La Vuelta 2023: Rest day two ***SPOILERS***

No_Ta_Doctor
No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655
in Pro race
So, this is what Jumbo-Visma trainers say about Kuss and the three GTs - it's quite interesting. Seems to insinuate that maybe Kuss had a more prominent role lined up for the Vuelta than "domestique" - though I may be reading too much into him "choosing" to race it



https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/vuelta-a-espana/how-sepp-kuss-blazed-through-a-giro-tour-vuelta-triple-and-got-faster-along-the-way
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  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    No_Ta_Doctor said:

    So, this is what Jumbo-Visma trainers say about Kuss and the three GTs - it's quite interesting. Seems to insinuate that maybe Kuss had a more prominent role lined up for the Vuelta than "domestique" - though I may be reading too much into him "choosing" to race it



    https://velo.outsideonline.com/road/road-racing/vuelta-a-espana/how-sepp-kuss-blazed-through-a-giro-tour-vuelta-triple-and-got-faster-along-the-way

    So, in a nutshell, they monitored him closely (but not too closely) over the year and have decided that Kuss has a "unique physiology" that allows him to get stronger the more he rides.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,601
    edited September 2023
    Another jumbo rider with a unique physiology?
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • No_Ta_Doctor
    No_Ta_Doctor Posts: 14,655
    FFS... There's no quote from Jumbo about "Unique physiology", that's from the author and appears to be an entirely throwaway comment that isn't argued for at any point.
    The closest anyone comes to it is saying Kuss responds well to a high workload "he responds best to a lot of volume and also quite a lot of intensity", that's not unique.

    What was interesting was e.g. minimising stress by not doing altitude camps pre Tour or Vuelta, but letting him train at home (Andorra, so fairly high anyway), monitoring mental effects and ensuring the rider is happy.
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  • phreak
    phreak Posts: 2,953
    Wasn't it said that he's pretty much only done GTs this season so his workload isn't "that" big?
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    No_Ta_Doctor said:

    FFS... There's no quote from Jumbo about "Unique physiology", that's from the author and appears to be an entirely throwaway comment that isn't argued for at any point.
    The closest anyone comes to it is saying Kuss responds well to a high workload "he responds best to a lot of volume and also quite a lot of intensity", that's not unique.

    Who are the other riders that have won the final GT of the year having ridden the previous two? I don't know of any but am happy to be shown that it's commonplace rather than unique.
    No_Ta_Doctor said:


    What was interesting was e.g. minimising stress by not doing altitude camps pre Tour or Vuelta, but letting him train at home (Andorra, so fairly high anyway), monitoring mental effects and ensuring the rider is happy.

    "Strava shows Kuss recorded 25+ hour training weeks comparable to those that Dylan van Baarle, Wout Van Aert, and Robert Gesink logged during their weeks atop isolated mountain retreats."

    "Even though Kuss raced at least 10 days more so far this season than most of his Jumbo-Visma teammates, he’s gotten better with every passing month."






  • bobmcstuff
    bobmcstuff Posts: 11,435
    I've not really been following the Vuelta too closely but for me seeing Kuss in red doesn't seem especially surprising - he's always climbed as well as most of the GC guys right, if not better.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Doesn’t everyone have a unique physiology?
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Pross said:

    Doesn’t everyone have a unique physiology?


    I'm not convinced the Yateses do
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • DeadCalm
    DeadCalm Posts: 4,249
    DeadCalm said:


    Who are the other riders that have won the final GT of the year having ridden the previous two? I don't know of any but am happy to be shown that it's commonplace rather than unique.

    Thanks to Cillian Kelly, I have the answer to my question. It has never been done before, although Gastone Nencini had a hell of a go in 1957.

    https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/racing/analysis/gcn-stat-attack-cillian-kelly-analyses-the-jumbo-visma-1-2-3-at-the-vuelta-a-espana


  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,183
    We’re well beyond rest day now, but has a GT final podium 123 from one team been done before?
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,553
    Mad_Malx said:

    We’re well beyond rest day now, but has a GT final podium 123 from one team been done before?

    Yes, KAS at the 1966 Vuelta.

    https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/racing/analysis/gcn-stat-attack-cillian-kelly-analyses-the-jumbo-visma-1-2-3-at-the-vuelta-a-espana
  • Mad_Malx
    Mad_Malx Posts: 5,183
    ^very interesting. Plus 6 out of the top 7.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,601
    Mad_Malx said:

    ^very interesting. Plus 6 out of the top 7.

    Was there a 200km team time trial?
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,726
    gsk82 said:

    Mad_Malx said:

    ^very interesting. Plus 6 out of the top 7.

    Was there a 200km team time trial?
    Half the invited teams failed to show up, as the race was in doubt until very late in the day.
    Only 90 riders started.
    Was a topic of conversation during today's stage coverage.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.

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