'I just kept positive' - Kuss limits losses on Aitana a day after high speed crash

Sepp Kuss (Visma | Lease a Bike) said he came through stage 9 of the Vuelta a España in better shape than he expected, a day after crashing on the run-in to Xeraco.

The American finished the Alto de Aitana 1:44 behind stage winner Enric Mas (Movistar), after being distanced with around seven kilometres of the climb remaining.

The day before, Kuss had been involved in the high speed crash on the run in to Xeraco that forced Tadej Pogačar out of the race with a concussion, a displaced left clavicle fracture and a stable C7 fracture.

"I felt pretty decent actually, for how high speed the crash was," Kuss said in his post race interview to Eurosport. "I knew it would be either way. Not ideal, but I just kept positive and I can be happy that I felt pretty okay."

Movistar set the pace on the 21.9-kilometre climb to Aitana in defence of the red jersey Mas inherited on Saturday, before the Spaniard attacked twice inside the final 3.2 kilometres and won the stage from Oscar Onley. Kuss was complimentary about how the team handled it.

"They rode a super fast climb," he said. "For the most part it's not too steep of a climb until the last part here. But just super high speed, and they have a really good team. So it's good for them that they can use it."

Visma came to Spain with a focus on stage ambitions for Wout van Aert and Matthew Brennan, while Kuss, the 2023 winner, was given a free role rather than being designated as the team’s overall leader, but still found himself near the top of the general classification after the opening week. 

Pogačar's withdrawal has nevertheless changed the picture, suddenly giving Kuss greater hope of competing for a second Vuelta victory.

The race continues on Tuesday after the first rest day, with stage 10 covering 184.7 kilometres from Alcaraz to Elche de la Sierra over three category three climbs.