# Sepp Kuss professional cycling season

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/sepp-kuss-professional-cycling-season
> Updated: 2026-08-22T14:00:00.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2.

American cyclist Sepp Kuss of the Visma–Lease a Bike team experienced a significant incident during the 20th stage of the Tour de France on the Alpe d'Huez climb. Kuss lost balance on a tight turn and struck a protective railing, falling onto a safety net that prevented a fall down a cliff. Kuss described the event as a “moment between life and death” but was able to rejoin the race.

Following the Tour de France, Kuss and Visma–Lease a Bike shifted their focus to the Vuelta a España. With teammate Jonas Vingegaard absent, the team prioritized individual stage wins over the general classification. Kuss, the 2023 Vuelta winner, indicated he was weighing whether to focus on climbing for the overall title or targeting specific stages to alleviate competitive pressure.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-22: Sepp Kuss targets stage wins at Vuelta a España

Sepp Kuss and Visma-Lease a Bike are targeting stage wins at the 2026 Vuelta a España, following Matthew Brennan's recent victory and with Tadej Pogačar favored for the general classification.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sepp-kuss-targets-stage-wins-at-vuelta-a-espaa

### 2026-07-26: Sepp Kuss narrowly escapes fatal crash on Tour de France Alpe d'Huez stage

Sepp Kuss of Visma‑Lease a Bike almost fell off the Alpe d'Huez descent in Tour de France stage 20, rescued by a safety net, then finished behind stage winner Richard Carapaz.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sepp-kuss-narrowly-escapes-fatal-crash-on-tour-de-france-alpe-dhuez-stage

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Cite as: Sepp Kuss professional cycling season. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/sepp-kuss-professional-cycling-season