One day before the finale in Paris, the riders faced a brutal stage in the French Alps. The queen stage of this year’s Tour de France featured no fewer than 5,450 meters of climbing. Kuss, who had already impressed with fourth place yesterday, once again showed his class on terrain that suits him best. From the start in Le Bourg-d’Oisans, Team Visma | Lease a Bike did everything possible to ensure strong representation in the breakaway, and succeeded.
Alongside Kuss, Davide Piganzoli, Matteo Jorgenson, and Bruno Armirail all made it into the front group. With the peloton more than five minutes behind, Kuss was left in a select group of five riders after the Col du Télégraphe and Col du Galibier, thanks in part to the strong work of his teammates. On the day’s final climb, the Col du Sarenne, the 31-year-old launched a solo attack in pursuit of the stage win. A few kilometers from the finish, however, disaster struck. Kuss crashed twice, saw Carapaz come alongside him, and eventually crossed the line in third place.