Wilco Kelderman finished 14th in the queen stage of Paris-Nice. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s front man seemed to finish top-10 for a long time, but struggled with a hunger knock in the final two kilometres of the stage. Ilnur Zakarin (Team Katusha) won the day, Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) grabbed the yellow jersey. 

The queen stage of Paris-Nice finished on top of La Madone d’Utelle on Saturday. Team LottoNL-Jumbo’s task was to bring Wilco Kelderman in a good position to the foot of that final climb. “The team lead me out perfectly to the final climb,” Kelderman said after the race. “It was crucial to be in front of the group during the downhill. That went well. We were riding in good position during the whole race.”

“It was a nervous stage, today, but it went well for us,” sports director Frans Maassen added. “The final climb was the decisive moment of the race and Wilco was able to defend his chances, there. It looked like he was going to finish top-10, but he lost quite a lot during the last two kilometres. He impressed when he was part of the chasing group.”

Empty

A hunger knock was the reason for his loss in the final part of the race. “I’m fed up with that,” Kelderman added. “I didn’t see it coming. I felt empty, suddenly. I haven’t been thinking about a quick eat during the final climb. I’m experienced enough to know how much I have to eat, so this is stupid.” Kelderman is now placed 13th in the general classification. “That’s not enough for me. It will be tough to make some difference during the final stage, but when I get the chance, I will try it.”

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