Team Management Masterclass: Lessons from the 2023 La Vuelta a Espa?a

The 2023 Vuelta a Espa?a was one of the most compelling sporting events in recent history, and a brilliant illustration of team management.? Team Jumbo-Visma had a chance to sweep the Vuelta podium – something no team had accomplished since 1966 – and sweep the 2023 Grand Tour circuit – something that had never been done.? To make that happen, TJV General Manager Richard Plugge had to wrangle the wills of three men – each with a real chance to win the overall race – and convince them to work together to ensure the team’s place in history rather than risk it all in pursuit of individual glory.? Managing teams comprised of strong personalities is a challenge all leaders face.? This year’s Vuelta provided a reminder of some key concepts today’s leaders can apply when faced with a herd of lions.

The Setup

The Vuelta is one of three Grand Tours, along with the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France, marking the high points of each international cycling season.? They are cycling’s version of golf’s majors.? A Grand Tour win equates to a win at Wimbledon, Roland-Garros, or Flushing Meadows.? Grand tours involve 21 racing days in a 23-day period, covering roughly 3,500km and featuring long “flat” stretches at a grueling pace, harrowing descents, and mountain climbs most people would find difficult to manage on foot let alone on a bike.? They are unremitting tests of extreme athleticism and mental strength.?

The world’s top cycling teams send 8 riders to compete in each Grand Tour typically consisting of a team leader competing for the overall win, sprinters, climbers, and domestiques – riders who support the team leader by pacing the team (allowing the team leader to draft and save energy over the long stages and difficult climbs) or “leading out” the sprinter by providing a slipstream to launch the sprinter towards the finish line.? Domestiques also bring food and water from team cars to their teammates, protect teammates from the wind or other opponents, burn extra energy dropping back to pick up a faltering team leader and bring them back to the front, and will even give up their bike to a team leader in the event of a mechanical failure.? No one wins a Grand Tour without support from talented, dedicated, and selfless domestiques.

Sepp Kuss is widely regarded as the best domestique in the business, a key member of the powerful TJV.?Kuss participated in all 6 of the team’s Grand Tour victories since joining the team in 2018 - the only TJV rider to do so.? In the days before the 2023 Vuelta began, TJV teammate and Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard described Kuss as one of the best climbers in the world and a “super-important domestique”, while fellow teammate and prior Vuelta winner Primo? Rogli? proudly told the world “If you want to win the Vuelta, you take Sepp Kuss.”

Kuss’ 2023 performance had been remarkable to that point.? He had already logged 6,756km of Grand Tour racing helping Rogli? win the Giro and Vingegaard win the Tour.? Pro riders rarely compete in all three Grand Tours in a single season -- it’s an extraordinary physical feat -- so there was some surprise when Kuss was named to TJV’s 2023 Vuelta squad.? TJV entered as the favorite, fielding a formidable team with overall contenders Rogli? and Vingegaard, powerhouse pace setters and climbers Wilco Kelderman, Jan Tratnik, Atilla Valter, Dylan van Baarle, and Robert Gesink, and Kuss – the super-domestique who was expected to shepherd either Rogli? or Vingegaard to victory.? ?

The Moment

But something very unexpected happened in the Vuelta’s early stages.? Kuss quickly showed that he was the strongest TJV rider, winning Stage 3 and laying claim to the red jersey signifying the overall race lead by the end of Stage 8.? With TJV champions Rogli? and Vingegaard lurking in the top 10 overall standings, Kuss powered his way towards Stage 10 – the individual time trial – where Kuss was expcted to lose the red jersey to one of the true overall competitors.? Time trialing is not exactly Kuss’ strength.? But Kuss shocked everyone by turning in a respectable 13th place finish, maintaining a 26 second overall lead, keeping his red jersey, and establishing himself as a legitimate threat to win the whole thing.? And with the mountain stages coming, Kuss’ playground, he was poised to make good on that threat.?

This development placed Plugge and TJV Sporting Director Grischa Niermann in an interesting position.? TJV entered the Vuelta with 2 potential winners in Rogli? and Vingegaaard, and likely planned to let them battle it out until one established a lead, at which point the other would fall into a support role to help ensure a TJV win.? And as Vingegaard had recently won the Tour while Rogli? had not participated, Rogli? was the likely contender.? Rogli? was in top form, having won the Giro in May, and was now well rested.? But Kuss had established himself as a real contender for the win, and TJV now had three potential winners in the 8-man squad.? Potential trouble, and a good problem to have for sure, but potential trouble nonetheless.? Still, there were many stages remaining for the race to sort things out.?

And the race began to sort things in a very unusual way.? Potential rival Remco Evenepoel’s title hopes ended on Stage 13 when he yielded 27 minutes to Kuss.? Other contenders were dropping time as well, with the closest rivals sitting 2, 3, and 4 minutes behind Kuss who was riding well in the mountains.? However, Stage 13 saw Vingegaard charge to victory up the Col du Tourmalet with Kuss and Rogli? finishing second and third.? At the end of the day, TJV had established the top 3 positions in the overall standings with Kuss in the lead, Rogli? trailing by 1:37 and Vingegaard a further 7 seconds behind.?

Stages 14 and 15 saw no changes to the top 7 overall leaders.?? But things took a strange turn on Stage 16 – a short, relatively flat stage with only one categorized climb (still a doozy at 4.9km with 8.5% gradient).? TJV controlled the day’s proceedings and entered the final climb with Kuss, Rogli?, and Vingegaard pacing behind Hungarian Champion Valter who would help launch his teammates into the climb then finish at his own pace – he was not a threat to win the stage or challenge the top three leaders in the overall.? But Vingegaard attacked early in the climb leaving the other leaders to suffer in his wake.? He took time from the non-TJV riders threatening Kuss, strengthening Kuss’ lead over those riders.? But he also took a minute or more from his two teammates.? Vingegaard dedicated the stage win to injured teammate and close friend Nathan Van Hooydonck, who was hurt in a car crash earlier that day, which perhaps explained his attack up the mountain.? But he left several commentators puzzled.? Kuss retained his lead, but Vingegaard was now only 29 seconds behind, with Rogli? trailing by 1:33.? Kuss had comfortable 2:33 lead over 4th place Juan Ayuso – the only rider who should threaten his overall lead.? So TJV and Kuss were still in control.

Then came Stage 17.? With the overall lead secure, and the top three podium places all but assured, all TJV had to do was safely ride out the remaining stages to secure all three Grand Tour titles in 2023 and reach immortality by taking all three podium places at the Vuelta.? Stage 17 was no easy task, mind you, with the last 12.5km marching up the fearsome l'Angliru – a climb that had broken many talented riders in the past.? But TJV again controlled the day.? The dwindling lead group nearing the last climb had been reduced to the three TJV stars along with distant rival Mikel Landa and his teammate Wout Poels.? With 4km remaining, and without a viable threat to TJV or Kuss, Rogli? grabbed the lead and began setting an increased pace heaping punishment on the riders trailing him.? Landa and Poels began to fade.? Then Rogli? attacked.? He launched ahead of his two teammates near the top of l'Angliru.? Kuss held his pace, he had no need to follow Rogli? unless his teammate intended to take the race lead.? Then Vingegaard glanced back at Kuss and followed Rogli?.?

The attacks by Rogli? and Vingegaard left Kuss in a difficult position.? He was alone against Landa who had a teammate in support.? If Kuss followed his teammates he would drag Landa and his teammate along, they could then launch an attack of their own.? If he let Rogli? and Vingegaard go he may lose his overall race lead, unbelievably, to his teammates.? Kuss stayed on his pace to reach the summit then passed Landa in dangerous fashion on the short, twisting descent to the finish line to secure third place and protect his lead.? As he crossed the line, the shocked commentators announced that Kuss retained the overall lead, but that both Rogli? and Vingegaard had taken more time shortening his lead to 1:08 over Rogli? and just 8 seconds over Vingegaard.?

The backlash was immediate and violent.? Commentators and fans across the world condemned Rogli?, Vingegaard, and TJV for their treatment of a teammate who had faithfully served the team and helped deliver multiple Grand Tour wins. ?Niermann provided his team some cover, stating "I think the team solved it perfectly once again…We agreed at the beginning of the week that all three are still going for it.”? But most in the press weren’t having it.? Allowing teammates to attack each other and the race lead with no threat to their stage or overall positions was deemed folly, or worse, betrayal.?

In post-stage interviews, Vingegaard claimed he hoped Kuss would win the Vuelta, a plausible claim considering his form at the time.? He likely could have beaten Rogli? to the line and taken the race lead on Stage 17 had he chosen to do so.? In the heat of battle, Vingegaard’s decision to leave Kuss was likely more about making sure that if Kuss was not going to win the Vuleta, Vingegaard was.? Fair enough, but it didn’t look good on that day.? Rogli? said he too wanted Kuss to win, but also made it clear he would dearly love to claim his 4th Vuelta title.?

The media was not kind to either Vingegaard or Rogli?, with Rogli? catching the worst of it for such an obvious attack on a teammate.? And Plugge was in a very difficult spot.? He had three riders capable of winning the Vuelta.? Victory was assured if they cooperated.? Unnecessary attacks risked fatiguing one or more of his riders dropping them from the podium.?

Niermann’s post-stage comments suggested TJV was balancing the team and the individual rider’s aspirations by letting them decide it on the course.?? The international press wasn’t having that either.? One commentator described Kuss as “clinging on to the last shred of humanity at TJV, having the riders he’s worked for, without complaint and at the very highest level, attacking him on the final climb of l'Angliru - you have to consider what the optics were for the sponsor of the squad – Jumbo-Visma – how the employees are being treated, it’s not the message you generally want to send.? And message pretty clear from Primoz Rogli? and Jonas Vingegaard – no matter how much work you’ve done for me and my career, I don’t care, I want everything for myself.”? Ouch.

TJV was on the brink of history and at the same time being roasted by the international press for a complete lack of sporting spirit.? Plugge was under personal attack for not protecting one of his best and most valuable riders and allowing two domineering personalities to run roughshod over his entire organization.? He was criticized for lack of foresight and planning, or worse, authority to enforce his plans.? He risked angering the two most accomplished and highest paid riders on his team.? TJV was staring both glory and disaster in the face.?

Stage 18 began early the next day.? The American broadcasters were in a somber mood as they recounted Stage 17, trying to keep their emotions in check but with little success.? When Bob Roll and Christian Vande Velde described Rogli?’s Stage 17 victory as “unpopular” they weren’t just referring to the public outcry, they were relaying the feelings from the other Vuelta teams and riders.? Rogli? appeared to have broken the sporting rules and the peloton was angry.? TJV’s dominance had already been established.? That TJV would win the Vuelta was beyond question.? TJV was also about win all three Grand Tours in a single season and sweep the Vuelta podium.? With no legitimate threat to Kuss’ lead from any other team, Rogli?’s attack on his teammate, race leader, and faithful supporter was hard to understand, at best.

Stage 18 would determine how TJV would respond.? ?With 98km remaining, a breakaway group established a 10-minute gap to the peloton, which included all 8 TJV riders.? No other team attempted to chase down the breakaway or close the gap.? That meant the stage win and all available time bonuses that day would go to riders in the breakaway, placing those targets out of reach for Rogli? and Vingegaard unless they attacked again.? My brilliant wife opined that this was the peloton telling Rogli?, and to some extent Vingegaard, that their actions on Stage 17 were not acceptable.? They were forcing TJV to declare itself.? Would they act as a team or risk it all to pursue individual glory?? Only TJV could determine who would win the Vuelta.? For Kuss it would be his first Grand Tour win.? For Vingegaard it would be his second Grand Tour victory in 2023.? For Rogli? it would be his fourth Vuelta title, tying the all-time record.?

Order and sense won out.? TJV rode as a team to the finish line preserving their positions and their place in history.? Plugge declined to say what the team had discussed the prior evening, and we may never know.? But there was obvious agreement that all three riders would put the team first on display throughout Stage 18.?? Perhaps Plugge is a master of compromise and motivation.? Perhaps Rogli? and Vingegaard decided to invest in their future.? Having an essential teammate, and the best domestique in the business, on your side is very useful if you intend to win future Grand Tours.? Perhaps they all saw the “greater good” – team glory now, a chance to be remembered as one of the riders who swept the Vuelta and the 2023 Grand Tour circuit, and the potential of continued individual glory.? Kuss is under contract with TJV for one more season (for now).? Rogli?’s contract runs through 2025.? Vingegaard is under contract to TJV through 2027.? That’s a bright future.?

It was fitting that the final climb on the final racing day (Stage 20) saw the top 6 overall riders together.? Valter was back to launch TJV up the mountain.? But it was Rogli? who sheparded Kuss up those last few punishing kilometers, stamping out all attacks by Ayuso and Landa, and Vingegaard who paced Kuss to the line.? With a kilometer to go, and history assured, TJV let the other riders go, sat up to lock arms, and coasted across the line together.? It was a cool moment, more so considering where things stood just a few days prior.? It was also a great reminder of the power of sport, and the lessons we can take from the drama, agony, and ultimate euphoria of some of the world’s best athletes.?

The final Vuelta stages required strong leadership, clear vision, and a plan capable of capturing maximum honors for the team, maintaining harmony within the team, and setting the team up for future success.? Plugge and his management team had to identify and analyze their options, select and prioritize their goals, and present that plan to the team to ensure buy-in.? This last point is critical in managing high-power teams.? A group leader is expected to have a plan, but if that leader wants buy-in from the team’s strongest members that leader had better get their input when it comes to selecting and prioritizing goals.?

And finally, Plugge and his management team had to see the big picture.? Great leaders always do.? TJV’s immediate goal was to win the Vuelta, then to sweep the Vuelta podium. ?But the decisions that management team made following Stage 17 would impact the 3 men vying for the Vuelta title then and in the long term, the other 5 TJV riders at the Vuelta, the other 21 riders comprising the TJV World Cycling Team, future riders considering whether to join TJV, future sponsors considering whether to invest in TJV…the list goes on.?

The plan worked.? The three TJV riders crossed the finish line arm-in-arm, smiling.?There was no hint of discord or turmoil in the days following the Vuelta, a sure subject of continued scrutiny.? TJV secured its place in history – the 2023 team now comfortably resides in the pantheon of all-time greats.? And TJV can look forward to great things.? It will enter the 2024 season as the strongest team with a deep stable of talented riders at every position and, of course, super-domestique Sepp Kuss.? It’s true that Kuss is now a Grand Tour winner, and TJV’s future team selections must now consider the ambitions of three potential champions.? I don’t think we’ll hear them complain.?