So close... Taco van der Hoorn takes 2nd place, after a sublime breakaway 🥈 #TDF2022
Taco van der Hoorn finished second in the fifth stage of the Tour de France. He narrowly missed the gold as Simon Clarke pushed his wheel over the line a little earlier.
"Maybe this opportunity will never come again. I don't get that many in the Tour," said van der Hoorn. "I don't think it was my best day ever, but good enough to win. I was better than yesterday because after a quiet week I'm never that good. But now the legs were good, the tactics were good. But it was just not.”
When Neilson Powless launched a surprise attack 1100 meters before the finish line, He counterattacked with Edvald Boasson Hagen and Simon Clarke. He managed to get to the front and almost crossed the finish line, but Simon surprised him and won the stage. "You play all or nothing, second place doesn't count, Especially with two fast guys, it's not up to me to close the gap. I kept calm and was in an ideal position. Really ideal," said van der Hoorn.
When asked how he felt about his performance in the stage, He said, "I had to go when Clarke caught up with Edvald. Maybe I should have waited just a little bit until Clarke had kept his legs still. Then I would have had just a little more speed. I sat down, you should never do that either. But hindsight is beautiful living. And yes... Maybe this opportunity will not come again. I don't get that many in the Tour."
So close... Taco van der Hoorn takes 2nd place, after a sublime breakaway 🥈 #TDF2022