"Second is the first loser" - Mixed emotions for Marc Hirschi after narrowly missing out on Amstel Gold Race success

In a dramatic final sprint for the line, UAE Team Emirates' Marc Hirschi was just edged out for victory by Tom Pidcock with the Swiss having to settle for second.

"I mean, I can be proud to be second. I finally got some good shape and to be at this big race at the front is nice but yeah, second is the first loser," Hirschi reflects in a post-race interview with Eurosport. "And it was so close. So for sure, I am a little disappointed but yeah, overall I can be happy."

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Part of a dangerous attack at around 30km to go, Hirschi managed to attack a second time towards the end and head into the final kilometre in an elite four-man group alongside Pidcock, Tiesj Benoot and Mauri Vansevenant, that decided the win. "I was always in a good position and I know the parcour super well. I studied the wind and when to be in the front and when not, so I anticipated and we got to the finish," Hirschi assesses.

"Us four guys cooperated together well and then, it was all about the sprint. I was a little bit blocked and that meant I could not come to the front but tactics wise I think I was almost perfect," he concludes. "It's nice to be back at the front of these big races."

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