An American named Sepp Kuss won the Vuelta a Espana, the first since Chris Horner won in 2013. That's not even the biggest story though that is pretty darn big. His team, Team Jumbo-Visma, have achieved something no pro road cycling team has ever done in the history of the sport. They won all three Grand Tour races in one season which runs from January thru October. They did it with three different riders; Primoz Roglic won the Giro d'Italia in May, Jonas Vingegaard won the Tour de France in July, and Sepp Kuss just won the Vuelta. 

But wait! There's more! 

The three winners of the three 2023 tours stood on the final podium of the Vuelta. Kuss as the winner overall, Vingegaard in second with Roglic in third. No team has ever done this in the whole of cycling history. It's something likely to never happen again. It has been an exciting season of road racing, especially if you're a Jumbo-Visma fan of which I am. 

I could go on about why Kuss was never even a contender for the overall win and the controversy that hit big time during stage 17 but no one else here has any real interest in pro road cycling so I'll geek out somewhere else. I just wanted to mention it here because it really is such a historic time in cycling, and for an American rider especially. 

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From the article:

Kuss' victory will go down as one of the great tales of the most loyal and subservient of athletes having their day in the spotlight. There were moments of tension and controversy, not least when Roglič and Vingegaard repeatedly rode away from him in the final week, but he appeared to rise to the occasion, tap into a little of that cold blood he said he didn't possess, and assume his status as a worthy Grand Tour champion.

His victory took root in his stage 6 breakaway victory, and he took red two days later and never relinquished it. Vingegaard rode to victory on the Col du Tourmalet in the second week, with Kuss second and Roglič third, and the final week confirmed that the race for the red jersey was between three riders from the same team.

Vingegaard took another chunk on the opening mountain stage of the final week, and when Roglič drove the pair away on the Angliru, Kuss had to scramble to save his jersey as outrage spread over his teammates' actions.

The following day, there was more of a united front, as the two more decorated stars eventually fell in line and supported the rider that has helped them to six Grand Tours between them. The question now is whether they all belong on the same level, but that's a matter for another day.

"I'll still be me," Kuss said. "It's life-changing for sure, and I think I'll look back on this experience with a lot of fond memories. It's still sinking in. I think that's going to take quite some time.

"My friends and family are here, and that's going to be really special. Also I'll be with the riders and staff and tell the stories of the past three weeks - just so many memories and good times."


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Their team kit for the historical season are pretty sweet. Hopefully I did the picture thing correctly.

The Dutch team had been granted permission to swap their standard-issue yellow and black kit for a commemorative black design that featured stripes of pink, yellow, and red - to mark their clean sweep of all three Grand Tours this season.

Primož Roglič, winner of that pink jersey at the Giro in May, and Jonas Vingegaard, winner of yellow at the Tour de France in July, posed for photographs with Kuss earlier in the stage, before the whole squad filled the road to cross the line together in Madrid.

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