🔗 Catena rotta ❌ Bici sbagliate Giornataccia per Nils Politt che è costretto ad abbandonare la fuga dopo la rottura della catena😰 #EurosportCICLISMO | #TDF2023 | #Tour
Nils Politt tells story of dramatic neutral bike situation: "It looks like I'm on my son's bike"
CyclingSunday, 23 July 2023 at 13:00
Stage 19 saw a very dramatic and unusual moment in the Tour de France. As Nils Politt formed part of a strong breakaway that was being chased hard, the small gaps and narrow roads wouldn't allow team cars to pass the peloton. After a mechanical he was forced to take a neutral bike but none fit, and he now tells the story through his own lens.
"I fought super hard to get into that break. I really wanted to be in there. It was our tactic, I was the best card of the team yesterday. I was racing quite a lot to be there in front and unfortunately my chain broke. I knew that I didn't have a team car behind, so I had to use a Shimano neutral one," Nils Politt told CyclingWeekly. The dramatic situation then began, as was the case in the 2016 Mont Ventoux crash where Chris Froome could not use the neutral bike - only used in extreme cases.
Because teams use different brands of pedals, he could not use those that were being given to him. "I got the wrong pedal system straight away, then another wrong pedal system, and then a bike which was way too small for me," he explained. "It was game over already and it was a little bit frustrating for sure. I think everybody saw it, and it is what it is though, that's the sport."
The BORA - hansgrohe rider was caught and dropped by the peloton whilst on the side of the road to add insult to the injury, eventually getting a suitable bike from his team car behind the peloton. "I wanted to be as quick as possible back in the front there. As soon as you realise that it wouldn't happen anymore, you are frustrated. That's it, it's super shit. A lot of guys were laughing about the picture when I was on the really small bike. It looks like I'm on my son's bike. It was a good story," he concludes what has become one of the most weird moments of this year's race.
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