Primoz Roglic suffers 'big loss' as Sepp Kuss abandons La Vuelta, Remco Evenepoel loses Pieter Serry

Primoz Roglic’s hopes of a fourth straight Vuelta crown have suffered a blow after key Jumbo-Visma ally Sepp Kuss withdrew ahead of Stage 9. Kuss was tasked with guiding Roglic through the mountains and applying pressure on Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) in the red jersey. However, his challenge has come to a premature end due to fever.

Ad Asked how Kuss was doing, Jumbo sports director Addy Engels told Eurosport: “Not too well. He had an off day on the bike yesterday that we could not find a reason for, but last night he fell ill and woke up with a fever. Vuelta a EspañaLa Vuelta: How to watch Stage 9 as another summit finish awaits5 HOURS AGO “It’s a big one [setback] of course.

Sepp was a key player in the strategy: keep him close in the GC to able to use him in a tactical way. «Of course one of the key helpers who would normally be able to be with the last guys standing. So that support and that option is gone.” La Vuelta GC standings A star has been born at La Vuelta, but who is Jay Vine? Pressed on who in the Jumbo team could fill Kuss' shoes, Engels was downbeat.

»No one," he admitted. «I think Sepp Kuss is with the best 5-10 climbers in the world and it would be unfair to say to Robert Gesink or someone that they have to take that place. »We have to make the best plan possible now to give the best support to Primoz.

But we also have t obe realistic and without Sepp, Primoz will be a bit more on his own on the final climb." Evenepoel is also a team-mate lighter after Pieter Serry withdrew with illness. “He [Kuss] is the key mountain lieutenant for Primoz Roglic,” said Dan Lloyd on The Breakaway ahead of Sunday’s summit finish. “We’ve all seen what he’s capable of doing and what he has done over the last