Speechless about today. My first Time Trial pro win. Achieved on that race course. To be honest... I thought I wouldn't have a chance on this difficult race course. A climb with a gradient up to 23% and the last kilometer 16% in average is to hard... That's what I thought. So even happier about today.
Today the 99th Volta a Catalunya ended with its traditional last stage in Barcelona. To sum up this race, I would say it went pretty well. A stage win, a second, third and also a fourth place all achieved in a different way on each stage. That makes me confident for the coming races! Now it is time to take it easy and recover from this week.
This week I am underway in Spain in the Volta a Catalunya. On the opening stage I could bring in a good second place. When it was obvious that Thomas de Gendt would win and the field lost its momentum, I went for my luck in a solo break and in the end could save a small advantage over the on-charging field.
Last Sunday I could celebrate my first season win and at the same time my first win in the BORA-hansgrohe jersey. I was really very happy with my win on Sunday. Especially while I wasn't very lucky the day before in Strade Bianche. After the difficult Monte Sante Marie sector, I was in the 15-man group of favourites and then out of the group with a puncture.
Now that the Gree-Tour of Guangxi is over, it is time for me to say goodbye to my current Team Quick-Step Floors. I had a good race in China and am proud so be part of the team which ended the season with two stage wins there. China was a really very exciting and adventurous trip with many new impressions and rain ;-)