"I surprised myself a little" - Bart Lemmen launches himself into GC contention at the Tour Down Under with 5th placed finish on Willunga Hill

On the first real general classification challenge at the 2024 Tour Down Under, it wasn't Milan Vader leading the Team Visma | Lease a Bike charge as expected, but instead Bart Lemmen.

"We controlled the day pretty well and kept Milan out of the wind," reflected Lemmen, who is beginning his first season at World Tour level and just his second season as a professional to the Visma website post-stage. "We started the second climb, Willunga Hill, in a good position. Despite some attacks, I managed to stay at the front. In the end, I didn't have enough speed in the sprint for a podium finish. I got boxed in, which slowed me down, but I can't complain about this great result.”

With the climb of Mount Lofty to come on stage 6, Lemmen's impressive Willunga Hill performance has launched him right into GC contention. Sixth overall, the Dutchman sits just 13 seconds behind overall leader, Stephen Williams.

"I've had a huge boost recently. The team has shown a lot of confidence in me. I feel their appreciation. This morning, I didn't think I could compete with the best climbers here. I am happy with the professionalism of Team Visma | Lease a Bike and my role in the team," Lemmen concluded. "I am so glad with this performance. I surprised myself a little. Now, I am looking forward to the final stage tomorrow. I hope to stay in the top ten. It's a stage that should suit Milan and me.”