Focus turns to the Tour's coming days

Team LottoNL-Jumbo failed to make the mark in the Tour de France’s stage 18 today, a mountain time trial to the Megève ski village, but turns its focus to the next three stages.

 

Chris Froome (Team Sky) won the time trial and extended his overall lead.

 

"It was a nice time trial, with many fans along the road, but still I decided not to go full-gas,” Wilco Kelderman said.

 

Tomorrow and the day after are more important, I’ll have more to gain so it’s better to focus on those days. “Again, we’ll go for the breakaway. It wasn’t easy to get in there yesterday, we did everything, but tomorrow, we’ll try again. "

 

Sports Director Merijn Zeeman said all his riders rode on reserve today. "In view of the coming days, the riders did not have to go full-gas,” he added. “The coming days will be important for us to get in the break, but also to make sure Dylan Groenewegen arrives in Paris."

 

Wynants 

"Today was a difficult time trial, with steep sections and then in between, false flats,” said Wynants. "If you are not a climber, you can’t ride softly uphill. I had to go with some force because you never know how the real favourites are going and whether you should be afraid of missing the time limit.

 

“The goal is to get Groenewegen to the final stage to Paris so that I can lead him out well for a stage victory. Groenewegen has already come further than many thought. Now, we’ll do everything possible to sprint in Paris."

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