Sepp Kuss Fined $1800 and Penalized a Minute for Littering After Alpe d’Huez Pain

Sepp Kuss (Visma-Lease a Bike) had insult added to injury after his Alpe d’Huez heartbreak on stage 20 of the Tour de France.

Two late crashes while leading the race were the difference between victory and third place. That pain was compounded by a total 1500 CHF ($1830) fine from the race jury, losing 75 UCI points and being docked 60 seconds on the GC.

The fine was handed out for two separate infractions, relating to Article 2.12.007-8.3 of the UCI regulations. It pertains to a “rider or team staff disposing of waste or other objects outside of litter zones, or not returned to team or organisation staff, not collected by team staff, thrown at a spectator”.

It was not stated on the race jury communiqué where these infringements took place during Saturday’s stage between Bourg d’Oisans and Alpe d’Huez.

On this Alpine blockbuster with more than 5,400 meters of climbing, Kuss came so close to ending the five-year drought since an American stage win.

Four-figure fine after nearly falling over the edge

While Kuss looked set for glory, he could have sustained serious injury in his second crash. Coming off his bike into safety netting placed on the road, the American nearly fell over the barrier at the side of the mountain.

“I’m ok, just some scratches so it should be all right,” he told media after the race.

With Carapaz chasing hard 15 seconds behind, the first crash came misjudging a corner in a tunnel and the second came as he sought to extend his advantage again.

“It was just such a hard day and the climb before I had gone all in,” Kuss said about the falls. “You’re just working for every margin you can to get a bit more speed.

“I knew that Carapaz was coming full gas. I was just trying to make the most of everything.”

After the second one down the Col de Sarenne, 5.5 kilometers from the finish, Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost) shot past and Kuss could not close the gap.

“It turned out not to be, but that’s how it goes sometimes,” Kuss told media after the race.

Attacking from the select group of favourites, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) came past Kuss on the final straight to compound him to third place.

Coloradan climbs with the best

The 2023 Vuelta winner joined the day’s breakaway over the HC Col de la Croix de Fer and rode strongly all day. Accompanied by three teammates including fellow American Matteo Jorgenson, Kuss excelled in the high altitude, showing why he is nicknamed the “Eagle of Durango.”

Over the Col du Galibier, the highpoint of this year’s race, he pulled clear with Jai Hindley, Juan Ayuso and stage 18 winner Carapaz. Over the Col du Sarenne, the decisive climb leading to the east side of Alpe d’Huez, he put in two stinging attacks to distance the King of the Mountains jersey wearer.

The determined EF Education-EasyPost rider kept him in sight, little more than 100 meters back, putting the pressure on.

Kuss: Carapaz deserved to win

Having looked good for the victory, Kuss was extremely gracious after his agonizing near miss. Reporters asking questions post-race seemed to feel more sorry for the 31-year-old than the man himself.

“I feel happy, just to be in the front of the race and close to the stage win,” Kuss said. “I still think Carapaz is a deserving winner of the stage: he’s been in the break three days in a row.

“All the guys supported me so much during the stage and believed in me. Of course I would have preferred to have repaid them but I think we can look back and be satisfied with what we showed as a team.”

“Sometimes, you always want the victory but it’s also about the process of trying to get there.”