Sports director Addy Engels missed his climber Floris de Tier who was forced to abandon the race after the opening time trial due to illness. “Today was not really a stage where we could compete for a good result. Normally, it would have been a stage for Floris De Tier. The fact that he had to abandon was a pity. The boys have come through the day very well and are already thinking about tomorrow’s stage. Then we’ll be fully committed to the sprint with Dylan. The feeling within the group is very good, the self-confidence is high and the team is very strong. Tomorrow, we are going all out.”