"Result wise a disappointing race for me personally" - Milan Vader left frustrated after Tour Down Under performance

Milan Vader was supposed to be Team Visma | Lease a Bike's great general classification hope at the 2024 Tour Down Under. Finishing 37th overall however, that's not quite how things panned out.

"Still on my way back home after Australia. Result wise a disappointing race for me personally (team wise a top result and a class job from the guys)," writes the 27-year-old Dutchman in a reflective Instagram post. "But as Koen Bouwman told me; 'it’s a bit more complicated than just ordering good legs.' And I think that’s just what I like about it."

As mentioned, pre-race Vader was the big GC hope for Team Visma | Lease a Bike, but on the road it was Bart Lemmen who proved the strongest in the team, finishing 5th overall. "I go home with a bunch of positive things that will bring me further both in life and cycling," Vader continues. "Quite often people suggest my crash in ‘22 must have been a horrible time. Yes it was an insecure period with a lot physical discomfort but oh so valuable. It changed me as a person. I’m able to put things in perspective and will always fall back on the thought that I’m happy to still be here, in good health. So it’s the process I enjoy the most in the end."