Derek Gee third after a gutsy ride in breakaway in the gravel stage: "Of course I would have liked to finish a few places higher"

Despite the results turning out rather boring, the Tour de France gravel stage certainly didn't disappoint in terms of the spectacle it delivered. While nobody was ultimately able to create a difference within the peloton, Derek Gee fought it out at the front against his fellow escapees and ultimately crossed the line in Troyed as third, losing to Anthony Turgis and Tom Pidcock in a sprint.

Gee may not have won, but he did move up into the top ten of the general classification thanks to his brave ride. After the first week, he is in a nice ninth place, 4:02 behind Tadej Pogacar. "It was really a day out today!", Gee enthusiastically shares his story via his team. "Of course I would have liked to finish a few places higher, but we rode at the front all day and I think we can be satisfied with that. Hopefully the victory will come soon."

It was not easy for Gee to get into the right breakaway that stuck to the line. "It was touch and go all day. I was already in a breakaway that did not get away, and at one point the top three of the classification even caught to us." Fortunately for Gee and his companions, the classification riders did not want to cooperate and let the escapees go again.

"It wasn't until the last twenty kilometres that I knew a little bit that we would make it," Gee continues. "And even then we weren't really sure. I tried to attack on a sloping section against the crosswind, but then Jasper Stuyven came with a really good counter and he took a lead. Luckily we were able to catch him, but we brought him back quite late, so it just ended in a sprint and I just missed something there."