If it's possible to give more than 100 percent, then @Jasperstuyven certainly did at the #TDF2024 today! 📰 racing.trekbikes.com/stories/lidl-t…
"We had scouted the final well and knew a few moments where it was good to go" - Lidl-Trek DS confirms Jasper Stuyven's attack was well planned
CyclingMonday, 08 July 2024 at 04:00
Big disappointment at Lidl-Trek after the gravel stage in the Tour de France. Jasper Stuyven seemed to be on his way to victory, but was caught in the final kilometer by his former breakaway companions.
"With that group with Turgis in it, we knew he wasn’t going to win in a sprint. Moreover, there was still a threat from behind with that group with Van der Poel and Girmay. We had scouted the final well and knew a few moments where it was good to go. Jasper picked a really good moment," sports director Steven de Jongh explained to WielerFlits why Stuyven - normally a formidable sprinter - rode away from the leading group with around eleven kilometers to go.
However it was not meant to be and ten kilometers later he was caught again. A lot of credit for that goes to Astana's Alexey Lutsenko who probably sacrificed his own chances to pull Stuyven back to the group in the final kilometer. "Unfortunately it just didn’t work out. This sucks. He can also look back on this stage with his head held high. The fact that Lutsenko then does a suicide pull to get him back, I didn't have in my script either."
Stuyven had an atypical preparation for the Tour de France, because the Belgian was initially not going to start. Yet he is clearly at his best. "After his operation he already returned very strongly in the Giro. After that he rested and prepared for the Tour of Belgium, where he was already good. After that he also rode a good Belgian Championships. When we were faced with injuries and illnesses, he already indicated that he was ready for it. It is always a dream to take a rider like that with us."
Turns out De Jongh is not a large fan of a gravel stage at the Tour either: "It has been a very nice race, but the gravel was quite loose today. That does pose some risks. Ciccone is still quite close and can still ride for the GC, so you have enough to lose. And you don't want to lose other riders either. A crash is always shitty," said the Dutchman, who saw leader Mads Pedersen give up a few days ago due to the consequences of an earlier crash.
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- Ha ha, I like the kid's style, he gets in the obligatory "I'm recovering from illness so might've been able to have hung on for longer" Proper Pro! Chapeau young man.Suipedali28-12-2024
- He would still be faster on the course riding his cyclocross bike than in his Lambo!Pogboom28-12-2024
- i love the spirit of any of these younger guys who will say out loud I WANT TO TRY TO FOLLOW MATHIEU. they know plenty well what that means. vanthourenhout, eli, lars and company have kinda been beaten into submission by years trying and failing to keep up with mvdp. i feel for them, seriously. but it’s great to see younger riders show up and take their turn, full of hope.OCexile28-12-2024
- The nice thing about World Tour cycling is it never goes the way you think it ill, haha. Tadej breaking away so far out in the Worlds? Remco doubling up in Paris?
ScottG27-12-2024 - Pretty classy comments by Jonas. Makes me like him even more.ScottG27-12-2024
- MVDP is simply a cross "machine" - amazing to watch.ScottG27-12-2024
- yes, Jonas said that he had lost a little muscle mass. In the other hand, also Tadej changed his physique: thin, more lighter than ever, legs and glutes well defined (finally, no more junior legs). Both were more lighter than ever but Pogi could put more muscle in legs and glutes.
maria2024202427-12-2024 - He can keep contending for Vuelta podium spots. A lot would need to go wrong for others and everything right for him to get on the Giro podium. He'll only be on the TdF podium if he's becomes a podium presenter.Veganpotter27-12-2024
- I like that, mind if I use it from now on? Better than using his name which always gets me worried about Google hits and giving him the excuse he was bound to behave the way he did from the derived verb.Mistermaumau27-12-2024
- This website needs clicks so just vacuums up what is available and loves anything that creates discussion.Mistermaumau27-12-2024