Vuelta champ Sepp Kuss ruled out of Tour de France because of COVID-19

By The Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — Spanish Vuelta champion Sepp Kuss has not sufficiently recovered from a COVID-19 infection and won’t take part in the Tour de France. The American was set to compete in a support role for Team Visma-Lease a Bike leader Jonas Vingegaard but fell ill during the Criterium Du Dauphine warmup race and is not fit enough. He has been replaced in the eight-man squad by Bart Lemmen. The absence of Kuss is a big setback for Vingegaard. The American, who won a Tour stage in 2021, is excellent in the mountains and would have been a key helper for the two-time reigning champion.