Xabier Isasa (Euskaltel Euskadi), the single star of the escape that day, said he enjoyed “a good day”, despite the long effort and convinced that he would be caught by the peloton.
“I’m not crazy enough to try the first escape, we know this is the last chance for the sprinters and there are two options, either go the way we did or make it a 100 km battle. It came out like this and it is what it is,” he explained.
The Gipuzkoan cyclist highlighted the general toughness of the entire getaway, especially the first kilometers, where no one joined the adventure.
“The first 10 km was very difficult. I thought another runner would come, like Campenaerts or some rivals like that, but I had to go alone. I got used to it and in the end I was fast and it was a good day.”
“I know the stage is long, It was really hot and the towns were full, and that gave me the strength to go as fast as possible,” he commented.
Isasa fought as hard as he could, even as he consulted the director’s vehicle whether to continue the attempt or give in to his demands.
“I consulted the car to see if it was going to go ahead or stopbut the directors told me to continue alone and I had no other choice. I was 8 minutes ahead, but it was very difficult to get there. There was a headwind and it actually slowed me down quite a bit. I spent a lot,” he commented.
“I knew I wasn’t going to make it. When you’re alone, you think about everything, but between talking in the car and telling four jokes, you kind of had fun. It was a long day,” he concluded.
Source: La Verdad
I’m Robert Maynard, and I am a passionate journalist with experience in sports writing. For the last few years, I have been writing for Today Times Live. My main focus has been on sports-related stories and features. With my strong background in journalism and extensive knowledge of the industry, I am able to provide readers with well-crafted pieces that are both informative and engaging.
