Koen Bouwman remains confident after first mountain test: "We show that we are ready for what is to come"

Jumbo-Visma kept aloof in the fourth stage of the Giro d'Italia in the battle for the breakaway. The team then saw that leader Primoz Roglic entered the group with favorites without any problems. Koen Bouwman won the sprint of that group and finished seventh.

Bouwman was not surprised that there was a long and hard battle to join the breakaway, he says on the team site. “If it was okay with us, you could go and fight for the pink jersey. It was running and standing still, because there was enthusiasm from many riders. It was a typical tough Giro ride.”

"And yet it was a super nice ride," continues the winner of a similar stage in 2022. “It was hard for everyone, actually the entire stage. In the final Sepp and I were still close to Primoz, so we can be satisfied with that. Primoz felt fine, but it was mainly a day to get through. We show that we are ready for what is to come," Bouwman sounds confident.

Sports director Marc Reef spoke similar words to Bouwman. "The long-awaited battle for the flight of the day also came. We kept aloof from that, but it never stopped. We have always kept Primoz well up front.”