"This is the biggest result of my career" - Estonian Madis Mihkels stuns with a podium finish at the European Championships

Tim Merlier and Olav Kooij on the podium of the European Championships won't surprise anyone, but... who's the third guy? Many commentators were in desbelief, frantically listing through their printed startlists but... Yes! It is the 21-year-old Estonian talent Madis Mihkels. Are you surprised? I don't know anyone who wasn't. This result only underlines the superb work of scouts at Intermarché - Wanty, who thus secured fourth medal in Limburg.

In an interview with the Estonian national broadcaster ERR he describes the final parts of the race, where he had to rely mostly in his own intuition: "Only Karl Patrick Lauk was still with me in the last kilometer. In the end I decided to go after Kooij, he kept me out of the wind which gave me momentum. I thought I was getting closer to Merlier and Kooij in the last meters. It was just perfect," says Mihkels.

"On the way, my teammates supported me as much as possible so that I didn't have to ride into the wind at the most important points. The level was high. Making it to the podium also says something about my form. It may not be quite the same as when you can raise your hand in the air, but this is still the biggest result of my career."