The perfect start 👌 Say hello to the leader of the #TouroftheAlps! Nice job, @Tobias_S_Foss 🍾 #TOTA
"You have no idea how much fun this is after everything that happened last year" - Joy at last for Tobias Foss with victory on opening stage of Tour of the Alps
CyclingMonday, 15 April 2024 at 20:30
For the first time in INEOS Grenadiers colours and for the first time in a road race, former time-trial world champion Tobias Foss took a win on the opening stage of the 2024 Tour of the Alps.
“It's always uncertain, that first race after you return from a training period at altitude,” Foss reflected afterwards to Wielerflits. “But it was okay. The pace on the last climb felt a bit uncomfortable at times, but I survived the climb well in the favourites group. With the summit in sight, I still had minor cramps, but luckily we played our cards well. We had to stay calm and then I had good legs for the sprint. Not much could happen in the areas with a headwind, but as soon as we had a tailwind, the door was open for attacks. It was a cool final.”
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As mentioned, this was a first career win for Foss that wasn't against the clock. "I have been waiting for my first professional victory in a road race for a long time, which is why this is extra beautiful and emotional," he adds with delight. "You have no idea how much fun this is after everything that happened last year. There's a lot coming together at the same time now, but it's a special feeling.”
Although he's not officially confirmed, performing so well in a Giro d'Italia warmup race surely does Foss chances of making the INEOS Grenadiers' Grand Tour lineup no harm. “To be clear: my participation is not one hundred percent certain. I'm on the longlist and things are looking good," he assesses. "I look forward to riding for Geraint Thomas and Thymen Arensman."
"I saw this first six months as a kind of rehab, in which I could find my rhythm again and become a normal rider again. If I can get through the Giro without any problems, then I have a super solid block in my backpack," the 26-year-old concludes. "Then I can build on the Olympic time trial, my main goal of the year, and I also want to participate in some stage races.”
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- yeah, that’s a more fair assessment. “reaching mathieu’s level” doesn’t mean you’re planning to replicate his whole career. the former IS doable, potentially. it’s just the latter that likely is not.OCexile25-12-2024
- That’s not entirely true. Every person follows their own development path and peaks differently. Remco and Primoz had hardly started cycling before elite level. Jonas was pretty much under the radzr until he unexpectedly had to take over responsibility at JV. Some guys only get real good in their thirties others have peaked mid-twenties. You can’t tell in advance how and upto what level they will progress, obviously his career might not have MVDPs length but nothing says he could not end up doing a few seasons at his level.Mistermaumau25-12-2024
- well, del grosso is 21 right now. when mathieu was a year younger than that, he was already winning elite level world championships, not U23. i think del grosso will be a very good pro for years, but if he was really going to be the next van der poel someday, he’d already have to be at that level right NOW. van der poel was showing signs of true greatness when he was 15-16. THAT’S what generational talent looks like.OCexile25-12-2024
- Yeah.... gear 😅.mikolajjj24-12-2024
- It shouldn’t be about expectations in the first place should it? Besides, if you look at everyone’s calculations as a whole they don’t add up in the first place. There’ll be 2-3 riders with a 50% chance, a dozen with 10 or 20% and dozens more with a 5% so we’re expecting at least 2 if not 3 winners. Remind me again who won before her? Says it all about using data to decide on participation.Mistermaumau24-12-2024
- Ok, happy I’m not too interested in this team coz’ the account of what happened is really hard to follow.Mistermaumau24-12-2024
- The UCI is worse than USA CyclingVeganpotter24-12-2024
- It's not like they wanted her to not win😅 She had an outstanding Olympics. But there's a reason why she wasn't expected to win the road race and that's ok. Things like this happen and it's great...better than seeing expected winners win.Veganpotter24-12-2024
- Bruyneel ? The man with a lifetime ban from cycling...why do you keep giving him and his doper mate, Armstrong, a platform?DJ24-12-2024
- yeah, agree. on the subject of being a “complete rider,” i do think that’s getting more interesting. mathieu seems to have decided he wants to get much better at climbing the the high mountain passes. he appears to be looking for new challenges, which should be interesting to watch. in most cases you’d dismiss a goal like that at age 30, but it’s mvdp. he’s never going to climb with the real climbers, but if he can improve enough it could open up stage wins when the parcours isnt just purely toothy and punchy.OCexile24-12-2024