain of supermarkets called Jumbo-Visma.

Should you not ride for the race leader?

Early on in this year's Vuelta, Kuss was sent in a breakaway to mark other riders. Because other cycling teams in the race did not view him as an overall threat to win the race, Kuss gained an advantage of a couple of minutes. It was thought that he would lose this during the time trial stage because he has not ridden these race-against-the-clock stages particularly well in the past.

But then a couple of things turned the race on its head. Kuss rode a pretty good time trial, only losing about one minute to many of his rivals. And then the main rival to the Jumbo-Visma team, a Belgian named Remco Evenepoel, had a bad day in the mountains, losing a lot of time. Suddenly, Kuss, Roglič, and Vingegaard were ranked first, second, and third, respectively, in the standings.

GC Kuss was no longer a joke. But could the water carrier transform into a star? For days over the last week, it was not at all clear. This would require Vingegaard and Roglič, stars of the sport, to submerge their egos and transform their roles. Could they become water carriers? Would they?

Cycling is a beautiful and preposterous sport. It is beautiful because of the amazing landscapes and intricate tactics that individual riders and teams follow in their pursuit of the overall win, a victory during the daily stage of the race, and other competitions within the competition. It is preposterous because of what cyclists do to their bodies to compete. They starve themselves to become exceptionally skinny, and then they go out every day for three weeks and beat the hell out of themselves. The wattage they can sustain on a bike, 300, 400, 500 or even more leg-breaking watts for minutes at a time, boggles the mind.

Leadership is also a great challenge. Kuss had never undertaken these responsibilities before, the weight of expectation or carrying the burden of winning for his team. He did not expect to be in his role. This was his third grand tour of the year, riding these demanding and exhaustive races in May, July, and now September. No rider can peak for all three races, and he was only able to do it because he played a supportive role in all three, taking some days easier than others.

reader comments

Channel ars technica.

logo 2.0 400

U.S. Cyclists in the 2023 Tour de France

By kate agathon.

The USA Cycling National Team (and Colorado!) will have a solid representation at the 2023 Tour de France. 

The average age of these phenomenal cyclists competing on the world’s biggest cycling stage is a mere 25 years. Here’s a snapshot of the six Americans (last year there were seven) who will be among the 176-person peloton competing in the 110th edition of the Tour starting this Saturday in Bilbao, Spain.

lawson craddock headshot athlete bio

His efforts were instrumental in two Jumbo-Visma Grand Tour Wins in the last year: Tour 2022 and the Giro D’Italia 2023. Notably, he won Stage 15 Céret to Andorra la Vella (Andorra) in the 2021 Tour (the last time a U.S. rider won a Tour stage was Tyler Farrar in 2011).

neilson powless athlete bio

Photo Credits: Team USA Cycling, DSM-Firmenich.

Related Posts

frost bite time trial brent murphy

Frost Bite Time Trial Pics Are Up at RacerShots!

Hey racers! RacerShots kicked off our 2024 season today at the annual Frostbite Time Trial!Check out Brent Murphy’s Frostbite TT photos online right here:https://www.brentmurphyphoto.com/…/2024-03-16-Frostbite…And make

mountain blue sky

Mount Evans Hill Climb gets a new name — but the ride won’t return in 2025

The 62-year-old endurance event leads cyclists up the sides of 14,265-foot Mount Blue Sky Since 1962, the Mount Evans Hill Climb ranked as one of

fat biking in colorado (2)

Fat Biking in Colorado

Colorado consistently ranks as one of the healthiest states in America. It is no surprise, then, that Coloradans are smitten with an outdoor winter activity

rest days deserve kudos on strava

Celebrating Rest: Why Recovery Days Also Deserve Kudos on Strava

Listen to your coach…its important to crush your rest days in order for you to crush your training days.  by Vint Schoenfeldt – VeloCoachElite.com In

velocoach 600

VeloCoach-Taking You To The Next Level

Cyclists, maybe even more than other types of athletes, consistently want to improve. Today, we have coaches available for almost every part of our life.

blank 600 x 400 (8)

A battle between ranchers wanting to protect their heritage and a Colorado bike race worth $4.5 million

By Tracy Ross, Rural Reporter, Colorado Sun The 3,000 gravel riders who do SBT GRVL each summer love how the route takes them through bucolic

Let's do this

Check out upcoming events.

  • Volta a Catalunya stage 5 live - A hilly day for the fastmen
  • E3 Saxo Classic live - Van der Poel and Van Aert face off for the first time

Who are the North Americans racing in the Tour de France?

Kuss, Woods, Simmons and Powless amongst five US and three Canadian riders in the peloton

Three US riders in the 2023 Tour de France (L to R): Neilson Powless, Sepp Kuss and Quinn Simmons

The Tour de France has long been the domain of European riders, and the peloton of 176 is still largely made up of riders from across the continent. Eight North American riders will take the start line across six teams at this year’s Tour. They all have Grand Tour experience, and a few have even put their names in the record books or at least earned an asterisk for special efforts. 

While they all share a similarity with the main task at hand for each team - support the team’s GC leader - each is capable of going for glory with a stage victory should an opportunity arise across the three weeks. The last North American to win a stage at the Tour was Hugo Houle (Israel-Premier Tech), who captured an emotional victory in Foix. A North American name is absent from the contenders' list to carry the maillot jaune, per nominations of the veterans by the teams, but anything can happen like Neilson Powless’ (EF Education-EasyPost) near take of the race lead on stage 5 last year.

Three of the US crew will also be in contention for the best young rider classification, but even that remains a tall order since Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) has monopolised that distinction for the past three years and remains eligible. Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar) finished fourth in the young rider category last year, and he'll compete against Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek) and Kevin Vermaerke (Team dsm-firmenich). The last North American rider to win the white jersey as the best young rider was Tejay van Garderen (BMC Racing Team) in 2012, while Andrew Talansky (Garmin Sharp) finished second the next year.

Cyclingnews profiles the eight North Americans who will be on the start line when the race kicks off in Bilbao, Spain, on Saturday.

Neilson Powless (EF Education-EasyPost)

It will be Tour de France number four for Powless, the first tribally-recognised Native North American to take on the French Grand Tour. The EF Education-EasyPost rider made the break four times during the three weeks and fought for the stage win on two of the most prestigious stage finishes, settling for fourth at Arenberg and L'Alpe d'Huez.

“He rode more kilometres than anyone in the breaks last year, I think, and we hope he takes the next step this year,” team CEO Jonathan Vaughers said about the lone US rider on the US-based squad. 

That next step could be a stage win or even grabbing the yellow jersey on a climbing stage, which he almost accomplished last year. Powless lay four seconds off the yellow jersey at one point on stage 5, but Tadej Pogačar sprinted to the victory and took bonus seconds at the line to keep the 25-year-old at bay. Powless did go on to finish in Paris in 13th on GC, the best result in seven years for any North American. 

Get The Leadout Newsletter

The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!

“Obviously, if I could win a stage, that would be incredible. That would be my Tour made if that happens, but if we have Richie [Carapaz] or Rigo [Uran] up in GC and we can get someone on the podium, that would be incredible as well,” said Powless, who won the GC at this year’ five-stage Etoile de Bessèges.

Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma)

Hailing from the small city of Durango in the Colorado Rocky mountains is Sepp Kuss, who comes into this year’s Tour having ridden 10 Grand Tours, this being his fourth Tour de France. 

Kuss has proven himself across the highest terrain, capped by a stage 15 win to Andorra la Vella in the 2021 Tour. He kept busy at last year’s Tour, doing mega turns in the Alps and Pyrenees on behalf of Jumbo-Visma teammate and eventual winner Jonas Vingegaard. Through all the battling to help Vingegaard to victory, Kuss found himself finish 18th on the GC.

He’s a top lieutenant now for any climbing day, and this year’s Tour provides a record seventy climbs across the 21 stages, so there’s plenty of opportunities to suffer and succeed. 

Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar Team)

Jorgenson returns with Spanish squad Movistar for his second Tour de France, with the squad set for a hectic start on home soil on the first three stages. Jorgenson emerged as a breakaway staple during the race last year, getting out front three times and finishing in the top five on each stage, including on the Megève summit finish, where he was within 10 seconds away from his first Grand Tour victory.

While his role is still to support GC contender, Enric Mas, Jorgenson has new confidence that could push him onto the podium on a stage, most likely one that showcases his climbing ability. Celebrating his 24th birthday during stage 1 in Bilbao, the rider from Idaho captured his first overall GC title at Tour of Oman in February. He rode a strong Paris-Nice and then finished second overall, plus a best young rider crown, at Tour de Romandie. 

He’s poised to prove himself at this year’s Tour and move up from his 21st overall placing in 2022.

Quinn Simmons (Lidl-Trek)

Another rider from the small town of Durango is Quinn Simmons, the new US Pro road race national champion who loves to be aggressive. In his first Tour in 2022, he charged ahead in five different stage breaks during the race, getting up the road five times, and by stage 19, he was rewarded as the most combative rider. While Colorado rider did not get on the podium, he helped teammate Mads Pedersen to a breakaway victory on stage 13, a rolling day in the Alps from Bourg d’Oisans to Saint-Etienne, Trek-Segafredo’s only victory in the Tour that year.

Wearing his new Lidl-Trek kit with the blue and white US stars on the shoulders and red stripes on the lower chest, Simmons will support team GC leader Mattias Skjelmose and look to create sparks on climbing days and any opportunities from a breakaway. He demonstrated his ability to climb at his first Grand Tour in 2021, taking third on stage 19 at the Vuelta. 

Kevin Vermaerke (Team dsm-firmenich)

When Team dsm-firmenich takes the start at the Grand Départ in Bilbao, US rider Kevin Vermaerke will return for his second Tour de France in support of Frenchman Romain Bardet. 

Vermaerke, just 22 years old, was named to the team as one of three riders who can pound out the kilometres across the mountainous terrain spread across all three weeks, and improve Bardet’s 2022 finish from sixth overall. If anything, Vermaerke would like to make it to Paris for his second Tour, as he crashed hard on stage 8 last year and had to abandon with a broken left collarbone.

The young California climber is in his fourth season at the WorldTour level and looking for his first big win at the top level. This season he has helped Bardet to a fifth-place GC finish at Tour de Suisse and seventh overall at Paris-Nice.

Lawson Craddock (Jayco-AlUla)

The 31-year-old Texan made his Grand Tour debut in the 2014 Vuelta a España in his first year on the WorldTour level riding for Giant-Shimano, and two years later arrived at the Tour de France. It was at the Vuelta in 2021 and 2022 that he carried the stars-and-stripes jersey to a pair of top 10 stage finishes as US Pro time trial national champion.

While there is just one time trial at this year’s Tour on stage 16, Craddock has proven his versatility in stage racing over the past 12 seasons. He had a podium on stage 11 at the 2019 Vuelta and a fifth on a rolling course into Bilbao on stage 5 last year. Jayco AlUla will count on Craddock to support Simon Yates when the road begins to climb, be it in the opening, familiar terrain of the Basque Country or in the final week in the Alps.

Michael Woods (Israel-Premier Tech)

Michael Woods has already shown great form in France this season, winning La Route d’Occitanie for a second time. He also confirmed he is still one of the top climbers in the peloton with a second place at CIC-Mont Ventoux. 

The veteran Canadian on the team, now 36, helped Houle to his stage 16 victory at the Tour last year and finished on the podium in third after having struggled through the early part of the Tour following a crash. He lines up for his fourth Tour as a co-leader on Israel-Premier Tech alongside Dylan Teuns. 

“I’m really excited for this year’s Tour de France. The course suits me quite well, especially the opening stages in the Basque Country. This is an area I’ve had a lot of success in, with my two Vuelta a España stage wins both taking place there. I really enjoy racing in this area,” Woods said, saying his ambition was to win a stage, which would be his first at the Tour de France.

Hugo Houle (Israel-Premier Tech)

Hugo Houle became a Canadian rock star at last year’s Tour de France, riding to a solo victory on stage 16 and becoming the first Canadian to win a Tour stage since Steve Bauer’s monumental ride in 1988. He also was part of a three-rider breakaway on stage 13 and finished on the podium, third in the sprint to Saint-Etienne. When he arrived in Paris, he was 24th overall.

Israel-Premier Tech came away with two stage wins last year in the Tour, the second notched on stage 5 across the Arenberg cobbles by Simon Clarke. The team has said it looks for stage wins again this year, and a versatile rider like Houle has chances on any undulating terrain. LIke Woods, Houle is a veteran at 32 years of age and rides to support his compatriot in any GC hopes. 

Guillaume Boivin (Israel-Premier Tech)

Guillaume Boivin brings a fast finish for his third consecutive appearance in the French Grand Tour. The 34-year-old from Montreal will primarily serve as a lead-out for New Zealand sprinter Corbin Strong, who makes his Grand Tour debut. However, Boivin, now in his 14th season, is very capable of fighting for a stage win himself.

durango tour de france rider

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

durango tour de france rider

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Jackie Tyson

Jackie has been involved in professional sports for more than 30 years in news reporting, sports marketing and public relations. She founded Peloton Sports in 1998, a sports marketing and public relations agency, which managed projects for Tour de Georgia, Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah and USA Cycling. She also founded Bike Alpharetta Inc, a Georgia non-profit to promote safe cycling. She is proud to have worked in professional baseball for six years - from selling advertising to pulling the tarp for several minor league teams. She has climbed l'Alpe d'Huez three times (not fast). Her favorite road and gravel rides are around horse farms in north Georgia (USA) and around lavender fields in Provence (France), and some mtb rides in Park City, Utah (USA).

Power to the People – A brief history of the power meter with Hunter Allen

From Team Sky to Wout van Aert - how altitude training revolutionised preparation for the Classics

'Still a question mark' – Ill Christophe Laporte racing against time before Tour of Flanders

Most Popular

By Stephen Farrand March 14, 2024

By Jackie Tyson March 13, 2024

By Daniel Ostanek March 13, 2024

By James Moultrie, Stephen Farrand, Barry Ryan March 12, 2024

By Josh Ross March 11, 2024

By Philippa York March 11, 2024

By Kerry Hellmuth March 08, 2024

By Josh Croxton March 04, 2024

By Jackie Tyson March 03, 2024

By Dan Challis March 03, 2024

By Josh Croxton March 01, 2024

Monday, March 25, 2024 6:58 am (Paris)

  • Tour de France

Tour de France: The new wave of American cycling

Seven riders from the United States were on the starting line for this year's Tour, the most since 2014. The new generation has finally freed itself from the shadow of Lance Armstrong.

By  Aude Lasjaunias

Time to 3 min.

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Messenger
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share by email
  • Share on Linkedin

American rider Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) on July 12, 2022 during the 10th stage of the Tour de France, between Morzine and Megève (Haute-Savoie).

When he was a child, Quinn Simmons wasn't really into cycling. The American from Durango, in the mountains of Colorado, was a little "annoyed" to see his father spending so much time in front of the television watching the Tour de France. Young Quinn was more into skiing and mountaineering.

Five years later, however, the 21-year-old is sporting a smile – rarely masked despite the threat of Covid-19 – as he takes part in road cycling's premier event for the first time. "The final decision was made during the Tour de Suisse [which he finished on June 21, with the polka-dot jersey of best climber]. In my head I had prepared as if I was going, but you are always a little nervous until the last yes," the Trek-Segafredo rider said.

Simmons is the youngest rider in this year's Tour de France, and one of seven Americans who left from the starting line in Copenhagen on July 1 – a first since 2014. "I'm convinced that this number will continue to grow," said Kevin Vermaerke (DSM), who was forced to pull out on the 8 th stage, between Dole (Jura) and Lausanne (Switzerland), on July 9.

'Less support in the US'

"There have been several American waves in the Tour: in the 1980s with Greg LeMond, then in the early 2000s with Lance Armstrong. We're on the third," said French-American photojournalist James Startt, the author of Tour de France/Tour de Force. A Visual History of the World's Greatest Bicycle Race (2000), who has 33 Tours under his belt.

What is striking about this new wave is both its youth and the fact that is shared throughout the peloton. Apart from climbers Sepp Kuss (Jumbo-Visma), 27, and Joe Dombrowski (Astana-Qazaqstan), 31, the other five riders are 25 years old or younger. Most importantly, they all ride for different teams, whereas in the past, the American contingent rode for US-based teams such as 7-Eleven, Motorola or US Postal.

Brent Bookwalter, who spent much of his career with one of them (BMC Racing), sees this as a sign of changing attitudes. "As a young rider, as an American, riding for a French or Spanish team means immersing yourself in a different culture, and that used to seem very intimidating," said the Albuquerque, N.M., native and Tour consultant for Flo TV.

There is another, more prosaic explanation: "There is less support for road cycling in the United States: fewer races, fewer teams, less infrastructure," he said. This is due to the economic situation, but also the doping cases that had a strong impact on sponsor engagement and the public's enthusiasm.

The ambiguous legacy of Armstrong

In the mid-2000s, the United States could boast of having won the Tour de France 11 times: Greg LeMond (1986, 1989 and 1990), Lance Armstrong (1999-2005), and Floyd Landis (2006), which at the time was more than Italy and Spain. But Floyd Landis was disqualified after being tested with a testosterone level 11 times higher than normal. He was followed by Lance Armstrong in 2012.

Former road rider Ian Boswell grew up watching the "boss." In his eyes, Armstrong's legacy remains ambiguous: "Lance is the reason why we have invested so much in cycling in the United States," said the 30-year-old. "This guy from Texas who managed to dominate the most prestigious event in the world showed us that it was possible."

His fall left a void and his countrymen have long been stereotyped as "dirty" riders. But the biggest problem, he insists, was that a good part of his generation wanted to be general classification riders, "when they would have been better on more specific terrain." Like Tejay Van Garderen, a time trial specialist, but rarely consistent over a three-week race.

Going forward, the ambitions are more subdued and varied. "I'll probably never be a general classification rider in a three-week race, but maybe after a few years on the road I can aim for the one-week races," said Simmons, for example.

'The image of the champion'

The results are starting to show. On July 7, 2021, Sepp Kuss crossed the finish line in Andorra la Vella solo, giving the United States its first Tour de France stage win since Tyler Farrar in Redon in 2011.

In the first week of the 2022 race, Neilson Powless (EF Education EasyPost) came within seconds of donning the yellow jersey. Not since Tejay Van Garderen in 2018 has an American been so close to the top of the overall standings, when Van Garderen was tied on time with Belgian teammate Greg Van Avermaet after the team time trial.

American Neilson Powless (right) during the 5th stage of the Tour de France, between Lille Metropole and Arenberg Porte du Hainaut (North), July 6, 2022.

According to many followers, the Star-Spangled Banner of the United States is less visible on the roadside than during Armstrong's heyday. Throughout the country, "road cycling is still very much tied to the image of a champion," said James Startt. "I've seen it as a teammate of Tejay's, riding with him through the highs and lows of his career: the Americans loved him when he was doing well and booed him when he was doing poorly," said Brent Bookwalter. "This group, today, can share that burden. It's not as if any of them are being branded as 'the' new face of American cycling who is the focus of all hope." They will have time to find their strengths and build this new wave over time.

Aude Lasjaunias

Translation of an original article published in French on lemonde.fr ; the publisher may only be liable for the French version.

Lecture du Monde en cours sur un autre appareil.

Vous pouvez lire Le Monde sur un seul appareil à la fois

Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil.

Parce qu’une autre personne (ou vous) est en train de lire Le Monde avec ce compte sur un autre appareil.

Vous ne pouvez lire Le Monde que sur un seul appareil à la fois (ordinateur, téléphone ou tablette).

Comment ne plus voir ce message ?

En cliquant sur «  Continuer à lire ici  » et en vous assurant que vous êtes la seule personne à consulter Le Monde avec ce compte.

Que se passera-t-il si vous continuez à lire ici ?

Ce message s’affichera sur l’autre appareil. Ce dernier restera connecté avec ce compte.

Y a-t-il d’autres limites ?

Non. Vous pouvez vous connecter avec votre compte sur autant d’appareils que vous le souhaitez, mais en les utilisant à des moments différents.

Vous ignorez qui est l’autre personne ?

Nous vous conseillons de modifier votre mot de passe .

Lecture restreinte

Votre abonnement n’autorise pas la lecture de cet article

Pour plus d’informations, merci de contacter notre service commercial.

Tour de France 2024 Contender Power Rankings

Three and a half months out from the start of the men’s Tour de France, we ranked the top yellow jersey threats in the peloton.

cycling fra tdf2023 stage15

This is the first edition of Bicycling’ s Power Rankings for the 2024 Men’s Tour de France, where we rank the top contenders leading up to July’s race. This continuously updated list will give you an in-depth look at the riders that have the best shot to stand atop the podium at the end of the Tour—and how they’re performing in the races leading up to July.

These rankings will be constantly refreshed, so you can see who’s up and who’s down on the road to the 2024 Tour de France.

This year’s Tour is expected to bring together the sport’s four best grand tour riders: Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike), winner of the last two Tours de France; Slovenia’s Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates), winner of the 2020 and 2021 Tours de France; Belgium’s Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-Quick Step), winner of the 2022 Vuelta a España; and Slovenia’s Primož Roglič (BORA-hansgrohe), a 3-time winner of the Vuelta and the winner of last year’s Giro d’Italia.

Each rider is taking a different path to the Tour de France, with each mixing race days with extended periods of time spread all over Europe at training camps–either alone or with their teammates. And while some of their paths will cross at certain races throughout the first half of the season, they won’t all race together until the Tour. We’ll keep checking-in regularly as they continue compete—either alone or against one another.

Below, you’ll find the first edition of Bicycling ’s Men’s Tour de France Power Rankings.

headshot

Jonas Vingegaard

.css-1f6aja5{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;background-color:#ffffff;border:0;border-bottom:none;border-top:0.0625rem solid #e8e8e8;color:#000;cursor:pointer;display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;font-style:inherit;font-weight:inherit;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:flex-start;padding-bottom:0.3125rem;padding-top:0.3125rem;scroll-margin-top:0rem;text-align:left;width:100%;}@media(min-width: 64rem){.css-1f6aja5{scroll-margin-top:3.375rem;}} .css-jtmji2{border-radius:50%;width:1.875rem;border:thin solid #6f6f6f;height:1.875rem;padding:0.4rem;margin-right:0.625rem;} .css-jlx6sx{display:-webkit-inline-box;display:-webkit-inline-flex;display:-ms-inline-flexbox;display:inline-flex;width:0.9375rem;height:0.9375rem;margin-right:0.625rem;-webkit-transform:rotate(90deg);-moz-transform:rotate(90deg);-ms-transform:rotate(90deg);transform:rotate(90deg);-webkit-transition:-webkit-transform 250ms ease-in-out;transition:transform 250ms ease-in-out;} read the complete analysis.

Race Days : 11

Race Wins : 7

Best Result : 1st-place, General Classification - Tirreno-Adriatico

Next Race : Tour of the Basque Country, April 1-6

Less than a week after Pogačar demolished the field to win Strade Bianche after an 81-kilometer solo breakaway, the two-time defending Tour de France champ held serve with a race-breaking solo attack of his own on Stage 5 of Tirreno-Adriatico, an important early-season stage race. 

Like Pogačar, the Dane capped off some super work by his teammates, attacking on the steepest section of the San Giacamo climb, 29K from the stage finish. He won the stage by over a minute, seizing control of the General Classification. As if to emphasize his strength, Vingegaard then won Stage 6, another mountain stage, this time finishing atop Monte Petrano. By the end of the day, he led the Italian stage race by 1:24, a gap that he maintained through the end of the race one day later. 

Vingegaard’s season was already off to an impressive start: in late-February he dominated Spain’s Gran Camiño, winning three of four stages and the General Classification in a repeat of his performance last year. 

And to make matters worse for the riders and teams looking to defeat him, Vingegaard’s teammates are looking (almost) as strong as their captain. American Matteo Jorgenson–new to the team this year–defeated two of the men on this list to win Paris-Nice, Belgium’s Cian Uijtdebroeks–another new signing–worked hard for the Dane at Tirreno and still finished seventh overall.

At this point, the only knock against Vingegaard is the fact that he looks too strong for early-March. The Tour is still months away, how can he possibly maintain or even better increase his current form? If he truly isn’t yet at his best, then good luck to anyone hoping to beat him in July. But if he and his team have peaked too soon, they could be setting themselves up for a major upset. 

But if the next month plays out like the last, we could soon be talking about one main contender to win the Tour, followed by a second–and maybe even third–tier of riders fighting to stand beside him on the podium.

headshot

Tadej Pogačar

Read the complete analysis.

Race Wins : 1

Best Result : 1st-place, Strade Bianche

Next Race : Milano-Sanremo, March 16

Vingegaard’s Tirreno performance was perhaps a response to Pogačar’s ride at the previous Saturday’s Strade Bianche, an one-day event raced on the white gravel roads of Tuscany. Perhaps looking to make a statement in his first race of the season, the Slovenian attacked 82K from the finish line in Siena—and won. Alone.

At first it looked like he was just accelerating as a means of stretching his legs, or perhaps to see which of his rivals (and admittedly there were few that day) would come along with him. But once he saw that he had a solid gap, Pogačar forged on to build a lead that at one point approached 4 minutes. He was gone.

Like Visma-Lease a Bike at Tirreno less than a week later, Pog’s team had done a wonderful job of setting up their captain’s attack, culling down the leading group prior to his acceleration—the rain and wind helped—so that by the time the Slovenian did make his move, there was little anyone could do about it.

That said, while the performance should be added to the long list of Pogačar’s masterpieces, it’s not enough to put him ahead of the Dane in our power rankings.

 The Slovenian has lost the last two Tours to France to Vingegaard, which means he enters the season firmly behind the Danish rider in the pecking order of Tour de France contenders. So he’ll need to do something truly incredible–or the Dane will have to experience an extraordinary setback–in order to leapfrog his rival. 

Pogačar’s next race is Milan-Sanremo, where he hopes to win one of the only two Monuments still missing from his palmares. Then he’ll race the Volta Catalunya in Spain, which will likely be his final stage race before the Giro in May, his first major goal of the 2024 season, which also means that his program is much different from the other riders on this list. 

headshot

Remco Evenepoel

Race Days : 14

Race Wins : 4

Best Result : 2nd place, General Classification - Paris-Nice

Since winning the 2022 Vuelta a España, Evenepoel hasn’t won another grand tour. He was leading last year’s Giro d’Italia after one week of racing, but tested positive for COVID-19 on the eve of the Giro’s first Rest Day and went home. 

Despite the early exit, he stuck to his pre-season plan and skipped the Tour de France, but returned to the Vuelta in the hopes of defending his title. Unfortunately, a bad (really bad) day in the Pyrenees put those plans to rest, so he settled for winning three stages and the King of the Mountains competition. 

Now he’s set to final race the Tour de France, and all of Belgium is abuzz in the hopes that Evenepoel can become the first Belgian to win the Tour since 1976.

So far, so good for the 24-year-old in 2024. He won his first race of the season, a minor Spanish road race, then took home the Volta ao Algarve, a tough early season stage race in Portugal. 

Next came last week’s Paris-Nice, where a few hiccups kept him off the stop step of the podium. First, his team had a late start time in Stage 3’s team time trial, which meant they had to race in the rain. Their time suffered as a result.

Then Evenepoel hesitated when a dangerous breakaway went up the road near the end of Stage 6. Jorgenson attacked, pulling away Denmark’s Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) and the United States’ Brandon McNulty (UAE Team Emirates). The trio went on to finish 52 seconds ahead of Evenepoel, which cost him a chance to win the race overall.

Escaping along with Jorgenson on the final day, Evenepoel did win Stage 8 and moved up to second overall by the end of the week. But it wasn’t a performance on par with Vingegaard or Pogačar. 

The shame about Evenepoel is the fact that the better he does in the run-up to the Tour, the greater the pressure will be once he gets there. And for a rider who seems to have some marginal gains still to be made in terms of the mental game one needs in order to win a pressure-filled race like the Tour de France, that’s a big hill to climb. (In addition to the lapse that saw him lose so much time on Stage 6, he took a swipe at a former teammate after Tuesday’s team trial because he believed–wrongly–that the rider had impeded the team while it was still out on the course.)

His next race is the Tour of the Basque Country, a hilly stage race in northern Spain. There he’ll face Vingegaard for the first time this season, a clash that will go a long way toward telling us if Evenepoel is a true Tour contender or not.

headshot

Primož Roglič

Race Days : 8

Race Wins : 0

Best Result : 3rd place, Stage 7, Paris-Nice

After losing the captaincy of Visma’s Tour de France squad to Vingegaard, the 34-year-old Slovenian transferred to BORA-hansgrohe this past off-season in the hopes of finally winning the Tour de France. 

He’s playing the long game–and he can afford to given BORA’s deep roster–which means he’s racing minimally in his build-up to the Tour de France. Paris-Nice was his first race of the season, and he looked, well, rusty.

But he got better as the race progressed, with the highlight of his week being a third-place finish atop La Madone at the end of Stage 7. He hung with the race favorites right until the end, crossing the line in a 4-man group containing Evenepoel, Skjelmose (who might work his way onto this list by July), and Jorgenson, the eventual race winner. 

Perhaps most importantly, he came out of the race healthy, which means he can head back to his training and continue to build for his next race, the Tour of the Basque Country, which will be his first head-to-battle against Vingegaard, his former teammate. If he hasn’t taken another step forward in his preparation, expect him to move further down our ranking.

headshot

Egan Bernal

Race Days : 20

Best Result : 3rd place, General Classification - Gran Camiño

Next Race : Volta a Catalunya, March 18-24

The previous four riders are the men mentioned most as the main GC contenders for the 2024 Tour de France, but we’ve got our eyes on one more–one who could upset the applecart in a big way. 

Back in 2019, Egan Bernal became the third-youngest Tour de France winner in the history of the race. And we all thought the Colombian was poised to dominate the race for the next decade. But then Pogačar won the race in 2020, becoming the second-youngest rider to ever win the Tour, and then he won it again in 2021. Then Vingegaard won in 2022, and defended his title in 2023. 

Bernal won the Giro d’Italia in 2021, but then suffered a life- and career-threatening crash in early 2022 while training Colombia. No one was sure if he’d ever race again, let alone be a contender. 

Well, after spending much of 2023 just getting back to being a rider again–which saw him earn a spot on INEOS’ Tour de France team–he’s now showing signs that he might once again be a grand tour challenger. 

He started his season in Colombia, where he finished sixth and third in his national time trial and road race championships. Then he finished fifth overall at the Tour of Colombia, and third overall at the Gran Camiño. 

Next came Paris-Nice, where he made one move that really caught our eye: the Colombian attacked late in Stage 1–in terrible weather conditions–gaining a handful of bonus seconds in the process. By the end of the race, those seconds were meaningless: he finished the race seventh overall. But what the result doesn’t show is the fact that Bernal looks like a racer again, someone with tenacity and grit needed to once again–maybe–win a grand tour. 

At the rate he’s going, we could be talking about Bernal as a podium contender by the time the Tour de France arrives. For a rider a little more than two years removed from the crash that nearly ruined his life, that’s an incredible–and exciting–prospect.

Under Consideration

For now, we’re capping our ranking at just five riders, as there aren’t many more with a reasonable chance of actually winning the Tour or contending for a spot on the final podium in Paris. But that could change over the coming weeks, and there are a few riders who might crack the top-5.

We mentioned Mattias Skjelmose (LIDL-Trek) a few times earlier in the ranking. The Dane won a stage at Paris-Nice and finished fourth overall. His next race is also the Tour of the Basque Country, and a good showing there should get him into the top-5. The biggest knock against the 23-year-old right now is the fact that he’s only raced two grand tours and never finished inside the top-10. Expect that to change this year.

Spain’s Carlos Rodriguez (INEOS Grenadiers) was INEOS’ best-placed at last year’s Tour. The 23-year-old finished fifth in last year’s and has enjoyed a quiet start to the season; so far he’s finished the Gran Camiño and Paris-Nice.

We’re also keeping our eyes on American Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike), Spain’s Enric Mas (Movistar), and Ecuador’s Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost).

Since getting hooked on pro cycling while watching Lance Armstrong win the 1993 U.S. Pro Championship in Philadelphia, longtime Bicycling contributor Whit Yost has raced on Belgian cobbles, helped build a European pro team, and piloted that team from Malaysia to Mont Ventoux as an assistant director sportif. These days, he lives with his wife and son in Pennsylvania, spending his days serving as an assistant middle school principal and his nights playing Dungeons & Dragons.

preview for HDM All Sections Playlist - Bicycling

.css-1t6om3g:before{width:1.75rem;height:1.75rem;margin:0 0.625rem -0.125rem 0;content:'';display:inline-block;-webkit-background-size:1.25rem;background-size:1.25rem;background-color:#F8D811;color:#000;background-repeat:no-repeat;-webkit-background-position:center;background-position:center;}.loaded .css-1t6om3g:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/bicycling/static/images/chevron-design-element.c42d609.svg);} News

tissot uci track nations cup hong kong

Strava Gives Cyclists More Data to Obsess Over

cycling track olympics day 14

Laura Kenny Announces Retirement

philadelphia international cycling classic

Reviving the Philly Cycling Classic

mvdp ten year deal with canyon

Van der Poel Signs Ten-Year Deal with Canyon

soudal quick step 2024 team presentation

UCI Sanctions Lefevere Over Derogatory to Women

106th giro d'italia 2023 stage 16

Rohan Dennis Headed to Court Next Week

prudential ridelondon classique 2018

130 Riders Abandon Spanish Amateur Race

a group of people on bicycles

Zwift Academy Champs Secure Pro Contracts for 2024

female students with backpacks renting a bike in taipei

Should E-Bike Riders Need a Driver's License?

waymo cuts 8 of workforce as tech layoffs continue

Driverless Robots Aren't Ready for Our Roads

france oly award politics cycling

100-Year-Old Cyclist to Carry the Olympic Torch

durango tour de france rider

Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard wins the weeklong Tirreno-Adriatico race

S AN BENEDETTO DEL TRONTO, Italy (AP) — Two-time defending Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard secured overall victory in the weeklong Tirreno-Adriatico race on Sunday after winning the two big climbing stages.

Showing strong early season form, the Danish rider with the Visma team has now won both races he’s entered in 2024, after also taking the overall title and winning three of the four stages in the Gran Camino in Spain last month.

After winning the sea-to-sea race, Vingegaard raised the giant trophy shaped like Neptune’s three-pronged trident.

“Neptune’s trident is one of the best and most iconic trophies in cycling,” Vingegaard said. “It’s perfect for an ex-fisherman like me.”

It was a strong response to Tadej Pogacar’s dominating win in the Strade Bianche last weekend. Pogacar finished second behind Vingegaard at the Tour the last two years after winning cycling’s biggest race in 2020 and 2021. The pair likely won’t race against each other again until this year’s Tour starts in Florence, Italy, on June 29.

While Pogacar has added the Giro d'Italia to his program for this season, Vingegaard is still centering his season around the Tour.

“I like racing in Italy,” Vingegaard said. “I don’t rule out trying to win the Giro in the future.”

Vingegaard finished 1 minute, 24 seconds ahead of Spanish rider Juan Ayuso and 1:52 ahead of Jai Hindley, the 2022 Giro champion from Australia.

Vingegaard won the fifth and sixth stages.

With American rider Matteo Jorgenson winning the Paris-Nice stage race on Sunday, Visma became the first team to win Paris-Nice and the Tirreno-Adriatico in the same year.

Italian rider Jonathan Milan with Lidl-Trek won the seventh and final Tirreno stage in a sprint finish for his second victory of the race after also taking the fourth leg. Alexander Kristoff and Davide Cimolai finished second and third, respectively.

Richard Carapaz, the Ecuadorean who won the 2019 Giro and gold at the Tokyo Olympics, abandoned the race after a fall.

The next major race is the Milan-San Remo next Saturday, although Vingegaard does not plan to enter the single-day classic.

AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports

Jonas Hansen Vingegaard - Team Visma - Lease A Bike, the winner of the race, celebrates on the podium with the Trident Trophy after the 59th Tirreno - Adriatico 2024, Stage from San Benedetto del Tronto to San Benedetto del Tronto, Sunday, March 10, 2024 in San Benedetto del Tronto, Tuscany, Italy. (FGianmattia D'Alberto/LaPresse via AP)

  • Local/Region
  • Nation & World
  • Pine River Times
  • And the West is History
  • Business & Real Estate
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Opinion Columns
  • 4CornersJobs
  • Four Corners Flavor
  • Local Representatives
  • Real Estate
  • Classifieds
  • Public Notices
  • How We Cover Elections

durango tour de france rider

Lidl-Trek cycling era begins

durango tour de france rider

Trek’s WorldTour cycling team has a new title sponsor, Lidl. After joining forces with the Lidl supermarket chain, the team has transformed from Trek-Segafredo to Lidl-Trek.

The 2023 USA road race champion, Quinn Simmons of Durango, is part of the new Lidl-Trek era. it. A lot is changing at the surface level of the program. There’s a new name, new kit, and a whole new set of ambitions thanks to even greater resources now available to the team.

The team formally introduced itself Wednesday at a Lidl store in Bilbao, Spain, where the 2023 Tour de France will begin on Saturday. With the biggest race in road cycling as a backdrop, Lidl-Trek signaled its intentions: To win at the highest levels the sport can offer.

And yet, deep down, the team said not much is changing at all. At the top, Lidl-Trek will still be led by general manager Luca Guercilena. And the team will operate under the same philosophies and values. At its core, Lidl-Trek says it is a team that puts rider development and a family atmosphere first.

“Over the years, we’ve invested a lot in young riders who are developing at a high level,” Guercilena said. “Loyalty to the team has been fundamental to reaching our potential. That will never change.”

With Lidl as a partner, Lidl-Trek will be able to realize its vision at a scale that the program never could have imagined before. The goal is to be the most successful team in the peloton, no matter where and when they line up.

The team has always prioritized rider development and 2019 World Champion Mads Pedersen, recent Tour de Suisse winner Matthias Skjelmose, and inaugural Tour de France Femmes best young rider Shirin van Anrooij are examples of its successes. As Lidl-Trek, the road program will double down on its commitment to young riders by creating a development team for the men’s team, and adding Under-23 racers to the women’s team.

“Our foundation will always be investing in riders that fit our mentality while always keeping an eye on young generation,” Guercilena said. “This is why we’re creating a development men’s team and investing even more into young women’s riders.”

The men’s development team will be based in Deinze, Belgium, where the Trek Factory Racing service course is located, and consist of 14 riders competing at the UCI Continental level. Accommodations will be made for the young riders, including an option to stay at an apartment in Girona, Spain. The Lidl-Trek women’s team will add five young riders to its roster. All of the young riders will take on a carefully-curated schedule of races to help them gradually acclimate to WorldTour racing.

durango tour de france rider

The team said it’s road program has always taken a judicious approach to veteran signings. Free agent riders not only need to fulfill an open role on the squad, but they need to fit culturally, too. Guercilena prizes loyalty, the team said, and developing riders in a family atmosphere is another good way to make those riders stick around.

But Guercilena isn’t blind to the realities of the sport, and the increased financial support with Lidl as a partner will help the team keep its roster intact. It will also allow it to strategically pursue free agent cyclists and increase its firepower wherever and whenever necessary.

“We’re very thankful for the financial support of a great company like Lidl in addition to Trek,” Guercilena said. “Not only can it help us keep our riders, but we will be able to increase the level of the whole team and pursue our biggest goals.”

Lidl-Trek is also aiming to embody the bicycle company’s ethos, “ride bikes, have fun, feel good,” right down to its new kits and bike schemes.

The Trek road racing program has always had a unique vision of what it wanted to accomplish, and how. The Lidl-Trek era will take that experiment to a whole new level.

“We are building up an ambitious team with the goal to achieve the highest ranking in the world,” Guercilena said. “No excuses. This will be a big task, and we are all ready for it at Lidl-Trek.”

Lidl-Trek is heading to the Tour de France with an experienced team and coming off a highly successful weekend at the various national championships: the team’s eight Tour riders have a combined 23 participations in the biggest bike race in the world, with road captain Tony Gallopin alone accounting for 10.

The team also have two riders who have never raced the Tour, Juanpe Lopez and Mattias Skjelmose. And two riders who had their debut only last year: Simmons and Alex Kirsch.

Skjelmose, who just like Kirsch and Simmons won a national road race this past weekend, will be Lidl-Trek’s general classification leader. The young Dane won the Tour de Suisse and will try his hand at the GC in the Tour. The team is fully committed to supporting Skjelmose over three weeks and protecting his overall ambitions. Riders like Jasper Stuyven and Kirsch can do amazing work on the flatter stages, while Juanpe Lopez and Simmons can do the same on the climbing days. Tony Gallopin’s experience will also be key to its success.

Lidl-Trek will also go stage hunting, notably with Pedersen and Giulio Ciccone. Jasper Stuyven and Simmons will also have their chances to go for glory on certain stages.

With Skjelmose, Pedersen, Ciccone, Stuyven, Lopez, Kirsch, Gallopin and Simmons, the team said it is arguably fielding its strongest TDF squad in many years, calling it, “a perfect beginning for the new Lidl-Trek chapter.”

The team will premier their new Lidl-Trek kits in front of the cycling-mad fans in the Basque country, as the Grande Boucle departs from beautiful Bilbao in northern Spain Saturday to start the Tour. The route is very balanced but also relentless: expect there to be never more than two days in a row where the GC riders aren’t going head to head. The fireworks will start as early as stage 1, with 3,300 meters (10,000 feet) of climbing on the menu and the first yellow jersey on the line.

The first major mountains arrive early, on Stage 6 (Col du Tourmalet) and Stage 9 (Puy de Dome). The second week has a combination of hilly stages and mountain stages and will start to shape the GC battle.

In contrast to all the climbing the riders will have to tackle, there’s only 22 kilometers of time trial in the 2023 Tour de France, at the start of the final week. From there, there will be a sprint stage and two final mountain days before the traditional procession in Paris.

durango tour de france rider

Ballantine Communications, Inc.

Choose from several print and digital subscription packages

Newsletter Signup

Sign up for our daily email newsletter or to receive breaking news delivered to your inbox:

© 2024 Durango Herald | Ballantine Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Account info

Screen name:

IMAGES

  1. ‘A legend in the making’: Durango’s Sepp Kuss wins stage of Tour de

    durango tour de france rider

  2. ‘A legend in the making’: Durango’s Sepp Kuss wins stage of Tour de

    durango tour de france rider

  3. Durango's Sepp Kuss reflects on impressive Tour de France run

    durango tour de france rider

  4. Cavenidsh claims special 31st Tour de France stage win

    durango tour de france rider

  5. Bizkaia-Durango, ante el reto de La Course by Le Tour de France

    durango tour de france rider

  6. ‘A legend in the making’: Durango’s Sepp Kuss wins stage of Tour de

    durango tour de france rider

COMMENTS

  1. Sepp Kuss

    Sepp Kuss (born September 13, 1994) is an American professional cyclist from Durango, Colorado who rides for UCI WorldTeam Visma-Lease a Bike. [8] A talented climber, Kuss won the 2023 Vuelta a España, the first American to do so since Chris Horner in 2013. He has also won individual stages at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España .

  2. 'A legend in the making': Durango's Sepp Kuss wins stage of Tour de France

    Sepp Kuss of Durango celebrates as he crosses the finish line to win the 15th stage of the Tour de France cycling race Sunday after riding 118.9 miles with start in Ceret, France, and finish in ...

  3. Durango, Colorado Rallies Behind Hometown Hero Sepp Kuss

    Kuss entered the race as a domestique, a worker-bee for Vingegaard, the reigning Tour de France winner, and Primoz Roglič, winner of the 2023 Giro d'Italia. But he took over the race lead on ...

  4. In Durango, Colorado, a community celebrates Sepp Kuss' Tour de France

    At the Kuss family home in Durango, Colorado, Dolph and Sabina Kuss screamed into the television this past Sunday, watching their son, Sepp, navigate the twists and turns on his bicycle as he descended the Col de Beixalis during stage 15 of the Tour de France, thousands of miles away in Andorra. Behind Kuss, Alejandro Valverde gave chase, hoping to challenge the American for the stage win.

  5. Sepp Kuss Pro Cyclist

    Career highlights include the Vuelta a España ('23) and the Tour of Utah ('18) as well as stage wins at the Tour de France ('21), the Vuelta a España ('19, '23) and the Criterium du Dauphine ('20). ... Rider type / Climber. Pro wins / 9. Grands Tours / 12. ... Pride for Sepp Kuss at Tour de France swells in Durango streets. by John Livingston ...

  6. Sepp Kuss wins Vuelta, first American in decade to win Grand Tour race

    Kuss, 29, of Durango, Colorado, is the first American to win one of cycling's top races since Chris Horner earned the Vuelta victory in 2013. Sepp Kuss, center, celebrates in Madrid with Jumbo ...

  7. Sepp Kuss

    At Rally, he had many impressive results that caught the eye of Jumbo-Visma where he signed his first World Tour contract while he was still in college. Since signing with the team in 2018, he has sky rocketed and become one of the best American talents in the World Tour. Sepp's career highlights include stage wins in the Tour de France ('21 ...

  8. Durango cyclist, Sepp Kuss wins Tour de France's grueling 15th stage

    ANDORRA LA VELLA, Andorra (AP) — Sepp Kuss couldn't suppress a wide grin as he raced toward the finish line to become the first American in 10 years to win a stage at the Tour de France. Just…

  9. Who is Sepp Kuss? Jumbo-Visma climbing phenom profiled

    To win the Tour de France, it takes skill, endurance, climbing prowess, and perhaps most importantly the right team around you.. American cyclist Sepp Kuss knows that full well as a domestique - support rider - for Dutch team Jumbo-Visma and its leaders Primoz Roglic and Tom Dumoulin.. The Coloradan, who first caught the eye at the lower levels of professional road cycling, has a promising ...

  10. Kuss, Jumbo Visma ready for the Tour de France

    The Tour de France will then conclude with Stage 21, a 116K flat that will finish in Paris on July 24. ... "It's unique to have two riders from a small town like Durango, but that's just how ...

  11. Durango's Sepp Kuss primed for second career Tour de France

    Durango's Sepp Kuss, left, is riding in support of general classification hopeful Primoz Roglic, right, during the 2021 Tour de France. Kuss has been able to lend a wheel to Roglic during the ...

  12. Who are the North American riders in the 2022 Tour de France?

    Simmons, 21, is seven months Vermaerke's junior and is the youngest rider of the 2022 Tour de France. The rider from Durango turned professional after winning the Junior World Championships in ...

  13. Durango's National, World Champions & Olympians

    From watching Durango local Sepp Kuss win Stage 15 of the Tour de France (and then watching the NBC feature of his parents Dolph and Sabina the following day!) to seeing DEVO riders show up in endless ways to toe the start line and give it their best, our legacy and culture of Durango champions runs deep and leaves us proud in so many ways.

  14. Quinn Simmons

    Durango, Colorado: Height: 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) Team information; Current team: Lidl-Trek: Discipline: Road: ... He was named to the start list of the 2022 Tour de France. ... 1st Overall Tour de Wallonie 1st Young rider classification 1st Stage 3 10th Classic Sud-Ardèche 2022

  15. 'A legend in the making': Durango's Sepp Kuss wins stage of Tour de France

    Hailed as "The Durango Kid," Sepp Kuss accomplished the greatest feat by an athlete in the storied history of the Colorado mountain town Sunday. Kuss, 26, can now call himself a stage winner of the Tour de France. He is only the 11th rider from the United States to win a stage of the event in its 108-year history, and he is the first ...

  16. A water carrier just won the hardest cycling race on the planet

    Kuss is a 29-year-old professional cyclist from Durango, Colorado. On Sunday, he won one of the three major "grand tours" in road cycling. The others are the more famous Tour de France and the ...

  17. U.S. Cyclists in the 2023 Tour de France

    Colorado's very own "Durango Kid" Sepp Kuss will return to the Tour with Jumbo-Visma (Nederlands) to support teammate and defending Tour champion Jonas Vingegaard. This will be the 28-year-old's fourth appearance at the Tour. His efforts were instrumental in two Jumbo-Visma Grand Tour Wins in the last year: Tour 2022 and the Giro D ...

  18. Who are the North Americans racing in the Tour de France?

    Kuss, Woods, Simmons and Powless amongst five US and three Canadian riders in the peloton. The Tour de France has long been the domain of European riders, and the peloton of 176 is still largely ...

  19. Tour de France: The new wave of American cycling

    American rider Quinn Simmons (Trek-Segafredo) on July 12, 2022 during the 10th stage of the Tour de France, between Morzine and Megève (Haute-Savoie).

  20. An unexpected climb to Tour de France debut for Sepp Kuss

    Durango's Sepp Kuss, far right, will look to climb through every mountain range of France across 21 days of the 2020 Tour de France in his supporting role on Team Jumbo-Visma.

  21. Tour de France Power Rankings

    Next Race: Volta a Catalunya, March 18-24. The previous four riders are the men mentioned most as the main GC contenders for the 2024 Tour de France, but we've got our eyes on one more-one who ...

  22. Simmons set to debut in Tour de France

    Simmons will make his debut in the Tour on Friday, and will be the youngest competitor in this year's field. (Quinn Simmons/Instagram) Durangoan Quinn Simmons will make his Tour de France debut ...

  23. Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard wins the weeklong ...

    SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRONTO, Italy (AP) — Two-time defending Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard secured overall victory in the weeklong Tirreno-Adriatico race on Sunday after winning the two ...

  24. Fan-caused crash creates chaos on opening stage of Tour de France

    Belgium's Wout Van Aert and Durango's Sepp Kuss ride with the pack during the first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 197.8 kilometers (122.9 miles) with start in Brest and finish in ...

  25. Lidl-Trek cycling era begins

    Lidl-Trek is heading to the Tour de France with an experienced team and coming off a highly successful weekend at the various national championships: the team's eight Tour riders have a combined ...