Ignore journalists and quickly get to the bus: Van der Poel was deeply disappointed after second place in Tirreno | Tirreno-Adriatico 2021

You don’t win the race with numbers, said Van der Poel on Wednesday at the start of the Tirreno about his victory in the Strade. That may have been bitter truth yesterday. That’s how fast he came back to Julian Alaphilippe in the last meters. But still came second.

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Van der Poel gave a fierce blow to his handlebars, his cockpit as they call it at bicycle manufacturer Canyon. That cockpit held up, not like in Le Samyn, this time. But the disappointment was enormous. Beyond the finish, Van der Poel hung over his bicycle, exhausted. He then poured in a bottle of water in one greedy gulp. And ignored the journalists, who wanted to hear his story. To then quickly drive to the bus.

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