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Gap / Bergen (TV 2): The Spanish veteran Ruben Plaza won Monday’s hilly Tour de France stage, after he went solo from the current violations.
Peter Sagan finished second – his fifth (!) 2nd place in this year’s Tour – while Jarlinson Pantano finished third.
– Was incredibly hard
Edvald Boasson Hagen was also involved in the breach, but ran out of energy and had problems with my stomach up the final ascent and was hooked by .
– It was incredibly hard. It was tough for me, but I got an incredible hold in my stomach, and I am going to blame it. I did not have the legs to follow the best. I was at the quarry and everything was correct in that respect. But I had not had enough forces to follow today anyway, said Boasson Hagen to TV2.
– I have not experienced it like that before. I’ve had it when I jogged, but not when I rode. But I’ve been drinking a lot of water and sports drink, so that’s why, he said.
A disappointed Boasson Hagen still look forward.
– There are new stages, so when there are new opportunities. But we’ll see, there are some hard stages to come now, he said.
– A bystander pulled me up again, says Geraint Thomas.
It looked very rosy out for Boasson Hagen and his MTN-QHUBEKA along on stage.
Three Qhubeka-mates in breach
Boasson Hagen worked long hard – together a large group of riders – to get loose in violation, but eventually managed 23 men to tear themselves away from the field.
The quarry set Boasson Hagen with teammates Serge Pauwels and Daniel Teklehaimanot – the only team with more than two man.
Mads Kaggestad was reassured by what he saw of the Norwegian at the 15th stage .
Nevertheless ended made empty-handed after the finish.
– We were good with three men. Fortunately we had Serge where very good on hills. But he was unlucky just as we entered the bottom of the hill. Then he had to work hard to come up. I do not know where he ended up, but it was too hard then said Boasson Hagen.
Kristoff: – Being a heavy week
Alexander Kristoff had on its side a quieter day and crossed the finish line over an hour behind stage winner Plaza.
– There was a large failure and we had with Marco ( Haller). It went as expected and it was a little too tough for him at the end. I think he did a good job and I heard he fought. For my own part, it went okay, says Kristoff to TV2.
– I felt pretty decent today. In that sense it was a little encouraging, but it is a heavy week ahead, he admits.
Kristoff was not surprised when he heard that Boasson Hagen was felled by stomach problems towards the end of the stage.
– He has struggled a bit with it before when he has gone in the basement. So that’s stupid on a day where he is in breach. But just could well also maybe a little hard for him, says Kristoff.
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