Ilan Van Wilder satisfied to move up to second overall after slippery Tour de Romandie timetrial: "I was super careful, I couldn't go all out"

Ilan Van Wilder so far has been the reliable leader Soudal - Quick-Step needed at Tour de Romandie. After a rather calm stage 2 where he didn't struggle to follow the main group, it was a rainy timetrial which would shake up the general classification today. Van Wilder however managed quite well in wet corners and enjoys a nice second place overall ahead of Saturday's queen stage.

Van Wilder clocked the ninth best time, but immediately after his finish it meant little to him. "It's been raining, so there is little point in comparing the times with the riders who rode dry," he told Eurosport. "I am satisfied with my own performance; I rode a good time and I'm happy with that."

Van Wilder's good time trial takes him to second place in the GC, seven seconds behind Ayuso. It is already an excellent starting position for the Belgian heading into Saturday's queen stage. "I came here with the aim of achieving a good result. So far so good, but the race has not yet been completed. Another important stage is on the program tomorrow."

For the later starters, the time trial was anything but a walk in a park, although Van Wilder made the best of it despite the limitations. "I had the feeling that the wind was blowing harder, because of the rain. It made the time trial even harder. I couldn't go all out on the descent either. I was super careful. I held back before every turn because one slip and your race is over. I therefore had to sprint after every corner to get the speed back up."