“It was a really fast stage. Not an easy one, but at least it was short! The day was all about staying safe, and there was this moment in which I ran over a loose bottle with my front wheel and almost crashed. I completely shat my pants there. I already saw myself hitting the ground! Luckily, I managed to keep my handlebars upright… so all good in the end. It’s nice to have days like this, but you still have to keep your focus throughout the stage.
The speed? People are starting to believe they can win this kind of stage from the breakaway, and it’s indeed possible. Some very strong riders go on the break, and that’s why we go faster during the stage: because the sprinters’ teams need to catch them! We also had tailwinds today, and that obviously helps a lot.”
