Sepp Kuss Returns to Racing in 2025 Clásica Jaén
Sepp Kuss is set to make his 2025 debut at the Clásica Jaén, a 169-kilometre race through Eastern Andalucia's olive groves and dusty gravel tracks.
The Visma-Lease a Bike racer is enthusiastic about the race, which features 31 kilometres of Spanish sterrato and over 2,900 metres of vertical gain.
Sepp Kuss said the race "has something for everybody, it's a race where everybody has a chance".
The Clásica Jaén's mix of off-road segments and climbing makes it a wide-open race, where climbers, Classics riders, and early breakaways all have a chance to succeed.
The province of Jaén is famous for its olive trees, and Kuss described the landscape as "really nice, very special".
Kuss will ride alongside Wout van Aert and Tiesj Benoot in the Visma-Lease a Bike lineup, which is one of the strongest teams in the race.
Van Aert will be looking to make a strong start to the season after an untimely puncture caused him to miss out on success in the 2024 edition.
The Clásica Jaén is ideal preparation for Van Aert's big goals in the Belgian Classics, and Kuss is looking forward to competing alongside his teammate again.
Kuss and Van Aert last raced together at the Vuelta a España, where Van Aert was unlucky enough to crash out and injure himself in the third week.
The Clásica Jaén will be the first road race for both Kuss and Van Aert since the Vuelta, and Kuss sees it as a great way to put 2024 behind them and look ahead to the new season.
The race will take place on Monday, and Kuss is raring to go, with the Visma-Lease a Bike team looking to control the race at some points and create chances for their riders.
Kuss finished sixth in the 2024 edition of the Clásica Jaén, and will be looking to improve on that result in 2025.
The Clásica Jaén is a UCI 1.1 event, and the relatively low number of WorldTour teams means it will be a less controlled race than the major WorldTour events.
This could create opportunities for riders like Kuss, Van Aert, and Benoot to make a break and challenge for the win.
The off-road segments will be dry this year, unlike in 2024 when rainy conditions forced a last-minute reduction in the untarmacked sectors.
Kuss is looking forward to the challenge of the Clásica Jaén, and is confident that his team can make a strong start to the 2025 season.
The Visma-Lease a Bike lineup is one of the strongest in the race, and Kuss is excited to be riding alongside Van Aert and Benoot.
The Clásica Jaén will be a key test for Kuss and his teammates, as they look to build momentum ahead of the bigger races in the 2025 season.