Team LottoNL-Jumbo-rider Sep Vanmarcke placed seventh in the 16th stage of the Tour de France into Bern, Switzerland. Peter Sagan (Tinkoff) won the stage sprint ahead of a reduced group, after Etixx-Quick-Step duo Tony Martin and Julian Alaphilippe dominated the day. 

Vanmarcke tried to escape on the cobblestone climb in the last three kilometres.

“The team put me in the front perfectly and when I was in front, I looked around and I saw that there were a few riders on there limit. I went and Navardauskas joined me, and I thought we were free, they came back unfortunately and I had just enough left to stay in the front of the peloton."

Vanmarcke then tried in the sprint.

“Valverde tried and I thought, this is my chance, but then Kristoff came flying by and it was over."

‘My only chance’

"This was the only stage where I could go for a win,” added Vanmarcke. “I wanted to wait until the top, but those cobbles were so beautiful that I started early. I thought that it was a wonderful final, everyone was on his limits and only the best men were left on the front."

"The men helped Vanmarcke well,” said Sports Director Merijn Zeeman. "We knew the final would be difficult and we wanted to bring Vanmarcke in the front so he could place his attack. It is nice to see that he can hold off the peloton after his attempt and that he can join in the sprint.

“We went for it today. We studied the final. It's a shame it didn’t work, but I saw a good team. We were perhaps the most active team in the peloton. When Alaphilippe and Martin managed to get away, Paul Martens still come up to eight seconds, then Bert-Jan Lindeman was trying to make it across and Timo Roosen was chasing the leading group.”

Roosen was joined by three other riders but could not get in the front.

“It was their right to drive ahead as a couple, but I think that it would have been better with six men and then Etixx would have had two men in front to ride for victory."

Timo Roosen

"I hate it, normally they'll wait if they want to have a chance,” Roosen said. “But they had so much desire to drive on as a couple. If you're with six, you can certainly go faster. We could have played a nice role in the final.

“Now it is time to celebrate because it’s a rest day tomorrow, that means, stay in bed and chill out.”