Filippo Ganna: "There were just stronger riders today"

Filippo Ganna was perhaps the biggest favourite to pull on the first yellow jersey, but came off with disappointment off the opening day of the Tour de France. The World champion finished fourth, with a less than ideal time-trial.

“It’s not an excuse, I don’t think I lost because of that. That’s just how it went,” said Ganna, who reported a puncture after he made it across the finish line. A small one though, which he said he didn't realize. “The pain in my legs was considerable, I was just trying to limit the damage," he pointed out.

Usually a strong rider in the technical courses, Ganna struggled - like many - today with the rain. “With the rain, I didn’t feel at my ease on the corners, but on the straights, I was quite constant. It was supposed to be dry when I set off, but the roads were already wet and then it started raining," Ganna pointed out. "Like everybody, including Wout and Tadej, we set out early for that reason. We can’t have any regrets. There were just stronger riders today.”

“Now we’ll study the route of the coming stages, and we’ll see if there will be the possibility of inventing something," Ganna concluded. With a lot of firepower for the flat and cobbled stages, INEOS will be one of the dangerous teams in the upcoming days.