"I simply couldn't do anything about it" - Derek Gee hopes to get back at the explosive Del Toro in high mountains

Derek Gee's position in general classification is looking better and better with each stage, even if he lost a bit of time to the men on podium in the finale of stage 17. But nothing is set in stone before the massive climbing stages on Friday and Saturday, where the standings can be completely shaken up. And the Canadian seems to be on the right track in the third week.

But today's last classified climb was not to the taste of the Israel - Premier Tech leader who could only stare with his mouth wide open as Isaac del Toro and Richard Carapaz left their fellow GC contenders in the dust. "I saw them go, but I simply couldn't do anything about it," Gee confessed after the finish via team media channels. "They were so explosive in the last few hundred meters of that climb."

"They got a gap and there was no time to close it," said Gee, who finished 16 seconds behind and thus his gap to Del Toro grows to almost two minutes. But it's not a loss that would have the 28-year-old worried. "It was only natural that they would look at me and Simon Yates, although we are more into longer efforts. This was more of a sprint uphill and I have to give them credit for that."

"It was quite a selective day with the Mortirolo in the middle, but in the end it also paid off to have teammates up front because there was still so much valley behind," the Canadian analyses. "We had Hugo Houle up front and that helped a lot, but Visma | Lease a Bike also dropped quite a few men.

"Del Toro and Carapaz then separated it and that was impressive," repeated Gee, who still rates Del Toro highly. "He is also a super explosive rider, so that last climb just suited him very well. We will see what the coming days will bring, although I hope that Thursday will be a quieter day," concluded Gee.